Ambiente Friendly burst into the Epsom Derby picture sensationally with an unchallenged victory in a Lingfield ‘Trial’ over about a mile and half last Saturday when going clear by four and half lengths under Callum Shepherd who is owner Bill Gredley’s principal jockey, and has been for several years.
Bill swaps jockeys repeatedly but Callum has stuck with his ubiquitous attitude and admits he ‘gets on very well’ with the 90-plus Property Developer who many years ago landed the Doncaster St Leger with User Friendly.
This ‘Friendly’ guy has always been a staunch supporter of Newmarket trainers, plenty have had their turn but Ambiente Friendly is housed at complex of James Fanshawe whose ‘apprenticeship’ was spent alongside Sir Michael Stoute, pound for pound the best and most consistent trainer on this planet.
Sir Michael, son of a Barbados Police Chief, is a man of few words (to the press!) preferring actions to speak louder than gossip and, incidentally, his horses are again in flying form and usually ridden by Richard Kingscote who landed the Epsom Derby for the great man last year.
Immediately after Ambiente Friendly had stormed clear of the Aidan O’Brien-trained 6/4 favourite Illinois mine was to check on the respected race-times of three races and it was quite obvious Ambiente Friendly achieved a classic time-handicap mark; the Gleneagles colt was 100/1 on Saturday morning, now persistent backing by professionals, possibly guided by our comments, has forced him to 8/1.
Disappointing 200 Guineas flop, City Of Troy, a stable-companion of Illinois, is still favourite but I’ll be surprised if O’Brien risks another setback with a stud career in mind.
Obviously 8’s represents a tremendous ‘Friendly’ price but I’ll NEVER encourage ante-post betting and you are better off waiting for the big race and taking slightly lesser odds than losing all your money with a non-runner; it happens too often.
Looking forward to the ‘Worlds’ Greatest Horserace but in the meantime I’ve latched onto a seven-race ‘good’ ground Southwell card which includes two divisions of a National Hunt Flat Race over two miles; respectively they are within capabilities of standout
Moorsbrook SO – 3.30
and progressive
Cyclonic SO – 4.00
a cracking each-way double.
‘Summer-jumping’ usually produces good profit, current flat-racing is, for the most part, just a bit iffy; have patience readers!
DANCE AND GLANCE (9/4, from bigger odds!) was another ‘Bumper beaut’ Sunday. There will be more!
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