Pick Midak to be in Derby mix
This year’s Derby (Saturday, 3:30pm) is a feast for punters, and maybe best treated like a pick ‘n’ mix with the World Pool in action.
With over 25 countries betting into the same pools there’ll be plenty of value and liquidity in the exotic markets, so I’ll take three to put into a Quinella, which is a prediction on the first two horses home in any order.
DELACROIX and PRIDE OF ARRAS firmly deserve their places towards the head of the betting.
Delacroix was a taking winner of the Derby Trial at Leopardstown last time out and won the Ballysax Stakes in decisive fashion the start before that.
As a two-year-old, he showed a good attitude to miss out in a head-bob for the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster on soft ground and now appears to be excelling at longer distances.
Having snaffled Epsom’s two Group Ones on Friday, Aidan O’Brien will be widely fancied to complete the set, and Delacroix looks his strongest chance of doing so.
Pride Of Arras shot onto the scene when winning the Dante Stakes at big odds.
That was his first start of the campaign, and given he was up against the highly-touted The Lion In Winter it’s no surprise he went off a big price.
He’s well-related to plenty of good stayers, including those that handle soft ground, so could have his claims strengthened if it becomes a stamina test.
There would be no more poignant winner of this year’s Derby, run ‘In Honour Of His Highness Aga Khan IV’, than French raider MIDAK, who carries those famous green and red silks.
He’s a perfect three from three, and while the strength of the form from his win in the Prix Greffulhe is questionable, connections’ decision to fork out £75,000 to supplement him earlier this week is a big vote of confidence.
Mixing the two at the top of the betting with a relative outsider and unknown quantity in the shape of Midak is the way I’ll be playing this year’s Derby.
Bets on the World Pool can be placed at Tote.co.uk, or tote.ie for Irish customers, via the Tote App, in betting shops and at racecourses.
Pointers
Midak, Delacroix, Pride Of Arras (World Pool Quinella) 3:30pm Epsom Downs