3 minute read

At Belmont in the US and Woodbine in Canada there are clashes between the raiders and the locals.

Woodbine hosts the Pattison Canadian International G1 over 2400m and there will be 8 runners.  Not surprisingly the raiders head the field with Frankie Dettori going to Woodbine for the first time in many years and he's going in order to partner the Godolphin runner Walton Street for Charlie Appleby.  They are on 8/5, ahead of David Simcock's Desert Encounter who is going for a third win in the race and has a quote of 3/1.  Dan Tudhope will be in the irons.  Best of the locals looks to be Corelli on 4/1.

The Woodbine Mile also on the turf has 10 runners with Dettori on Chad Brown's Raging Bull and their quote is 2/1.  Set Piece is 5/2 for Brad Cox and Joel Rosario and March to the Arch 8/1 for Mark Casse and Patrick Husbands.

At Belmont the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational is for the 3yo fillies over 2200m turf and Charlie Appleby has the chance to collect another trophy with Creative Flare, an unlucky third recently at Saratoga, with Jamie Spencer coming for the ride.  They are on 7/2, as is Shantisara for Chad Brown and Flavian Prat and we love Deep Impact's daughter Harajuku who is on 4/1 for Andre Fabre and Stephane Pasquier.

The Jockey Club Derby is over 2400m with 8 runners.  It wasn't run last year because of Covid lockdowns etc so everyone looking forward to this one.  Great Voltigeur winner Yibir is on 2/1 for Charlie Appleby and Jamie Spencer.  Bolshoi Ballet has been routed here after he was denied a rum in the Prix Niel last weekend over irregularities in his vaccination papers.  He won the Belmont Derby on his North American debut and has proved a very versatile and consistent performer and comes into this on 5/2 for Aiden O'Brien with Ryan Moore coming over for the ride.  We like Tokyo Gold – he ran a good second in the Belmont Derby and is value on 8/1 with trainer Kobayashi booking John Velzaquez for the ride.