The Derby

The more I look at the race the sweeter I am getting on Midas Touch - everything has gone to plan for him, lightly raced, handle fast ground, guaranteed to get the trip, clearly well thought of when selected twice ahead of Jan Vermeer last year and has won the right type of trial.

I think Jan Vermeer might end up being the best horse in the race in time but Midas Touch has had the best preparation.
 
O'Donoghue has definitely been riding the better horses this year. Was beginning to happn last year as well. He's proved his worth, particularly on his outside rides like with Marnane in the big handicaps.
 
O'Donoghue has been riding with great confidence, he's defo no.2 now and I'm pleased he's on Midas. I think sending CB to France is a bit of a panicky decision and like Steve I think getting the Epsom trip would not have been a problem.
 
As Galileo pointed out, it will be highly embarassing for them if Workforce wins, or comes a close second to a non-Ballydoyle horse.
 
chroniclandlord said:
Maybe thay fancy that Jan Vermeer and Cape Blanco are good enough to give them a Derby double.
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That's what they're hopeing but the horses where showing the way to go.
CB was ready for the Dante and hence the Derby. JV was barely ready for the Curragh and although I personally think it was a better race than it may have looked on paper it surely at that point was not seen as a stepping stone to the Derby.

Always stick to the plan !!
 
Only Ballydoyle could even think about not sending a Dante winner to Epsom. First since Godolphin's Classic Cliche in 1995 not to do so. That time, the second didn't go either. The third was Presenting, who was beaten 4 1/2 lengths in the Dante but just 1 3/4 lengths in the Derby. The good news for Godolphin was that it was Lammtarra that far in front of him...
 
Of the Ballydoyle contingent, Cape Blanco probably has the most serious stamina questions to answer regarding the Derby (at least to my mind).

I wasn't particularly impressed with Midas Touch in the Derrinstown. Granted the time was decent and he will almost certainly come on significantly for the run, I thought he very much had the run of the race and looked pretty one-paced. Totally different to the impression I got of Fame And Glory in the race last year and I would have to question whether he has the tactical pace for Epsom.
 
Not too long to wait and see but I thought MT wasn't even woken up that day, it was just a gallop for him. His dam was best suited by 10f.
 
The more I think about it the more I think Midas Touch may be the one.

But I'll think about it a wee bit more...
 
Gareth Flynn said:
Only Ballydoyle could even think about not sending a Dante winner to Epsom. First since Godolphin's Classic Cliche in 1995 not to do so. That time, the second didn't go either. The third was Presenting, who was beaten 4 1/2 lengths in the Dante but just 1 3/4 lengths in the Derby. The good news for Godolphin was that it was Lammtarra that far in front of him...
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Yes it does seem strange that the winner of what is traditionally the strongest trial should be pointed elsewhere... still three days is a long time in Ballydoyle.
 
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