Racing Round-Up: Frankie and O’Brien strike gold but what next?

In routing their respective fields in the 2000 and 1000 Guineas both Galileo Gold and Minding have blown this Flat season wide open and given their connections some very interesting selection headaches.

In the latter’s case, victory was expected. However, the nature of the result and its ramifications less so with Aidan O’Brien’s Classic winner now in the mix for a crack at the boys’ top prize at Epsom.

And then there ‘s the story of our man Frankie, Hugo Palmer’s first Classic win and a racing organisation in Al Shaqab that is now in possession of a crown jewel that perhaps even they weren’t convinced had sufficient polish.

It was quite a weekend.

Here’s what it means…

Guineas winners are spoilt for choice

Keen as mustard and so game, Galileo Gold now finds himself a lively 10/1 shot for the Derby.

But whether he’ll line-up in Surrey is 50-50 according to Harry Herbert, racing advisor to owner Sheik Joaan Al Thaani.

He said: “He is 10-1 for the (mile-and-a-half) Derby, where there are question marks about the trip, and warm favourite for the (one mile) St. James’s Palace Stakes. He will certainly stay a mile-and-a-quarter.”

It’s probably worth waiting the expected two weeks until a decision is made but in the meantime we can all ponder what the best option would be. We were pretty quick to get Frankie’s thoughts on Sunday.

However, for all of GG’s brilliance it’s his 1000 Guineas equivalent Minding who finds herself at the top of the Derby betting at 5/2 (with a run).

Stablemate US Army Ranger, who holds entries for Thursday’s Chester Vase and Saturday’s Derby trial at Lingfield, is 4/1 for the Epsom showpiece.

It’s his upcoming performance that will likely decide Minding’s fate.

Click here for the latest Derby odds.

Found plays sublime supporting role for Ballydoyle

Not content with landing a 1-2-3 in the 1000 Guineas, AOB saddled Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Found to another memorable success, this time in the Moorebridge Stakes at the Curragh yesterday.

In doing so Found avenged her defeat to Fascinating Rock in last year’s Champion Stakes while outlining her leading claims for this season’s principle targets.

The star filly is 3/1 to land the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot although her progression this term may see her domestic outings limited with the focus instead on international jaunts later in the campaign.

In many ways the weekend just gone was all about Aidan O’Brien and his runners. However, even he would’ve been hard pressed to predict how the different storylines would unfold.

Click here for the latest Royal Ascot odds.

All eyes on Chester

Chester’s iconic May meeting takes centre stage this week with the three-day extravaganza taking place between Wednesday 4 May – Friday 6 May.

The Roger Varian-trained Steve Rogers is your favourite for the Chester Cup, the feature race on the opening day.

Varian’s 7/2 jolly was a winner on his only previous appearance at the track last November and has the rest of his rivals all strung out as far as the betting is concerned.

Irish raiders Quick Jack and Silver Concorde are both 7/1 apiece with Gang Warfare rated an 8/1 chance and the rest of the field 12/1 bar.

Click here for the latest Chester odds.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing