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Ashforth's Angles: the dreaded curse of Epsom's Derby trial

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Epsom

Epsom: a wonderful test of a thoroughbred or a ridiculous aberration?

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)  

 By David Ashforth 6:00PM 19 APR 2016 

EPSOM and the Investec Derby Trial (2.30). I mention the sponsor in case they get cross if I don’t. After all, it’s their money.

I’ve never been able to decide whether Epsom is the most wonderful test of a thoroughbred, requiring speed, stamina, balance etcetera, or a ridiculous aberration notable for its unerring ability to get horses rolling across the camber into each other’s way.

It’s a useful Derby trial because it provides a list of candidates that punters can put a line through confident in the knowledge that they are not going to feature in the real thing.

Last year was a Classic example. The winner was Christophermarlowe. No horse is going to win a Derby when named after a writer of tragedies who was stabbed to death. After finishing third in the Lingfield Derby Trial Christophermarlowe, like his namesake, disappeared altogether.

The five Epsom Trial runners subsequently won only one race from 20 attempts in 2015, Sharp Sailor winning a handicap at Newmarket. Carbon Dating, who finished last in the Trial, was the only one who ran in the Derby, finishing eighth at 150-1. Nine races later he is still a maiden.

Owned and bred by Thistle Bloodstock, Carbon Dating is by The Carbon Unit. Now 14, the latter stands at Thistle Bloodstock’s stud in Ireland and many of his offspring race in Thistle Bloodstock’s colours. I don’t mean to be unkind but I can’t help thinking that it would be a good idea to make The Carbon Unit take a vow of celibacy and have a go with something else.

Following the Trial there’s the historic Great Metropolitan Handicap (3.05). It’s not what it was but, to be fair, neither is the British steel industry. Northern based jockey Paul Mulrennan makes a rare appearance – he has only ridden at Epsom once in the last five seasons. His sole ride is on Scrutinise for Ed Dunlop. It may be significant or just mean that Mulrennan’s got tickets for the West Ham v Watford game in the evening.

One of the great things about racing is that you don’t have to go to the big days to watch the sport’s stars. At Epsom, after marvelling at how tall and thin George Baker is, you can wonder at Ryan Moore, Andrea Atzeni, James Doyle, Frankie Dettori, William Buick, Silvestre De Sousa, Jim Crowley, Fran Berry, Jamie Spencer and I’m sorry if there’s someone else I should have mentioned but haven’t.

Now I’d better mention a winner. You probably can’t be bothered to wade through the apprentice race at Catterick (5.40) so I’ve done it for you. If you think it’s a trappy 15-runner handicap crying out to be avoided that shows that you’ve got no imagination. Without boring you with the underpinning sophisticated analysis, suffice to say that the race will be won by Golden Spun.

Phil Dennis, an improving rider, will lead from stall one, nip round the bend and keep enough in reserve to hang on. On the other hand, it’s soft, so they may come up the stands side. Oh, well.

 

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