“I guess we were always going to have to find out at some stage whether he was draw dependent. It isn’t ideal that we get to test the water in a Group One final.”
Trainer David Mullins was typically philosophical when the draw for the 2020 Ladbrokes Kent Derby saw the Romford Puppy Cup winner drawn orange after landing the fastest of the three semi finals at Central Park on Sunday night:
With five railers and one middle, someone was going to miss out and the luck of the draw finally ran out for Tenpin, who has never been drawn wider than the blue in his 11 races to date.
Mullins said: “Before the draw, I was really just hoping to be drawn inside the one (Ballynabee Lucky) who has sprinters pace. But there is no point complaining about it; we just have to get on with it. If he isn’t draw dependent, and he goes to the bend in a straight line, it won’t be a problem. But if he tries to move across, he won’t make the bend. You can’t get away with mistakes at this level. ”
The sponsors have installed Tenpin as the 8-13 favourite. They then bet, 6-1 Darth Vader, Kilara Lion, Swift Lettuce, 10-1 Ballynabee Lucky, 16-1 Lenson Whelan.
Mullins added: “I don’t think they are taking any chances, but you could also argue that they have it about right. He was 1-3 in a top class field and now 8-13 with the draw potentially against him. Would you back him at those odds though? No.”
