Delano Roosevelt a value alternative to Saxon Warrior

By Tommy Lyons

At odds-on Saxon Warrior won’t make universal appeal as a bet for this afternoon’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby but this is a good opportunity for the previously unbeaten colt to make up for his costly defeat in the Epsom Derby.

The Newmarket 2000 Guineas winner was sent off 4-5 favourite to follow up his Classic success, but not a lot went right for him in the race and he could manage only fourth behind Masar.

Nevertheless, he holds many of these on that form, and only has to reverse form with Dee Ex Bee, who finished two places and three lengths in front of him.

Back on a more conventional track and with the quick ground of little concern for the son of Deep Impact, we can expect to see the best of him. And if he truly stays the mile-and-a-half trip, he will be extremely hard to beat.

But he isn’t one for value hunters and given the structure of the market it may be better to look for each-way value with or without the favourite. Those that appeal in those markets are Delano Roosevelt, The Pentagon, and Latrobe, with preference for the first-named.

He was well beaten at Epsom but showed none of the sparkle of his previous outings and it’s safe to deduce it wasn’t his running.

Delano Roosevelt finished behind Old Persian last week at Ascot but was off the pace throughout and noted finishing strongly under considerate handling. The 10-furlong trip may have been on the sharp side for the Galileo colt, and he didn’t seem to have a very hard race.

In the expectation that this race will be run at a strong pace, he makes plenty of appeal as one who could make rapid late progress through the field and into the place — at least. He rates an each-way bet with and without Saxon Warrior.

The nap on today’s card goes to Ardhoomey, who can take the listed Dubai Duty Free Jumeirah Creekside Dash Stakes for Ger Lyons and champion jockey Colin Keane.

He ran over seven furlongs last time but they didn’t seem to go fast enough for him, and the trip also proved a little too far.

He will be suited by the drop back to today’s trip and, up against a number of rivals with questions to answer, he can get back to winning ways. Fleet Review ran modestly at Ascot and was no match for Sioux Nation on his previous outing but will find this easier and, thus, must be respected.

The two Godolphin runners, Dawn Delivers and Petticoat, look the two to concentrate on in the Dubai Duty Free Full Of Surprises Summer Fillies’ Handicap, with preference for the former. Jim Bolger’s three-year-old has won just one race to date but accounted for high-class Magical in a Curragh maiden when doing so.

She has since run numerous good races in defeat, notably last time when fourth behind Actress over six furlongs.

That trip was short of her best and she will be seen to much better effect back over seven furlongs today. She can gain an overdue return to winning ways at the expense of Petticoat, who is dropping back in trip after a fine run in a hot handicap at the Guineas meeting here.

Tomorrow’s card is equally competitive, but Massif Central will be very hard to beat in the Lyndsey & Eleanor Comer Trust Handicap.

Michael Halford’s horse was making his seasonal debut when running a fine race to finish third behind stable-companion Saltonstall here in late May and should prove even better for the outing.

He can go on to better things and is preferred to Silverkode, who made a promising return when runner-up to St Brelades Bay recently and can also be expected to improve.