DOUBLE HANDFUL

John Shaw’s racing betting column in association with

AIDAN O’BRIEN’S Clemmie is held in such high regard she’s favourite to win the Coronation Stakes ahead of not one but THREE Classic winners.

That’s despite only finishing ninth of 13 last time out in the Irish 1,000 guineas. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying Clemmie can’t win, I’m saying I’m not backing her — which is a different thing entirely.

I’d rather put my money on a horse with proven form this year and there’s plenty fitting that description in this year’s renewal of the Coronation.

Clemmie has the best form as a two-year-old, she’s very well bred (being a sister to Churchill) and looks in much better physical condition now than before her Irish Guineas run.

But that outing came a few short weeks ago and I’m not sure Clemmie’s fitness can improve that quickly. Not that I’m an expert on fitness. The machine I use most down the gym is the vending machine.

Alpha Centauri was eight lengths ahead of Clemmie in the Irish Guineas and if Aidan O’Brien can get his charge

to turn the tables on her today he could very well have a future in this game. There’s a few who think the Richard Hannon-trained BILLESDON BROOK was a fluke winner of the 1,000 Guineas last month when rocking up at 66-1. Connections have stumped up the £45,000 supplement for her to take her chance here, so it’s fair to say they fancy their chances. The daughter of Champs Elysees won three of her nine races as a two-year-old, but it was the way she swept past proven Group 1 winner Laurens at Newmarket that really caught the eye. Since then Laurens has won twice in the Prix Saint-Alary and Prix de Diane to frank that form. Four of the last five winners of the Coronation had previously prevailed in a Group 1 race, which bodes well for Billesdon Brook winning again. Teppal, winner of the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (the French 1,000 Guineas to you and me), is a notch below the Irish and 1,000 Guineas winners.

“A horse doesn’t know whether the rider on his back wears a dress or pants away from the track.” Diane Crump