Our Man at HQ picks out his best bets for Derby Day

Derby weekend is here and the town is very excited. The outcome of this years renewal could well depend on the weather. If the rain stays away then it will suit Kieren Fallon’s mount True Story for the Godolphin team, on whom i’ve had a wager! Or if we get the monsoon which some forecasters are predicting then it will suit Roger Varian’s Kingston Hill. Since he worked at Epsom last Thursday at Breakfast With The Stars his price has halved. Stable confidence in him is at an all time high and there will be a lot of long faces if he doesn’t win. Whatever happens it looks like a great renewal, I just hope the prize finds its way back to Newmarket. Personally I don’t think Australia will stay, especially if we are to believe Aidan O’Brien when he says the horse clocked 11 seconds a furlong over 4 furlongs. If that was the case then there is no chance he will stay the mile and a half. With a bit of luck he will be lining up for the Coral-Eclipse.

A very good friend of mine works for Mark Johnston and he is napping Pallistar in the 6.15pm at Newcastle. He ran a creditable third last week at Haydock and although it may be quite a short price, my pal says it will go to Royal Ascot after this so don’t be afraid to lump on.

I bet most people in Newmarket have no idea what local trainer Ismail Mohammed looks like as he spends most of his time in Dubai where he is the Chief Of Police! However he has a great bunch of lads who know instinctively how to get their horses finely tuned for the big day. The yard is in great form and yet most winners go un-noticed. Today they run New Story in the 8.45pm at Newcastle. He got stopped at a crucial stage on his debut but still stayed on nicely and the boys in the yard won’t hear of him getting beat. Sticking with Ismail’s string he also saddles Rhombus in the 4.05pm at Goodwood on Sunday. He stayed on strongly on his reapearance at Ascot and again the shrewdies from the stable are convinced he is well handicapped and that stepping up in trip to 2 miles will be right up his street. He must be backed.