THE BERNIE THE BOOK COLUMN THE FLATS BACK!
FLAT RACING’S BIG TWO TO DIVIDE UP THE GUINEAS - WILL F1 RULE CHANGES BRING GLORY TO FERRARI? FORMULA ONE
After Aintree and the traditional end to the jumps with Final’s day at Sandown, it’s the purists time to ogle some very, very expensive pieces of horseflesh.
Yes, we have had the opening salvos with the Lincoln, but now that the trials for the Guineas have finished, all eyes are fixed to the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas this weekend. And, the trials have become a muddle with the winter’s reputations.
leading fancies all blemishing their
THE GUINEAS Firstly, to the 2,000, where the horse described by Aiden O’Brien as the best horse he has ever trained, has flopped in two trials. From an ante-post 3/1, Albert Einstein is now freely available at 25/1. Not such a genius then! Second favourite Publish has suffered a serious injury and will be pushed towards an Autumn campaign, worse still Gewan had to be put down following a gallop and every horse that has been seen publically has hardly enhanced their reputation.
Further, in a comedy of errors, horses have been accidentally scratched. Bow Echo has assumed favouritism by default, but looking through the most reliable of form lines, The Dewhurst, the one horse who stands up to scrutiny is DISTANT STORM, for the other powerhouse, Godolphin, and I confidentially expect him to win at a very generous 5/1
Over to the fillies and the position is even murkier as O’Brien’s number 1, Precise, has suffered a slight set back and although the trainer (at time of writing) fully expects her to line up, and who am I to argue, I think any change to their expected plans have to be viewed tentatively. His second string, Diamond Necklace, seems destined for the French equivalent, and my money is again firmly on TRUE LOVE at 8/1 for the master of Ballydoyle.
PHTM MAY 2026
Unless you are a petrol head (which I am not), or a follower of news
about the possible full-time
retirement of cry baby Max V, you might have missed during this month’s hiatus, because of the cancellation of races due to the Iran War, that changes are being implemented to the regulations by the sports governing body. No...? Let me enlighten you in none mechanical terms. Quite simply, the advantage Mercedes has eeked out with their car over the first three races might well be negated by the rule changes.
So, that leaves me to believe that Ferrari, and more specifically CHARLES LECLERC, might yet make a fist of the Driver’s Championship, especially as thus far, the Monte Carlo man has shown the Ferrari engine is performing well. So, surely a wager to win the Drivers’ at north of 20/1 has to be worth a score? You decide!
PREMIER LEAGUE DARTS
With only four weeks left of the season, at least two players have booked their ticket to Finals night at the O2, namely Luke the Nuke and Johnny Clayton. With Luke
experiencing some surprising losses and
seemingly not as invincible as he has become, I am looking for players further down the table who have the capability of causing an upset.
Currently lying in sixth place is mercurial dutchman GIAN VAN VEEN and if he does manage to qualify (and remember week 16 (final night of qualifying) pitches matchups based on position, then he can make a mockery of the 33/1 available to win. Again, double carpet for me is tremendous value.
Step up the oche now! Until next time... Good punting
Bernie the Book 75
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