Alex Hammond Blog: Search For A Song Could Be Useful Against Returning Champ Stradivarius | Race News

Sky Sports Racing’s Alex Hammond takes on star stayer Stradivarius with an Irish contender in Friday’s Yorkshire Cup at the Knavesmire.

The saying ‘save the best for last’ seems apt when it comes to Derby trials this year.

When news broke that outpost favorites Luxembourg would miss the Epsom Classic with a slight loss, the race was on.

His trainer Aidan O’Brien continued to hold the strongest hand with winners in most events. However, the train moved to York and the Dante was won in sensational style by the Desert Crown formed by Sir Michael Stoute and a new protagonist rose to the top of the market.

Sauntered seems the right word to describe the manner of his victory. It was only his second start at a racetrack, and he showed the same professionalism at York as he did at Nottingham on his debut in November.

He is a horse that attracts attention. To anthropomorphize him for a moment, if he were human, you imagine he would be a modest, low-key, yet incredibly handsome guy who is unaware of the impact he has on others.

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Sir Michael Stoute and jockey Richard Kingscote with the winner of Dante Desert Crown in York

There’s an air of confidence about him and he certainly turns heads. The bookmakers were also impressed with the win and immediately after the race Sky Bet went 2/1 on the unbeaten colt for the Cazoo Derby.

There’s a lot to like about it, but not its current price. With that in mind, one of the youngest of the O’Brien clan hopes his colt can shine in the big race.

Donnacha O’Brien is responsible for Piz Badile’s 10/1 shot. He won the Ballysax at Leopardstown on his reappearance and that last race provided us with a Derby winner in 2016 when Harzand won it on his way to English and Irish Derby success.

Baaid
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Baaeed returns to the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury

Piz Badile showed real tenacity in winning the Ballysax, having to fight back after being led by runner-up Buckaroo, and it was heartening to see this horse rise in the stock market ever since.

Desert Crown looks like the ultimate professional and it was exciting to see a horse shine in a Derby trial, but considering the prices I’m happy at this point to be with Piz Badile. Forget the Derby for now.

The brilliant Baaeed returns to Newbury

One of the established stars and one of the world’s highest rated racehorses returns to action at Newbury on Saturday. I’m a little excited to see Baaeed back on track.

The William Haggas-trained colt is unbeaten in his six starts and signed off last season with a sensational win on Champions Day at Ascot where he beat Palace Pier in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

When you consider he didn’t set foot on a racetrack until June of last year, his progress has been stunning, and it looks like there could be even more improvements to come as he gets older. of four years.

He is 4/9 favorite to win the Lockinge on Saturday and is already 10/11 to win the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot. His pedigree suggests he will stay longer than the mile trip he has run exclusively on so far.

He has entries in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Coral Eclipse at Sandown over a mile and a quarter and looks like he has the world at his feet at this stage of his career.

It would have been an easy option to take him to stud after his three-year-old season, but Shadwell Estate Company took the sporting option and we are lucky to see him race in 2022.

The London Gold Cup could throw up a group competitor

Staying with Newbury on Saturday and the BetVictor London Gold Cup is always an informative handicap, usually won by a future band performer.

Roger Charlton has used it as a springboard in the past for some future stars, including Headman and Time Test.

I’m curious to see how La Pulga fares for Roger and his son Harry. For all intents and purposes, it looks like this gelding has something to prove, but at the price, and considering Sky Bet is paying 5 places, he might be one to keep.

He is the 20/1 underdog at the time of writing.

Confront Stradivarius in York

Now don’t shoot me down in flames, but I’m up against Stradivarius in Friday’s Paddy Power Yorkshire Cup in York. He is a wonderful horse and what he has achieved in his long career is remarkable, but can he continue at the magnificent age of eight?

It’s a credit to the team at Clarehaven Stables, as he always seemed quite the character and kept a lid on him as a horse in his own right. [not castrated] takes a little work.

So I’m up against him in a race he’s already won twice with Irish raider Search For A Song. She is not a spring hen herself at the age of six and it is fantastic to see her owners, Moyglare Stud Farm, letting her run for another season.

Frankie Dettori performs his famous Stradivarius flight exit after winning the Doncaster Cup
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Frankie Dettori performs his famous Stradivarius flight exit after winning the Doncaster Cup

She is already a double Group 1 winner and therefore has nothing to prove. She was beaten by her younger brother Kyprios on her return to the Vintage Crop Stakes and hopefully this race will see her win this mission.

Incidentally, Kyprios runs Friday night in the Saval Beg in Leopardstown and will be a short prize to win this.

Kyprios is 6/1 second favorite for the Ascot Gold Cup and he looks like a progressive and exciting stayer for Aidan O’Brien.

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