Jamie Codd and the Yorkshire trainer John Quinn are a formidable force when they team up – either over jumps or on the Flat. One of the highlights of this Bank Holiday Monday’s racing will be watching them try to win the Amateurs’ Derby at Epsom.
It was in 2009 that Codd rode his first Cheltenham Festival winner, the Quinn-trained 16-1 shot Character Building in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Chase. That day the jockey displayed the ice-cool waiting tactics he has become famed for.
Eight more winners at the Cheltenham Festival have followed for the Wexford man since then, for other stables. His reputation as a stealthy assassin in the saddle – perhaps cemented when bringing Cause Of Causes from last to first in the 2016 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir – earned him the nickname The Coddfather.
Then, on August Bank Holiday Monday in 2016, the Codd/Quinn partnership struck at a very different venue. They won the Epsom “Derby” for amateur riders with the well-backed 3-1 favourite Hubertas, who had arrived at Epsom with excellent recent form.
Codd rides Mistiroc (3.40 Epsom) this time and circumstances are a little different. The attraction of travelling from Ireland to Surrey for one ride – on a horse without a win for a full three years – is not immediately apparent. And the one and only time Mistiroc has run at Epsom previously was 12 months ago – when a well-beaten last of five. That was over 10 furlongs on soft going, however. This time it will be over 12 furlongs on fast ground.
On Sunday John Quinn told the Guardian of eight-year-old Mistiroc: “He hasn’t regained his best form yet this year but we are happy with him and we’re hoping he has a good chance.”
Codd said: “Yes, it’s one ride. But it is Epsom, where all those famous Derbys have been. You’re riding on the same track as all those brilliant jockeys. It’s only rare you get the opportunity, so you have to take it. John always gives me a call and we go back a long way.”
Yet another motivation for Codd to gain a second win in this race is that his great amateur rival in Ireland, Patrick Mullins, has already won this Epsom contest twice – in 2013 and 2015. There will be more at stake than the race’s £7,487 first prize.
After finishing a close-up second on debut at Salisbury in July Stoweman (3.45 Chepstow) was made a short-priced favourite for his second run, back at the same track a fortnight ago. Again Stoweman finished the runner-up – but the winner that day, Impressor, has some interesting future entries so the form could be very decent.
Over the jumps Connor Farrell has a fine strike rate in the last couple of weeks for the Dianne Sayer stable. Farrell faces strong opposition when riding Tonto’s Spirit (3.15 Cartmel) but the partnership looks worth taking a chance with.
Southwell 1.50 Rock In Society 2.25 Beechwood Izzy 3.00 Strong Power 3.35 Airglow 4.10 Blowing Dixie 4.45 Bangra 5.20 Beechwood James
Epsom 1.55 Nat Love 2.30 Sonja Henie
3.05 Blue De Vega 3.40 Mistiroc 4.15 Setting Sail 4.50 Stealth Fighter 5.25 Sweet Charity
Chepstow 2.00 Gambon 2.35 Diamond Shower (nb)
3.10 Space Ace 3.45 Stoweman (nap) 4.20 Field Of Vision 4.55 Distant Chimes 5.30 Lucky Lou
Cartmel 2.05 Aptly Put 2.40 Grey Girly
3.15 Tonto’s Spirit 3.50 Henryville
4.25 Double Treasure 5.00 Mr Clarkson 5.35 Pads
Ripon 2.10 Maybellene 2.45 Fragrant Dawn
3.20 Jupiter Road 3.55 Oh Purple Reign
4.30 Ibraz 5.05 Narynkol 5.40 Optima Petamus