Classic hopes emerging

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32587, 22 April 1971, Page 8

Classic hopes emerging

(Written for “The Press’ by a former jockey.

HARRY CARR.)

During the course of eight days, we have probably seen ’ the winner of both the Two ; Thousand Guineas and the Derby In action. The only problem lies in the picking. ' Will My Swallow, such an easy winner at Kempton, make it nine wins in succession when the 11 Guineas comes around? | Will Minsky begin to look a I little b|t more like his famous brother, Nijinsky? . Or will Levanter, so impres- , give in the Craven, be the one ’to beat them all? H Certainly, Levanter looked a J very good horse indeed when he t won the other day at Newmarket. ■He showed a brilliant turn of II foot and appeared full of runlining at the finish. In fact, he gave the impression ’ i that, for him, the race was just ' beginning. He ran a trifle green, tj which Is all the more reason for ,i supporting him in the weeks J, ahead. The Craven is run over > a mile, and my guess is that j Levanter will be more'suited to . the mile-and-a-half trip. . i He won his only race last year 'with breathtaking ease and I ! I will be very interested to see I who rides him in the Derby. At the start of the season, it was assumed that Lester Piggott 5 would be the number one choice. - But the situation has been complicated by the fact that Z Piggott will almost certainly II partner Minsky in the Two

Thousand Guineas, which pre- i sumably means that Levanter I will be ridden in that race by i Tony Murray. A lot of people, I know, are surprised that My Swallow has: not been written up in more ' glowing terms. After all, he has won each of his eight .races to I date, including ail the major' French two-year-old prizes, and 'i beaten Mill Reef into the bar-' gain. Yet he is being damned with i • faint praise and still far from a 1 ' clear-cut favourite in the Guineas. This is almost certainly 1 due to the fact that he has done ! so much racing in France, and •Jthat consequently British race--1 goers have not had a chance to ■ isee him. I It is also true that his clash ’ with Mill Reef was a desper--1 ately close-run thing, with Mill > I Reef a shade unlucky to lose. r : Nonetheless, he is a superb iook--5 ing horse with a beautiful action [’and a bold, front-running style. 1 My Swallow has been entered ’ i for the Irish Derby, but not for j the English, which surprises me! r a little. If he should happen to { I win both the Two Thousand and 5 the Irish, his absence must clearly devalue the result at t Epsom. t Nor is there any reason at this . stage to suppose that the mile- ) and-a-half is beyond him. He is t by the same horse as Arc winner, v Levmoss, which of course, got J the trip with some ease.