Diva Out To Break Duck

Today there are five meetings taking place with four on the flat at Epsom, Catterick, Goodwood and Bath as well as a jumps fixture at Market Rasen.  Darcey Diva (pictured above) bids to extend the good recent run of the stable in bumpers in the 5.30pm race at Market Rasen.  She has finished runner-up in two of her three starts and I believe that experience is important in these contests.  Conditional jockey Kieron Edgar is in the saddle once again and takes a handy 7lbs off her back - hopefully she can go one better this afternoon.

Of course, the big meeting of the day is Epsom as it is the start of their Derby meeting.  The Oaks is the day one highlight at 4.00pm and eleven runners line up for the fillies' Classic and the £241,726.37 first prize.  Aiden O'Brien steps Moth up in trip from a mile to a mile and a half and judging by her pedigree she may well improve for the extra distance.  She is my idea of the likeliest winner.

It is good to see Frankie Dettori back in action at Epsom after his drugs ban.  The sport needs characters like Frankie - let's just hope that he's not a dope again and can keep his act together.

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Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson agreed to conduct an interview for Attheraces but said, 'no questions about football'.  I would think that Jim McGrath wouldn't know too much about football (although I could be doing him a disservice).   Ferguson's horse Butterfly McQueen had just won by nine lengths on heavy ground at Lingfield - with the going so testing, the form may not stand up when returned to decent underfoot conditions.

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Here's a pub quiz question for you - with the exception of today, when was the last time that the Epsom Oaks was held in May?  Well, the answer is 45 years ago - I wouldn't think that too many people would know that...thinking about it, I don't suppose too many people would want to know that!

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In golf it is interesting to see that Rory McIlroy goes from bad to worse.  He shot a six over par 68 at the Memorial in Ohio.  He doesn't seem to have his game head on at the moment and could do with going away and rediscovering his focus.