Henderson outlines plans for According

NICKY Henderson outlined the weekend plans for some of his stable stars yesterday - but it was one of his unraced hurdlers that was the day’s gamble.

Read Full Story

Have Your Shout

Westmead Osprey impossible to oppose

WESTMEAD Osprey (9.45), boasting an incredible eight from eight record at the galloping track including last year’s Produce Stakes, is impossible to oppose in tonight’s £8,000 Betfair Arc final over 480m at Swindon.

Read Full Story

Have Your Shout

Crown Rover's fit for a win

CROWN ROVER (9.02), winner of the £20,000 Grand Prix over course and distance last summer, is strongly fancied to make a successful reappearance over 640m at Sunderland tonight – live in betting shops.

Read Full Story

Have Your Shout

Get posting in the Star Forums!

You can join the debate and post your own views in the lively Daily Star Forums!

JAN ON CLOUD NINE

ABOVE: trainer Aidan O’Brien now has the first and second favourite for the Epsom Classic

2nd November 2009

By Tony Lewis, Racing editor

Your Shout ( 0 )

JAN VERMEER painted himself into next year’s Derby picture with a surprise victory in the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud yesterday.

Champion trainer Aidan O’Brien now has the first and second favourite for the Epsom Classic with Jan Vermeer earning a 10-1 Ladbrokes quote behind Racing Post trophy winner St Nicholas Abbey.

Like St Nicholas Abbey, he is a son of Montjeu and simply streaked clear of a very talented Group One field in the hands of Colm O’Donoghue.

Ladbrokes man David Williams said: “Jan Vermeer’s win in France certainly wasn’t in the script, but such was the authority of his victory, he’s well worthy of a Derby quote. He put a smart-looking field to the sword.”

O’Brien also saddled better fancied Midas Touch, the mount of Johnny Murtagh, but it was the Godolphin hope Emerald Commander who took second, fourth lengths behind the winner.

Third, another seven lengths away, was the Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Rosanara. Last year’s Criterium winner Zafisio, who gave Paul Blockley a final big winner before he lost his licence, returned to grab the Group Three Prix Perth for new handler Roger Curtis.

He turned recent Curragh form with Border Patrol on its head and the pair finished well clear of Racinger.

Controversial claimer Paddy Merrigan, who has twice walked away from British racing, will be hoping to make it third time lucky as he bids to build the kind of career that his talent deserves.

Hopefully, the demons that drove him out of the game have been banished as he showed all his old coolness to score on Dinaruis at Carlisle yesterday for Alex Hales.

It was his first winner since returning from Ireland. Alan King is usually the man to follow at Huntingdon and though
he was not there to greet hurdle winner Aohna, he had a more than adequate substitute in former trainer Jenny Pitman to greet the owners.

They are all in the Jenny and Mark Pitman Racing Club. Noel Williams, King’s assistant, commented: “She’s tiny but she’s brave and stuck to her guns.”

Some of the yard’s better horses are due to appear soon, starting with Sir Harry Ormesher in today’s novice chase at Kempton.

Jeremy Scott, whose Scottish National runner-up Gone To Lunch stayed on to be eighth in the big chase at Ascot on Saturday, is hoping the race will have put the nine-year-old spot on for the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury at the end of the month.

“I was happy enough with him,” he told me.

“The Hennessy is over another three furlongs and he was staying on well at the end.”