Richard Hannon: “Oh This Is Us is entitled to confirm superiority over Bye Bye Hong Kong”

EPSOM

 

2:35 G3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes

Anna Nerium (Tom Marquand)

She was second in this last year and actually did quite well to finish there after getting badly squeezed up leaving the stalls and was made to play catch up for the rest of the way. I think soft ground is her optimum so if there’s any rain, that will really suit her and she put up a very good effort in defeat last time. It’s a tough race but she’s been in great form over at Everleigh and is sure to run another big race; I can’t see any reason why she won’t.

 

3:10 G3 Diomed Stakes

Oh This Is Us (Tom Marquand)

Palmer, who lives, breathes and sleeps with this horse assures me he’s in great form so who am I to argue! He’s got loads of experience and was third in this a couple of years so I’d have no worries about the track and he’s there to run his race. I think a fast run race suits his running style and I’m not too concerned about the trip and, at the weights, he’s entitled to confirm superiority over Bye Bye Hong Kong.

 

4:30 G1 Investec Derby

I think our last runner in the Derby was Humphrey Bogart so hopefully we’ll find one for next year but this is always a great race and tends to shape the rest of the season. This year’s renewal is wide open and you could give plenty of them chances. I was impressed with Sir Dragonet at Chester but I’m not sure how good that race was and he’ll need to improve. Telecaster looked good in the Dante and that is always a good trial but I’d love to see Bangkok win for King Power Racing. He won his trial at Sandown and has already beaten Telecaster so I see no reason why he can’t win it. He looks good value at 10/1 with Unibet.

 

DONCASTER

 

1:55 Novice Stakes

Kuwait Direction (Pat Dobbs)

He’s a horse with a lot of ability and we quite fancied him at Windsor on his debut but he missed the break and never really got into it but that will have brought him on plenty and I think you’ll see a much better performance here stepping up in trip.  We had him entered all over the place but opted to come here and, as he’s our only runner at the meeting, I hope it was the correct decision!

 

MUSSELBURGH

 

2:50 Handicap

Brian Epstein (Richard Kingscote)

We sent a few runners up to this fixture last year as they put on decent prize money. Brian Epstein won’t be breaking any records (boom!) but he just got outbattled at Doncaster last time but he’s quite pacey so the drop back in trip will help. It looks a competitive little race but I’ve been very happy with him at home and I think he’ll go very close, although a 5lbs rise will make things a little harder.

 

4:00 Fillies’ Listed

Red Starlight (Danny Tudhope)

She’s a model of consistency and is yet to run a bad race so it would be nice to see her get her head back in front. The ground doesn’t seem to matter to her and we won this with Pepita at 20/1 last year but I don’t think we’ll get that price with this filly!

 

LINGFIELD

 

5:45 Handicap

Mongolia (Hollie Doyle)

She’s pretty consistent in her grade and ran well last time. This isn’t a great race and the cheek pieces will help her concentrate so I’d expect her to go very close.

Forty Four Sunsets (Sean Levey)

She has to step up a little on her last couple of runs but there’s some decent form behind Maqsad from Newmarket which would give her a squeak but I couldn’t be overly confident.

 

6:45 Median Auction

Separate (Sean Levey)

This is a step down from the Listed event she ran in at York last time and prior to that she was only beaten a neck on debut at Newbury. She has plenty of ability and I’ll be disappointed if she can’t open her account here.