Classic after-math

Man Utd won, most possibly in a futile fashion, Bodemeister was a good-placed second while Born To Sea flopped in the Guineas.

The Classics came by and produced some interesting thoughts regarding the 3-year old generation. Let's start with the 2000 Guineas where Camelot was up to the monumental task that was bestowed on him all over the winter and met all the expectations with a thundering roar. He's the real deal and for a Montjeu colt to dominate his contemporaries at a mile shows that he's truly in a class of his own. I hope his next stops will be the Derby and St Leger, for a crack at the British Triple Crown. I however think that his owners Coolmore will go on a more commercial path for his stallion career and go for the Champion Stake races instead. Let's hope that the romance of the Triple Crown wins them over, but I wouldn't punt on it.

What to make of Born To Sea? The excuse from connections looks to have been the very soft ground and the fact that he didn't settle from the on-set. I still think he's got the talent and will keep close tabs on him on his future races.

The 1000 Guineas went to un-fancied but progressive Homecoming Queen giving his sire Holy Roman Emperor a first Classic. Her win is most amazing given that it took her 8 races to break her maiden tag. You never know with those Aidan O'Brien horses, they can spring up when you least expect them. Maybe, the favourite, lost her unbeaten tag, but I wouldn't discount her out yet.

Stateside, I'll Have Another won the Kentucky Derby and this horse shouldn't be taken lightly from now on. If his win over fancied Creative Cause in the Santa Anita Derby did not make him a household name, this win will do it. He was well-placed all the way and ran down Bodemeister because of his superior stamina. Both must certainly be leading players going to the next Classic, the Preakness Stakes in 2 weeks.

There are lots of good racing going on in the UK at the moment but most of it is getting wrecked by the wet weather. Long studies of form can be easily wrecked by the soggy and heavy conditions prevailing at the tracks. As can be seen in the past days, long-shots and outsiders rule the roost in such circumstances, and it looks best to stay away unless there's a clear shout in a race. Long punters should be enjoying this but I cannot find any good-value certainties in the cards worthy of mention.