You may disagree but it is my belief that the Dante Stakes at York yesterday was the strongest Derby trial run this season. I am not saying that the Ballydoyle winners of the trials at Chester will not turn out to be the top 3-year-olds but no one in their right mind could argue that Benvenuto Cellini or Constitution River had quality finishing behind them. Item certainly did have quality to beat yesterday and he did so in the manner of a horse on the up. Will Epsom, though, be his bag?
Of course, and this does no favours when it comes to marketing and promoting the Epsom Derby, it is a guessing game as to which horse or horses from Ballydoyle will line-up at Epsom. I suspect that Constitution River will head for the Derby that I no longer consider a bone fide Derby at Longchamp. Though, as Aidan often will say, that is not set in stone. Come June, I might change my mind and think Constitution River a banker for the Derby.
Item was a good winner of the Dante. I thought Action ran a perfectly respectable Derby Trial in second and both Christmas Day and King's Trail ran as if 12-furlongs would play to their strengths. In fact, and this an if in waiting, if Charlie Appleby's stable were to find their form, I have no doubt King's Trail would become a candidate to run, at least, into a place.
Although in general I am against a major race being over-populated by horses from one yard, I hope for the sake of the Derby and for each-way betting purposes that Aidan and the lads decide to run five or six horses this year. For the Epsom Derby to restore its prestige the race needs to attract as many horses as the maximum allows, with many different stable represented and challengers from overseas. It may not be woke to say so but without perceived jeopardy outside of the norm there is no excitement when the challenge is lessened.
To explain my broadside attack on the French Derby; it is run over 10-furlongs these days. The historic distance for national Derby races is 12-furlongs. If the distance of the French Derby were to be further reduced to 9-furlongs would it still be considered to be a true Derby? Little is sacrosant nowadays but the only certainty is that when morals, standards in public life, manners of behaviour and so on are let slip, the only route of travel is downward. It is the same with the historic distances of horse races. If it is perceived that 12-furlongs is wrong for the French Derby, cancel the race entirely and invent a new race over ten-furlongs but do not trade on hundreds of years of racing history.
To me, a royalist, the most important horse running this week is Portcullis in the final race of this year's Dante meeting. He is owned by the King and Queen and it would provide a filip to the sport if he could turn-out to be top-class, perhaps a Royal Ascot winner. Cross-fingers for a royal super horse.
I was surprised and saddened to read in the Racing Post today that Olive Nicholls had taken the decision to end her riding career and take on the position as assistant trainer to her father. She was a brave rider and someone I thought who might turn professional, and 20 seems a very young age to retire from anything other than being a teenager. Of course, she sets out now on a road that will eventually take her to becoming the licenced trainer at Ditcheat, with a period in between training alongside, with her name on the licence, her father. She ended her riding career with a double at Fontwell, I believe, the final winner being Golden Son, which would have been so Hollywood appropriate if she were an Oliver not an Olive.