The Lockinge

Dick Turpin (9/2) v Canford Cliffs (4/5)

So who do you fancy?

With Canford Cliffs the difference between the horse who threw the Greenham away and the one who swooped past Rip Van Winkle in the Sussex is massive! He's matured and settles far better now than he did. The Irish Guineas; St James and the Sussex he looked better each time IMO.

However Richard Hannon seems to be keen to keep them apart but Canford Cliffs seems to always have the set pattern of races with Dick Turpin having to fit in around! Good for John Manley for insisting he goes to Newbury instead of the Prix D'Ispahan! I just wonder if Richard Hannon's keeness to keep them apart may be a good pointer towards Dick Turpin this weekend?
He's that keen to keep him away from Canford Cliffs he was prepared to take on Goldikova instead? Is he protecting Canford Cliffs a little knowing he's not race fit? Has he even trained on?

Dick Turpin is race fit after Sandown and looked as good as ever. 9/2 looks great odds - even e/w as I can't see him being out of the first two and only see Canford Cliffs being good enough to beat him all being 100% and no hiccups!

The only question for me would be as to how fit Canford Cliffs is ? On what we witnessed last summer (races after the guineas), Canford Cliffs beats Dick Turpin every day of the week, and in all honesty training on from 3 to 4 is not as bigger deal as from a juvenille to 3. If Canford has improved in physique over the winter then even at say 90% fitness then i'd be with him rather than Dick Turpin. That said, one concern i'd have is that on a couple of occasions last year Canford Cliffs did hang a little towards the end of his races when push came to shove and if not fit this could be a deciding factor, and you would expect Dick Turpin, having done it very nicely indeed first time out against Music Show & Cityscape, to strip even fitter, so 9/2 is a very realistic price. But it's Canford Cliffs for me.
Now that Hannon has pitched the two against each other, not only should we have a race to savour, it'll give us a view of two animals that will give Frankel something to think about over the summer.

I think the fast ground may be in Canford Cliffs favour but it wont exactly be a problem for Dick Turpin either and he has had the benefit of a run.

certainly it is not worth betting odds on for Canford Cliffs that much is for sure

Im going to go way out of the ballpark and go against the big names.Canford Cliffs is the best horse in the race but he will not be given a hard race first up and leave his season behind.Dick Turpin is an honourable yardstick but i think he needs a bit of juice in the ground to be seen at his best.I believe that if he gets to take his chance then JAN VERMEER will make them all go.By his own admission,Aiden O Brien said that his 3yo campaign was a disaster and he blamed himself outright for that.He has form over much further so you would expect him to be right on the sharp end and if he "gets loose" on the frong end then they might not get him back.At the current odds i have him as a very good ew bet.

Dick Turpin for me in this........I'm really looking forward to seeing this race.

Welcome to v2, Flyingbolt, I hope you like it here

I hope you'll be entering Grahame's tipping comp, on Saturday : )

Solerina

Cheers and I'll have a look mate if I'm in!