A lively Derby outsider who could grab a place at a big price - plus Jim Bolger looks to have unleashed another classy prospect

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Time to consider moving the Swinton

David Carr, Racing Post reporter at Haydock

Times change and races go out of fashion, but that does not mean you cannot do something to try to arrest the slide.

The Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock is never going to return to its glory days, when it was founded as the second richest hurdle race in Britain in 1978 and attracted genuine top-notchers.

Nick Slatter gets Moon Chime (pink sleeves) up in Saturday's Swinton HurdleCredit: © Andrew Parker - Grossick Phot

But with the topweight rated 137, 137 and then 141 in the last three years, it is now an £80,000 race crying out for a shot in the arm to try to raise it back up in class.

Now that it is no longer the feature event on May Day's bank holiday Monday and merely just another big Saturday contest, why not revisit a previous idea to move it back to late April?

As more good jumpers will still be in training then, there is the hope of attracting some of the classier two-milers who miss Ayr, Punchestown or Sandown for whatever reason.

And the earlier you race, the less likely there is to be the quickish ground that is apparently beyond the pale for decent jumpers nowadays.

Change of luck desperately needed for Appleby

Catherine Macrae, Racing Post reporter at Lingfield

There must be something in the water at Moulton Paddocks. 

Not literally, of course, but Charlie Appleby's string seems to be getting off on the wrong foot this season and that continued at Lingfield's Classic trial meeting, where there was a definite spark missing from the yard's two big runners. 

Punters were willing to overlook the operation's less-than-ideal form over the past fortnight and back Romantic Symphony and Maho Bay into 11-8 favourites for their respective Oaks and Derby trials, yet the pair failed to perform, both finishing well behind the winners under William Buick. 

Charlie Appleby: big week ahead for the Godolphin trainerCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Assistant trainer Alex Merriam said "neither horse had any excuse" for their disappointing efforts on Saturday, but also countered the idea the yard was below form, citing a series of placed efforts this week. 

However, considering Appleby's last four runners have resulted in three fourths and a third in five- and six-runner fields, there is nothing to be thrilled about for an operation of Godolphin's stature. 

Another big week awaits for the team as all eyes turn to York, where Diamond Rain and Al Zanati are among Appleby's leading hopes, but punters should be wary. 

Bay deserves crack at the Derby

Lee Mottershead, Racing Post reporter at Lingfield

Bay Of Brilliance might have lost out in a ding-dong battle for the Lingfield Derby Trial but he would be well worth his place in the main event on June 6.

The son of New Bay had looked a promising middle-distance prospect when winning at Goodwood and Redcar as a juvenile, particularly when making all for a wide-margin success on his trip north.

Maltese Cross (left) and Bay Of Brilliance battle out the finish of the Lingfield Derby TrialCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Upped in class on Saturday, he was nigh on inseparable from Maltese Cross through the closing stages and has every bit as much right to go to Epsom. Ralph Beckett praised the colt's temperament, while his Goodwood success suggests the ups and downs of the Derby course will pose no problems.

There will likely be classier, superior specimens running in the premier Classic but at 25-1 Bay Of Brilliance appeals as exactly the sort of outsider who could grab a place at a big price.

Bolger has smart filly on his hands

Conor Fennelly, Racing Post reporter at Naas

In the week that news emerged Jim Bolger had put his training base, Glebe House, up for sale, he unleashed what looks like a smart prospect in Sparan Nua in the mile fillies' maiden.

The three-year-old has a typical pedigree for one of Bolger's, being by Dawn Approach out of Sparanai, who herself is out of an unraced half-sister to Saoirse Abu who landed the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes for the trainer 19 years ago.

Despite being largely unconsidered on her debut at odds of 25-1, she went through the race beautifully under Declan McDonogh before quickening clear of 5-6 favourite Cromac Quay, hitting the line hard and winning by three and three-quarter lengths.

The runner-up had the benefit of a race under her belt, running to a good standard when third to Skydance last month, and there was a further two and a quarter lengths back to the third, so it rates as solid form.

Stable representative Ger Flynn said: "She's from a very good family that we've had for years. Kevin Manning rode her in work last week and really liked her. He told Declan to be very confident on her. She's a lovely filly with a fantastic pedigree and Declan said she skipped along on the ground.

"He said she could be anything. It looked like a good maiden on paper, like all of them in Ireland. She did what she was showing us at home."

Read more here:

'We had him spot on for today and didn't want any mistakes' - 33-1 outsider lands a few bets in Swinton 

'He showed us everything we needed' - Maltese Cross tees up Derby bid for William Haggas and Tom Marquand 

My uneasy wait for one of racing's last great originals - Jim Bolger truly is one of a kind 

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