Eight reasons not to back Sea The Stars in the Irish Derby

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Sea The Stars proved us wrong by beating Fame and Glory at Epsom earlier this month but we’re certain that trainer Aidan O’Brien will get revenge at the Curragh on Sunday. Here’s why:

1. Sea The Stars is attempting to complete a 2,000 Guineas, English and Irish Derby treble. The last time such a feat was managed was by Nijinsky way back in 1970.

2. Aidan O’Brien has trained six Irish Derby winners, including each of the last three and he has had 16 placed in the last decade. Second favourite Fame and Glory and Masterofthehorse are among his ten possible entries this year.

3. Four of the last six winners, including each of the last three, were all beaten in the Epsom Derby. Of this year’s entries Fame and Glory, Masterofthehorse, Golden Sword and Gan Amhras ran. Each of the last six Irish Derby winners lost their previous outing.

Posted: June 25th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Royal Ascot: Eight stats about the festival’s opening race

Stoute and bin Suroor’s Queen Anne Stakes duopoly may resume

One of the biggest festivals of the flat racing season gets underway tomorrow with the Queen Anne Stakes, which is finally poised with no overwhelming favourite and three credible contenders. Here are some stats to help you bet on Tuesday’s 2.30pm:

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» 12 of the last 13 winners have been trained by Saeed bin Suroor (seven), Sir Michael Stoute (three) or Aidan O’Brien (two). O’Brien doesn’t have a horse in the race this year, while bin Suroor has favourite Gladiatorus and Alexandros and Stoute has Main Aim.

» Eight-year-olds Cesare and Mac Love are cursed by the fact no horse aged six or older has triumphed since Ardoon in 1976.

» The last two winners have been five-year-olds, with Arabian Gleam the only one in this year’s race, while everyone else except Cesare and Mac Love are four. Four-year-olds have won 14 of the last 17.

Posted: June 15th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Fame and Glory should end Aidan O’Brien’s lean streak

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Two years ago one of the most famous ever Derby jinxes was ended when Frankie Dettori won at the 15th attempts. Trainer Aidan O’Brien has been victorious at Epsom twice before but hasn’t triumphed for seven years, with 28 of his horses failing over that time.

chickendinner fancy 4/1 shot Fame and Glory to end that losing streak though. The three-year-old has won both the Ballysax Stakes and Derrinstown Derby Trail, as did O’Brien’s previous two winners Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002).

Posted: June 5th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment