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Thursday 3 June 2010

The Epsom Dash

The Epsom Dash at the weekend looks a really competitive sprint, however in the past the draw has played a major part as has course form and Dandy Nicholls runners. This year sees a lot of the pace in the middle of the course with the likes of Jaconet drawn 5 and Glamorous Spirit drawn 1 likely to go off like scalded cats ! These 2 are very fast horses who have plied their trade on the all weather but are no mugs on turf. Another to force the pace will be Captain Dunne from the in form Tim Easterby yard who gets the assistance of Jimmy Fortune. With a gaurenteed blistering pace it could play into the hold up horse hands and one who has shown his liking for this course is veteran and last years winner Indian Trail who in April was running all over the back of the others in his prep run here off 86, he is now on 85 and Billy Cray takes off a valuable 5lb. If he finds the gaps he must surely be thereabouts once again. Oldjoesaid was drawn 1 last year and he hasnt fared much better this time in stall 7, however he was 6lb higher last year and although in the worst draw of the lot managed to finish 4th. Kevin Ryan would appear to have been targeting this race for him and he had booked Jamie Spencer at the 5 day stage. Moorhouse Lad finished 2nd in 2008 and he looks like he's coming back to form but he too is not well drawn in stall 4. Fathom Five won the race her in April, however it wasnt a very fast time compared to previous races here and he has been raised 3lb as a result and may not improve for the run, although he has a good draw in 18.
Of those drawn high City Dancer has Franny Norton to assist from stall 17 and it wouldnt be hard to imagine this one showing his best form here since joining Dandy Nicholls. Finally Hawkeyethenoo looked on the upgrade when he won at Newmarket where he had the likes of Enact, Angus Newz, Genki and Parisian Pyramid behind, he came with a storming run there and his trainer believes he has the speed for this and has booked Kieran Fallon to do the steering from stall 14. He is still feasibly weighted on a mark of 88, will relish the fast pace and will have a jockey on the top of his game and for those reasons I would put him forward as the best chance in an open race.