Epsom on Saturday....

Friday, 6th June 2025

Epsom on Saturday….

Get picks for Friday here….

In ATC today….

The Dash is the feature handicap at Epsom tomorrow….

…. the off time is 2.45….

…. and my pick of the prices is JER BATT at 13/2….

I’m on DAMYSUS in the 3.15 – he’s up at 12s ….

…. I’m on SMALL FRY at 5s in the 4.15 at 5s….

…. and I’m on SONDAD at 10s in the 5.40….

That’s the summary….

…. you’ll find all my reasoning below – as per usual….

Oh…. and if you’re looking for the standout place terms on offer – you’ll find them in the Bet Box below…. 

Read on….

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I like a horse at a big price….

…. when I can make a genuine case for it….

But there are also instances when the racing punter needs to wind his neck and embrace pragmatism….

…. tomorrow’s Dash at Epsom (2.45) is one such instant….

….. and I’m backing JER BATT…

A second favourite is not a typical pick for this column….

…. and 13/2 is not a typical price….

But not let’s get too snippy….

…. almost seven times your money is a big enough potential reward….

…. and David & Nicola Barron’s 5yo does turn out tomorrow with as good a bit of 2025 form to his name as anything else brings….

He was third behind American Affair and JM Jungle in April’s Scottish Sprint Cup at Musselburgh….

The winner – up 11lb in the rankings – has won another handicap and shown up well in a G2 since….

…. the second horse has held his form too and run deep twice since – up 3lb for his two placed efforts in good handicaps at York…

Meanwhile Jer Batt – with Oisin Murphy an eye-catching booking for the ride – is surely well-treated on the 92 he ran off in Scotland….

…. he’s better than that and has a good opportunity to land a big one tomorrow….

… in a race where quite a few are hard to fancy – from any perspective – in my book….

Another race demanding a pragmatic approach is the Northern Dancer at 4.15….

…. where I’m backing SMALL FRY at the generals 5s….

Sure, I can avoid that one – simply because its fancied – and construct a case about another one that isn’t so fancied….

…. but sometimes horses are fancied by the market for good reason….

…. and when you can’t genuinely find an alternative selection – that you like as much – at a bigger price….

…. backing the one you were drawn to initially – on solid grounds – is perfectly permissible….

Small Fry put a career-best in victory at Chester last time – going up 5lb to 78….

…. but he’s not out of this race tomorrow off a revised mark of 83….

On current form I think it’s a reach – despite the recent rain – to fall back on one or two of these simply because they produced something on soft or testing ground back in the day….

…. antique form doesn’t win too many races….

Backing Small Fry, I’m on a bit of soft-ground form that’s pretty current and a horse on the up….

…. and I’d rather that at the prices than the alternative….

SONDAD improved last time at Ascot for the fitment of a first-time visor….

…. producing a clear career-best….

…. and putting daylight between himself and the second horse in the later stages of the race….

He’s up seven pounds for the win and – of course – life gets harder in tomorrow’s JRA Tokyo Trophy (5.40)….

…. but he’s young, improving, there’s still more to come off 85 – no doubt….

…. and the 10s is a fair price….

I’m on DAMYSUS at the general 12s in the Derby (3.30)….

I just think he was doing all his best work late on in the Dante – against a Prince of Arras who enjoyed the clear benefit of a handier earlier track position….

The Gosden runner certainly showed sufficient to expect better from him over a quarter-of-a-mile further….

…. whether or not that progression at the trip is found by this Frankel colt tomorrow or later in a long season….

…. nobody can tell you….

But the potential exists – he was better the further they went at York….

He’s also had a little spin around tomorrow’s track….

…. which is very good experience….

… and jockey James Doyle said the colt got important little details right….

…. like changing his lead leg at the right time…. and balancing up nicely at Tattenham Corner….

They won’t all do that….

…. I think I’m on a horse that will….

…. one that will improve – for definite – for the trip….

…. and one can that use the trip to bridge the gap in the prices with the principals….

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Now, just to recap….

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That’s all for today….

I’ll be back with more next week….

Meantime – contact me direct at nick.pullen@oxonpress.co.uk  

And remember – win, lose or draw – enjoy the racing….

Stay tuned….

Against the Crowd