Yahoo Sport UK columnist: Jim Crowley – Classic conundrum

Top jockey Jim Crowley is Flat racing Brand Ambassador for Bet4Causes.

You can read his exclusive columns in Yahoo Sport UK the Racing Plus newspaper every Saturday.

IT IS not often that the York Classic trials muddy the Epsom waters, but in some ways the Musidora and the Dante have crystallized one thought: The Oaks is looking a potentially much better race than the Derby.

Previously unbeaten ante-post Derby favourite Midterm did not ran his race in the Dante.

In the paddock he was very coltish and was whinnying down at the start. It was over before it started and I’m not sure he will run in the Derby now.

Connections may wait for Royal Ascot, but it is very difficult for a horse to bounce back from something like that and run in the Blue Riband, even if he is trained by a legend in Sir Michael Stoute.

Dante winner Wings Of Desire is still raw and reminds me, looks-wise, of Lammtarra, in that he is a long, lean type. He may not be the next Lammtarra, who came with an irresistible surge under Walter Swinburn to get up in the dying strides and land the 1995 Derby, but he looks certain to improve.

Incidentally, when I watched him win his maiden at Wolverhampton, I immediately phoned my agent to try and get me the ride on the third horse, Pumblechook. The latter is a full brother to Chinese White who won the 1m2f Irish Pretty Polly Stakes (Group One) in 2010 and I’m sure he will be out again soon.

You can be forgiven for thinking that, of the Classic generation, the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

Aidan O’Brien’s 1,000 Guineas trio of Minding, Ballydoyle and Alice Springs all appear capable of winning an above-average renewal of the Oaks, and it was hard not to be impressed by Musidora winner So Mi Dar (below).

By Dubawi out of the top-class Dar Re Mi, John Gosden’s representative was a little bit keen, but quickened up nicely and looked the part.

With Humphrey Bogart, who was just behind her at Epsom, subsequently winning the (admittedly weak) Lingfield Trial, the form stacks up nicely.

While it would be surprising if 1,000 Guineas heroine Minding took on the colts – Coolmore have enough darts to throw in the Derby in their quest to make another valuable stallion – wouldn’t it be interesting if So Mi Dar took on the boys? After all, she has course form and that’s vital.

With the disparity in prize money (£1.325million for the Derby dwarfs the £450,000 for the Oaks), you can understand the temptation. There is no standout performer in the line-up and it looks a very mediocre Derby, but it appears that So Mi Dar will take on the fillies.

Midterm’s defeat takes the sheen off the Sandown Classic Trial, where the David Simcock-trained Algometer was runner-up.

While connections have their eye on the Irish Derby, should Algometer come out and win the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood next week, then he may possibly be re-routed to Epsom.

Naturally, it would be great to see Algometer to run at Epsom. He is a well-balanced horse and I don’t see the track being a problem.

There is only one Derby, after all.

While it is up to the trainer and the owner, my view is that you will probably only end up meeting the same horses in the Irish version anyway, and also you are not guaranteed to get soft ground in Ireland.

Dutch to master Newbury rivals

SADLY, I don’t have a big book of rides today at Newbury.

Dutch Connection (3.55) being sold to Godolphin was a bit of a blow, as I was looking forward to riding him again this season (above). It is tough when you lose one of your leading players, but he will hold a leading chance in the Group One Lockinge Stakes.

Although he was receiving 3lb from Toormore at Sandown and we were beaten a neck last month, that was his first run in nearly seven months, so it is possible Will Buick’s mount will reverse the form today.

I ride We Are Ninety (5.05) for Hugo Palmer, who steps up in class to run in a Listed race over 1m2f. We thought she was way ahead of her mark before she won at Chelmsford off an official rating of 70 and she backed up quite quickly three days later over course and distance.

It looked a good opportunity, but she bounced. Sometimes, with colts and geldings, you can get away with it but fillies don’t always take to it. She clearly didn’t.

Hugo (above) is a good trainer. His horses are fit and hard – and he really likes her.

Now rated 81, she is obviously up against it today, but I’m pretty sure he has a plan for the rest of the season, so we are probably going to find out where we are with her.

I haven’t ridden the Paul Cole-trained Complicit (5.35) since he ran off a mark of 109 at Windsor last May. He has a tongue tie now and is running off a 6lb lower mark than when last winning.

While they tell me he is working well, it will be a case of whether he goes on the ground or not.

While I’m sadly not aboard them, my best bets today are both Ed Dunlop horses. His string is in fine form and Global Applause (2.10 Newbury) can land the 6f conditions stakes and follow up his recent Newmarket victory (below).

While the London Gold Cup is a hugely competitive race, Vivre Pour Vivre (4.30) is a useful horse who won’t mind a bit of cut in the ground.

On Sunday I fly out with Ryan Moore to Deauville for the Group One Poule D’Essai Des Poulains. Ryan rides The Gurkha for Aidan O’Brien, while I partner the Simon Crisford-trained First Selection (3.20), who led until 2f out in the 2000 Guineas.

In truth, my lad will be trying to punch above his weight, but he should act on the track and the ground will be ideal.

On Monday, I have a fair book of rides at Leicester. Monks Stand (6.10) is a horse I like and hopefully will make up for the disappointment of being beaten at Brighton last week. He was a bit green to post and, as can happen in races at Brighton, the door slammed on me when one rolled down the hill. If he doesn’t go there – he does not want soft ground – he will likely go to Lingfield on Tuesday.

I ride a couple for Hughie Morrison and Compton Mill (6.40) is not a bad little horse and will be competitive, while Van Dyke (8.10) has hopefully come on for his first run of the season.

Hearty (8.40), trained by Jeremy Noseda, ran well in a slowly-run race at Windsor last time and I think he will run well.

On Tuesday, I head to Nottingham and I’m jocked-up for two of Hughie’s in the two-mile handicap, Atalan and Sweet Selection (3.15). I have won on Atalan before and he stays well, but whichever he runs should go well.

Sunscape (3.50) is having her first run of the season and is up in trip to 1m2f for her handicap debut against her own sex.

Pirouette (4.50) was due to run at Windsor last week but didn’t and she also makes her seasonal return in a race where she would hold a chance.

Good luck – and don’t forget to join me again next week!

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