Gm, Equinauts

This is true:

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

🥇🥈🥉1-2-3, AS EASY AS

Poor draw? No problem when you’ve got the best horse in the race, ridden by the best jockey in the world:

And by the sound of the noises Ryan was making post-race,

possibly one of the best horses in the world?

The word ‘RARE’ was used by Ryan after the win. We’re used to Aidan using hyperbole before, but when it’s Ryan—typically a man of few words—we listen!

The WOOTTON BASSETT colt (a direct relation to Group 1 winner WONDERFUL TONIGHT) overcame the difficult draw in the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club leading home an extraordinary Ballydoyle one-two-three.

Really, Ryan Moore made stall 15 look a piece of cake. He covered extra ground early to secure a position near the front of the field, allowing CONSTITUTION RIVER to do his thing from there and settle the race in style. The whole performance looked remarkably straightforward, which perhaps makes it easy to forget just how impressive it was given the amount of ground he conceded to his rivals.

The success also highlighted the strength in depth at Ballydoyle, with Aidan and the ‘Lad’s’ saddling the first three home in the French Classic.

What now for the monster colt? O'Brien suggested that he may be given time to recover before his next assignment. Although autumn targets could be considered, he seemingly left the door open to a possible Eclipse bid should the colt come out of the race particularly well, with bookies already shortening his odds for several major races later in the season.

DERBY DOUBLE?

Well, it’s certainly on. As if he needed to anyway, Aidan O’Brien has raised expectations ahead of the Derby by likening his favourite BENVENUTO CELLINI to his legendary grandsire, GALILEO.

Classic, Aidan. Pun intended.

He highlighted the colt’s exceptional movement, balance and natural class, suggesting he shares many of the qualities that made GALILEO an Epsom winner and one of the most influential stallions of the modern era.

O’Brien also explained the decision to split his two leading three-year-olds, with BENVENUTO CELLINI heading to Epsom while stablemate CONSITUTION RIVER did the business in France. While both impressed at Chester, connections believe the former is better suited to the Derby trip. He added that his hard-fought defeat in last year’s Futurity Trophy helped him grow into a better horse, making him the tough for for the legendary test that awaits.

💷HERE COMES THE SQUEEZE

EVOKE, the owner of William Hill, 888 and Mr Green, has received a potential boost to an ongoing takeover approach from Bally’s Intralot, with reports suggesting private equity heavyweight TPG is in discussions to help finance the possible deal.

The proposed takeover comes as Evoke continues to manage a significant debt burden inherited following the acquisition of William Hill in 2022. Bally’s Intralot, which was formed through the combination of Intralot and Bally’s international digital gaming operations last year, is considering a 50p-per-share offer that would take it into the retail betting sector for the first time. However, with Evoke’s shares still trading well below the indicative offer price, investors appear unconvinced that a deal is certain to proceed.

That’s the boring bit out the way, let’s now talk about the ramifications of such a deal for punters.

Well, first thing’s first, we don’t know anyone using Evoke products anymore - every one we know has been banned or at least restricted on William Hill et al, but for those who do (we imagine bad football acca bettors), PE backing means only one thing - SQUEEEEZE.

Private Equity firms sole focus is profit and if they get involved in this deal, expect a worse deal for punters.

WE FINISHED OVER 15 POINTS IN PROFIT LAST MONTH, 43 UP FOR THE YEAR.

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