US racing tips: Tom Collins targets the Hollywood Derby for his best bet

Zoffarelli
12.30am (Sunday) Del Mar
1pt each-way

Chad Brown has won the $400,000 Grade 1 Hollywood Derby (12.30am Del Mar) three times in the last five years and is represented by Kingman colt Public Sector and Sifting Sands, a son of Dubawi, in this year's race. The pair were last seen finishing first and seventh in the Grade 2 Hill Prince Stakes.

Favourite backers who like to burn the midnight oil will be looking to get stuck into Public Sector, who has won five of his nine starts and has only finished outside of the first two once in his career.

Public Sector is undeniably talented and has the assistance of leading rider Irad Ortiz, but he has received perfect trips in New York on his last couple of outings and is short enough on the morning line prices as he ships to the west coast.

Interestingly, Brown is 0-13 with his runners at Del Mar since Domestic Spending won this race last year and therefore I want to be looking elsewhere for some value.

There are plenty of forward-going types in this 1m1f turf contest, not least the poorly drawn Subconscious, and relatively quick fractions are expected. Deep closers may get the best of it and Zoffarelli has been underrated in the market.

This son of Zoffany ran seven times, resulting in one victory and five runner-up finishes, for Ralph Beckett before shipping Stateside to join the Jeff Mullins barn out in California. Firm ground is clearly a necessity and he made an instant impact by taking the La Jolla Handicap on his first US start in August.

Without beating around the bush, he didn't receive the best of rides from Drayden Van Dyke on his two subsequent starts. Zoffarelli was full of running but had nowhere to go in the Del Mar Derby in September, and it was a similar story in the Twilight Derby this month.

He will need luck in running and he hasn't drawn particularly well in gate ten, but Zoffarelli has the ability to cause an upset if the pace collapses and, at around 20-1, I'm willing to take that chance.

For all our exclusive free bet offers and must-have daily promotions click the free bets button or go to racingpost.com/freebets