The Arlington Million (G1)
August 13, 2016
Chicago could turn green tonight. All four graded races have Irish runners from their top two flat and national hunt yards.
In the American St Leger Clondaw Warrior makes the trip from the Willie Mullins yard. He’s in great form this year and comes here off the back of a Galway Hurdle win and a good third prior to that on the flat in the Queen Alexandra Stakes. He’s likes fast ground however he’ll not have encountered anything quite as firm as this before.
In The Beverley D Aidan relies on Ballydoyle and Coolmore who both ran in the Belmont Oaks last time out.
Ballydoyle went off favourite but didn’t run to expectations. Colm O’Donoghue eased her down having felt she slipped on the bends and she never got in a blow at the business end. She trailed in an eased down last. Coolmore on the other hand out ran her expectations staying on for third having taken on the winner, Catch A Glimpse, down the far side and into the back straight only tiring in the last furlong.
In the Secretariat Aidan O’Brien sends Long Island Sound who like Deauville contested the Belmont Derby last time out. This time he splits them with Deauville going for the Million.
Long Island Sound ran sixth at Belmont but was certainly unlucky not to have fought out the finish. Colm Donoghue pulled him out two furlongs out only to have his run checked by the eventual second Highland Sky who was never catching Deauville who had a trouble-free run winning handily under Jamie Spencer.
Aidan spoke to Gary O’Brien on At The Races about his teams prospects reporting them all in good form. On the fillies he thinks Ballydoyle is a little bit sharper than Coolmore who gets the mile and a quarter well and he is hopeful Ballydoyle will also see the distance out. Long Island Sound is progressing with every run and he is not overly concerned about the wide draw Deauville has in the Million pointing out he overcame a similar draw at Belmont and feels he can rely on his tactical speed.
As regards prices it’s worth comparing the local morning line prices with the bookmakers. Clondaw Warrior is 9/2 locally on the morning line prices, over twice the price available from bookmakers. Long island Sound is 5/2, Ballydoyle is 9/2, Coolmore 6/1 and Deauville is also 6/1. All considerably bigger than bookmakers are offering.
Recommendations:
The American St Leger Clondaw Warrior win (PMU Price)
The Secretariat Stakes Long Island Sound 5/2
The Beverly D Stakes Ballydoyle win with Coolmore in the RFC. (PMU Prices)
The Arlington Million Deauville win (PMU Price)
