Westover destroys his opponents in Irish Derby

A fast finishing third in the Epsom Oaks earlier this month, Westover made amends in no uncertain terms in the Irish version at the Curragh on Saturday. Colin Keane took over in the saddle aboard the son of Frankel and he was handy throughout (a shade keen early on). Leading with over two furlongs to travel, Ralph Beckett's colt started to pull away and outclassed his rivals by upwards of seven lengths. It was a top-class performance by a fast improving three year old. It will be interesting to see if he crossed swords once again with Desert Crown in the King George at Ascot in a month's time. Long-term, he is tailormade for the St Leger because the further he goes, the better he looks. On the evidence of Epsom, he doesn't have the same tactical pace of Sir Michael Stoute's Epsom victor. 

The Oaks winner Tuesday, who was supplemented earlier this week, could only finish fourth. Beaten over ten lengths, Aidan O'Brien's filly was too far back and was never going to make up so much ground against a high quality winner but it was a laboured effort nevertheless. Perhaps this came too soon after her Classic victory. Lionel was bitterly disappointing trailing in last of eight. Jamie Spencer's body language suggested he wasn't happy with his mount some way from home and was, indeed, looking down in the closing stages once his chance had gone. He made need genuine soft ground to show his best.

Alan King has done a superb job with Trueshan and, having resisted the temptation to run his stable star in the Ascot Gold Cup recently, he allowed the six year old to line up in the Northumberland Plate for the second consecutive year. Rated 120, the dual Group 1 winner conceded two stone to the runner-up Spirit Mixer scoring by half a length. It was a tremendous weight carrying performance and will take all the beating in the top staying races between now and the remainder of the season. Fair play to the head of Barbury Castle for having the guts to run him. Bought for 31,000gns at the breeze-ups in May 2018, he has been some horse for connections.

Mimikyu is another smart middle distance three year old filly trained by John and Thady Gosden. I was working for www.racingtv.com at Haydock this month when the daughter of Dubawi got off the mark at the third time of asking. Given an opening mark of 86, she was a most emphatic winner on her handicap debut at Newmarket on Saturday stretching away for a six lengths success. A full sister to Group 1 winning stablemate Journey, she looks ready for Pattern races and could be one for the Listed Galtres Stakes at York in August. She is improving at a rate of knots and, even though she has shown a good level of form on a slow surface, her connections feel she will be even better on a quicker terrain.

I am working at Cartmel on Sunday where there are 20 raiders from Ireland. Local handler Jimmy Moffatt, who has had 7 winners from 22 runners at the track already this season, has half a dozen runners on the card - they have won 15 times at the Cumbrian venue between them. In total, there are 16 individual course winners set to line up, including a handful in the two miles five handicap chase at 3.55.

As regards the best bet on Sunday - I will be disappointed if the horse featured at the top of page 112 of Ahead On The Flat doesn't win.