Bulls Aye hits the target despite drift in betting

Despite an alarming drift in the betting which saw him sent off at 11-1, Bulls Aye finally hit the target in Musselburgh’s behind-closed-doors opener yesterday.

Iain Jardine’s highly-regarded colt saw off Midnight Poppy by a length and three-quarters in the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Auction Stakes for two-year-olds.

The Dumfriesshire trainer said :“Things worked out much better for him today as he missed the break and was too keen last time. We left the blinkers off and that help ed and he’s a horse we’ve always liked.

“He can be a bit of a boy which is why he had headgear on in the first place but, hopefully, he has a bright future. He should stay further and he’s certainly won well enough and is a lovely strong juvenile.”

G weed ore and Amazing Alba both followed up recent course wins for their Scottish connections.

The former landed the Join Racing TV Now Handicap for Katie Scott while Amazing Alba took the Watch On Racing TV Handicap for Alistair Whillans.

● Authentic brought the Triple Crown hopes of Tiz The Law to a shuddering halt with a tenacious victory in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Tiz The Law had already claimed the Belmont Stakes – usually the final leg of the Triple Crown – and he was sent off the red-hot favourite despite an unfavourable wide draw.

Authentic was even wider on his immediate outside, but after a slow start he got to the front under John Velazquez, and never relinquished the lead.