Sunday, March 13, 2005
LITTLEWOODS BET DIRECT WINTER DERBY IS GOING TO BE A HOT RACE
Chris Wall Keen On Counsel’s Opinion
French-trained Billy Allen heads the strong list of 39 entries for what looks set to be a thrilling renewal of the £100,000 Littlewoods Bet Direct Winter Derby (3.30pm) at Lingfield on Saturday (March 19).
The globe-trotting four-year-old is aiming to scoop a bonus of 50,000 euros by winning Britain’s richest all-weather race which is also the third leg of the European All Weather Series.
Fabrice Chappel’s charge took the first two races of the series, at Cagnes Sur Mer in France on Saturday, February 12 and at Neuss, Germany, on February 28. There two further legs after the Littlewoods Bet Direct Winter Derby at Rome in Italy (Sunday, April 17) and Jagersro, Sweden (Thursday, May 12), with four wins generating a boosted bonus of 100,000 euros and a clean sweep 250,000 euros.
But Billy Allen will face stiff opposition in the 10-furlong contest from the home contingent and another overseas raider, last year’s Winter Derby winner Caluki, who is trained in Italy by Luigi Camici. The eight-year-old Caluki should again have the services of champion jockey Frankie Dettori and he was a 16/1 chance with the sponsors Bet Direct who also priced Billy Allen at the same odds.
Lingfield specialist Eccentric was the 4/1 joint favourite with the sponsors. Andrew Reid’s four-year-old has won six times on the Polytrack in the last 12 months and was the impressive winner of the Bet Direct On ITV Winter Derby Trial on February 26 at the Surrey course, beating Gig Harbour by three lengths. The trainer reports that the horse is working well at home and is a definite runner for owner Gary Tanaka.
But the time before Eccentric was beaten a length and three quarters by Counsel’s Opinion over the Winter Derby course and distance when giving 2lb to Chris Wall’s runner in the footballpools.com Handicap on February 12.
Wall says that he is hoping for a similar performance off level weights in the Littlewoods Bet Direct Winter Derby but warned that Counsel’s Opinion, who will be ridden again by George Baker and was a 5/1 hope, “may not have it all his own way”.
He said: “What we don’t want is a sprint finish, I hope that the other jockeys will be sensible and not let Eccentric go on otherwise he will dictate the pace and that will make it difficult for our horse.
“It’s nice that he’s already gone out and won so whatever happens from now on is a bonus.”
Ecomium, who finished a promising second to Mikado at the Curragh in October on only his second career start and was the 4/1 joint favourite, will make his seasonal debut at Lingfield where he will experience racing on dirt for the first time. Trainer Jeremy Noseda explained on his website: “We decided not to give him a prep race as his main targets lie ahead on turf. I’m very happy with his progress and he appears to be well forward for this time of year.”
African Dream, the winner of five straight races last term and a 12/1 chance, will also head to Lingfield without a prep race. Peter Chapple-Hyam reported that the four-year-old gelding has overcome a slight scare last week when scoping badly and is now “in good form” and on course the Littlewoods Bet Direct Winter Derby.
Brian Meehan says he is “yet to make a decision” on whether or not Fong’s Thong will run. The highly rated four-year-old has not been seen on a racecourse since being beaten 11 lengths by Rakti in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in September.
Corrolanus, a winner at the 2005 Dubai Carnival for trainer Phillip Mitchell, will be ridden by Mick Kinane in the Littlewoods Bet Direct Winter Derby before going on to race in Hong Kong.
The potential field could also include among others, Howle Hill, Tahtheeb, Grand Passion, Wing Commander and Hurricane Alan. The 2003 runner-up Compton Bolter is also entered. The five-day confirmation stage is tomorrow (Monday, March 14).
The Littlewoods Bet Direct Winter Derby, likely to have a maximum 14-strong field, is the feature race on the two-day card which brings the official curtain down on the all-weather season.
Saturday has magnificent prize money of £277,500 and also features the £75,000 betdirect.co.uk Spring Cup over seven furlongs. The eight-race card starts at 1.50pm, with the gates opening at 11.10am.
Ian Renton, director of racing for Lingfield’s owner Arena Leisure, is looking forward to an exciting meeting.
“We are absolutely delighted with the quality of entries for the Littlewoods Bet Direct Winter Derby and we are particularly pleased to see horses entered from Germany, Italy and France,” he commented.
“The Winter Derby looks to be a very high quality centrepiece of a fascinating finale to the all-weather season.”
Competition for the Littlewoods Bet Direct All-Weather Championships, run in association with the Racing Post and Weatherbys, becomes more intense each year with trainers and jockeys battling for honours.
The all-weather National Champion Jockey at the 2004/5 Championships, which started on November 8, 2004 and runs through until Saturday, will receive a prize of £12,000. Neil Callan looks the likely winner.
The same amount will go to each of the Track Champion Trainers at Lingfield (Andrew Reid is in front of Gary Moore), Wolverhampton (Mark Brisbourne is leading from Tony Carroll) and Southwell (David Barron is being chased by Paul Blockley).
A points system (1st=5 points, 2nd=2 points, 3rd=1 point with double points awarded for races worth £20,000 and over) will determine the champions, while there are additional prizes of £8,000 for the second jockey overall, with £4,000 for the third and £2,000 for the fourth.
Additionally, the stable staff of each of the three Individual Track Champion Trainers will receive £6,000.
Trophies for the Leading Owner, Trainer, Amateur Jockey and the “Horse Of The Season” will also be presented.
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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