UK Expert - David Duggan

David has been working in the racing/bloodstock industry for over 20 years. He has worked at Coolmore Stud Ireland and in Lexington Kentucky with leading Farms. He is also an active writer publishing written articles for many publications including The Guardian newspaper. For the past 7 years, he has been broadcasting in the UK and Ireland for At The Races and Sky Sports. David has recently joined in August 2012 and will provide more insights on simulcast races.

Overseas Expert Column for Prix du Jockey Club (Wally Pyrah)

S2-2 Prix du Jockey Club

The French Derby is run at Chantilly, one of the most picturesque racecourses in the world, and this year’s renewal looks very competitive, a good case could be made for several in this high class race.

The favourite is sure to be INTELLO, a son of GALILEO, has won three of his four starts and one could argue but for a poor draw in the French 2,000 Guineas run over 1,600m he would be undefeated. STYLE VENDOME won that race but INTELLO was forced wide throughout and finished with such force that he was only beaten by a neck in the end. He is a very useful colt and will have no trouble with this distance as he made a winning seasonal reappearance at Newmarket in the Listed Feilden Stakes over 1,800m, he will be a very hard horse to beat in this valuable race, as he has a smart turn of foot and plenty of racing experience.

BRAVODINO is the horse that interests me the most, the son of the now deceased DYNAFORMER has had three starts in the famous Niarchos silks and despite having only won once tasting defeat at the hands of the very smart OCOVANGO, he is a very good colt, in fact his chance could well be enhanced were OCOVANGO to go close or even win the Investec Derby on Saturday. BRAVODINO has not been rushed by connections only making his racecourse appearance in November 2012 that was over 1,600m on heavy ground at Saint Cloud, he was impressive on his first three-year-old start, winning again at Saint Cloud before finding OCOVANGO too good. He is sure to go well today and I feel he might just be able to beat INTELLO as he may well handle the softer conditions better than the son of GALILEO.

No French Derby would be complete without a representative from H H The Aga Khan, whose famous green silks have been so successful over the years worldwide but more so in France. His representative will be DALWARI who has had three starts, winning twice and finishing runner-up on the other. DALWARI has a very likeable attitude to racing and is sure to gain plenty of local support as a son of the American stallion MORE THAN READY. He might just prefer better underfoot conditions but his talent can still see him run close.

The Irish challenge features a very interesting horse called FIRST CORNERSTONE, trained in Northern Ireland by Andy Oliver, a trainer who has made great strides in recent years. He was a very smart juvenile, winning the Group 2 Futurity Stakes over 1,400m at the Curragh in good fashion. He ended his juvenile campaign by finishing fourth beaten under four lengths by KINGSBARNS in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy over 1,600m a nice run behind a horse with a big reputation. I liked his most recent run when fifth to MAGICIAN in the Group 1 Irish 2,000 Guineas on an unsuitable quick surface. The softer ground will suit and he is capable of running a big race.

Selections: 14.BRAVODINO, 19.INTELLO, 17.FIRST CORNERSTONE & 1.DALWARI

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