Sprint King to Star if rain stays away
MICK Appleby isn’t the only trainer who’s had a 12-month plan to win the ‘Dash’ (3:45pm), but this really has been KING OF STARS’ main target for some time.
I’ve been lucky enough to own him since 2020 and have enjoyed some great days out, including five wins so far, but I haven’t been much happier than when drawing stall 20 for this race on Thursday morning.
From there, he should be able to break well and bowl along in front and, importantly, not be fighting against the left-sloping camber.
He remains well-handicapped enough of a mark of 100 and will hopefully be hard to catch if he does get an early lead.
The concern would be if any considerable rain fell, as he’s far more effective on a quicker surface.
The forecast looks pretty hit and miss, so let’s hope it’s a miss and he gets to take his chance.
With monster betting pools expected on Derby day thanks to over 20 countries from across the globe commingling into the World Pool, I’m keen to pair my lad up with a couple of others in a Quinella (a prediction on the first two horses home in any order).
LIVE IN THE MOMENT could run a mighty race for local trainer Adam West, who despite training just a couple of miles down the road at Loretta Lodge, Headley, is yet to saddle a winner at Epsom Downs.
His charge is also drawn high in 17 which is an obvious positive, while he could still be ahead of the handicapper as a progressive three-year-old who’s won his last two starts in good style.
As a three-year-old, he receives a handy seven-pound weight allowance, while Sean Kirrane takes a further three off his back.
The other one who I can’t leave alone off a much lower mark than when fancied for this race last year is STONE OF DESTINY.
He doesn’t find it easy to win and needs all the gaps to open at the right time if he’s to get his head in front for the first time in 14 starts and over 600 days.
But he’s now lurking off a mark of 92, a full 10 pounds lower than 12 months ago when jumping off at 5/1, and I’m going to keep the faith.
POINTERS SATURDAY
King Of Stars, Live The Moment, Stone Of Destiny Quinella