Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes

[brockguy]

James Wiloughby gives a fantastic write up of this race in the racingpost for those to see.

http://www.racingpost.com/blog/horse...llenge/170901/

an interesting quote from it:

"The race carries prize-money of £80,000 ($112,000) plus a guaranteed berth in the field at Churchill Downs and a further $100,000 bonus to cover expenses if a runner makes the trip.
This is a lavish prize and deserves a better field than that assembled. Without pre-judging the lightly raced contenders, this innovation may prove dubious if it cannot attract horses with smart form and sufficient experience to give a good account in Kentucky."

"Rightly or wrongly, opponents of giving the winner of this conditions race a guaranteed berth in the Derby at the expense of a US runner with Graded stakes form may have a field day if certain runners are successful."

On Betfair now, the apparent 2nd Maktoum horse Haashed is 3.4-1 with Mafaaz 3.8-1 and Close Alliance 5-1.