Doyle eclipses Turner while O’Brien dominates trials
Hollie Doyle’s riding career passed another significant milestone when victory aboard Brindavan in the Carey Group Handicap at Ascot gave her sole ownership of the record for winners in Britain by a female jockey with 1,023, one more than the career total of Hayley Turner, who announced her retirement in April.
Doyle, who got Sean Woods’s gelding home by a length at 8-1, rode her first winner in 2013 and reached 100 winners in a calendar year for the first time in 2019. Her first Group One success was aboard Glen Shiel in the Champion Sprint at Ascot in October 2020 and she finished third in the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year awards later the same year.
“It’s good and like I’ve said in the past, I’ve got to kind of pinch myself to believe that I’ve done this well, so long may it continue,” Doyle, who is 28, told Sky Sports Racing after Saturday’s success. “We [Doyle and her husband, her fellow leading jockey Tom Marquand] have both come a long way and some days we do sit back and really appreciate what’s happened, but we’re also always looking forward to what we can do next or what’s around the corner. But it’s a great milestone to have reached and I’ll keep kicking.”
When asked to pick the highlight of her career so far, Doyle opted for her success aboard Nashwa in the Prix de Diane [French Oaks] in 2022. “It probably would be my first Classic on Nashwa in Chantilly,” she said. “That was special.”
At Lingfield, Aidan O’Brien’s familiar dominance in the early Epsom Classic trials threatened to turn into a monopoly after his Ballydoyle stable mopped up both trial events on the card.
Puppet Master, who beat stable companion Stay True after surviving a stewards’ inquiry, remains an outsider for the Derby on 7 June, but Giselle, the Oaks Trial winner earlier on the card, is far more prominent in the Epsom Classic betting at a top price of 14-1 for the Oaks the previous afternoon.
Puppet Master stayed on well to become O’Brien’s seventh winner of the Derby trial, but is still available at 50-1 to become the second – after Anthony Van Dyck in 2019 – to follow up in the Classic itself at Epsom. Stay True, in fact, could be the better long-term prospect from the race, as he was making only his second start.
Giselle was up against just two opponents and set off at long odds-on, so a nine-length romp to success could be seen as no more or less than might be expected. She showed a good attitude to stay on after taking a strong hold in the first mile, however, and is now at a similar price for the Classic to O’Brien’s Minnie Hauk, last week’s Cheshire Oaks winner.
O'Brien's clean sweep with Classic candidates continues
The first week of British trials for the Epsom Classics has drawn to a close here on Saturday and Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle operation can look back on a clean sweep at Chester and Lingfield over the last four days. Giselle’s easy win in the opener was followed by a 1-2 in the Derby Trial here with Puppet Master and Stay True and thus far at least, none of O’Brien’s British rivals have been able to lay a glove on Balllydoyle’s Classic candidates.
Giselle in particular could be a live contender for Epsom, in particular if she could be persuaded to settle a little better than she did here, but the French equivalent – the Prix de Diane over an extended 10 furlongs at Chantilly – is an obvious alternative if the trainer feels it will play to her strengths.
Stay True was beaten in the Derby Trial but he is possibly a better long-term prospect than the winner, having missed the whole of his juvenile season before making his racecourse debut in early April.
But Puppet Master’s win did serve to further frank the form of the Ballysax Stakes in the very early days of the campaign in late March, and the winner of that race, Delacroix, will bid to extend the current dominance of the Ballydoyle/Coolmore axis in Leopardstown’s major Derby trial tomorrow. Then it will be on to York and the track’s season-opening Dante meeting, where The Lion In Winter, long seen as O’Brien’s strongest candidate for a record-extending 11th win in the Derby, is due to put his credentials on the line in Thursday’s Dante Stakes.
Elsewhere around Britain today, Saffie Osborne edged home aboard Hickory in a frantic finish to the Victoria Cup, while Hollie Doyle, who was touched off in third in that race, has become Britain’s most successful ever female rider, edging one win in front of the now-retired Hayley Turner with a win on Brindavan at Ascot.
So it’s very much advantage Ballydoyle at this stage as we head towards Epsom on the first weekend in June, but a Classic candidate can appear from almost anywhere as so many well-bred and lightly-raced three-year-olds take their first steps of the new campaign and the picture could look very different by this time next week.
PlumptonL 1.50 Machete Beach 2.25 Proper Twelve 3.00 Walkinthewoods 3.35 Prince Quattro 4.10 Hecouldbetheone 4.45 Sea Invasion 5.20 Queen’s Theatre.
Ludlow: 2.05 Ballintubber Boy 2.40 Service Minimum 3.15 Regal Renaissance 3.50 Auntie Maggie 4.25 Jaxonne 5.00 Galway Reel.
Newcastle: 2.50 Run Of Luck 3.25 Ninth Life 4.00 Gunship 4.35 Federated 5.10 Orange Sky 5.45 Benacre 6.15 Andalprofit (nap) 6.45 Badri (nb).
Updated
3.35 LINGFIELD RESULT: Great Generation doubles up in Chartwell
1. GREAT GENERATION 11-2, 2. Jabaara 11-4.
Off and running for the Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes at Lingfield …
Cathedral settled mid-division as Jabaara comes through alongside leader Spiritual … Great Generation coming through too, she goes on with Jabaara, Cathedral struggling to make any impact … Great Generation has picked up Jabaara and wins for the second year in a row …
The last race in the ITV schedule here at Lingfield is about to be underway, Cathedral is the even-money favourite with Jabaara at 3-1.
Here’s the closing stages of the Derby Trial, which of the two principals will be the higher-rated horse by the end of the year?
Ballydoyle are pulling all the strings!
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 10, 2025
Puppet Master beats stablemate Stay True to clinch the William Hill Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes 🥇#ITVRacing | @LingfieldPark pic.twitter.com/Pft0bX9mAY
Paul Smith, from the Coolmore syndicate which supplies Aidan O’Brien’s Coolmore stable with its ammunition, was on ITV now expressing cautious optimism about both Puppet Master and Stay True going forward, though the stable’s biggest hope for Epsom, The Lion In Winter, will not be out until the Dante Stakes at York next week.
“ They are two lovely horses and they hit the line hard, they’ll learn a lot from the race and we’re delighted with them both.
“The Ballysax form [where Puppet Master was behind stable companions Delacroix and Lambourn] is looking strong. Delacroix is running tomorrow [at Leopardstown] and we like him, but we like the two that were behind him as well.
“Stay True is still a big baby, it was only his second run and he’ll come on a lot for it. All routes point to the Derbys for him as well.”
The latest Derby betting from William Hill has Puppet Master unchanged at 50-1, but Stay True has shortened from 50-1 to 33-1 to follow the lead of Adayar a few years ago and win the Derby after finishing second in the Lingfield trial.
The ITV Racing team are debating whether Richard Kingscote could have been a bit more vigorous in the finish aboard Stay True. He gave the runner-up four cracks, so it seems a little harsh to say he could have done much more, while ex-rider Jason Weaver points out that Puppet Master was also a little further off the early pace and showed the benefit of that with a slightly stronger finish than the second-favourite.
3.15 Ascot result: stroll in the park for Night Breeze
1. NIGHT BREEZE 16-1, 2. Ocean Of Dreams 16-1, 3. Houstonn 17-2.
Updated
Off and running for the 3.15 at Ascot …
Ocean Of Dreams sets a steady pace, favourite Turquino well off the pace and not settling … Fireblade sixth … coming towards half a mile out, Victory Shout leads Ocean Of Dreams … Turquino settled better now but ground to make up … Fireblade is wide and ridden, here’s comes Oisin Murphy on Turquino as Night Breeze hits the front … Ocean Of Dreams still staying on but Night Breeze has put this straight to bed … bolts up for Ian Williams … the five-year-old is back looking better than ever.
It’s a busy afternoon around the country and they are going in for the next at Ascot, Turquino is 7-4 favourite.
3.00 Lingfield result: Puppet Master pulls the strings
1. PUPPET MASTER 4-5 FAV, 2. Stay True 5-2. Result stands after stewards’ inquiry.
Updated
Puppet Master edged out towards Stay True in the closing stages and there was slight contact a stride or two from the line, but it was very close to the post and it’s very hard to stay that it affected the result.
BING BONG! Stewards' inquiry at Lingfield!
They are looking at possible interference between the winner and runner-up.
Off and running in the Lingfield Derby Trial …
Prince Of The Seas fast away, Nightime Dancer next and Stay True out wide … Puppet Master close up in fourth against the rail, he’s settled well …
A mile out, still Prince Of The Seas in front, Stay True alongside in second …
Seven furlong out, going to the top of the hill, Prince Of The Seas and Stay True battle for the lead, Puppet Master settled alongside Nightime a length away … coming down the hill, Prince Of The Seas leadsd into the straight, Stay True and Puppet Master come through, Puppet Master far side … The O’Brien horses are going clear, Puppet Master just has the edge, Stay True keeping on really well, about a head in it going to the line … and it’s Puppet Master who edges out Stay True at the post to win the Lingfield Derby Trial.
At the stalls for the Lingfield Derby Trial, Puppet Master still a shade of odds-on at 5-4. Prince Of The Seas weak in the betting and out to 17-2, with Nightime Dancer. Stay True solid at 5-2.
Here’s the finish of the Victoria Cup at Ascot, the official distances were a nose and a short-head.
EXTREMELY close finish 😬
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 10, 2025
Hickory beats Qirat by a WHISKER in the Schweppes Victoria Cup 🏆#ITVRacing | @Ascot | @OsborneSaffie | @osbornejamie pic.twitter.com/mcRPuB5A0r
Back to Lingfield now for the feature event of the day, the Lingfield Derby Trial. Puppet Master is a 4-5 shot, his stable companion Stay True is 100-30 and Prince Of The Seas is a little uneasy in the betting at around 6-1.
As tight a finish as you could hope to see in the Victoria Cup, and Saffie Osborne timed it to perfection on Hickory for her father Jamie, the winning trainer. The pair of them will team up again in Baltimore next week, when stable star Heart Of Honour is due to run in the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of America’s Triple Crown.
2.40 Ascot result: Hickory edges home for Saffie Osborne
1. HICKORY 22-1, 2. Qirat 5-1 fav, 3. Gleneagle Bay 11-2, 4. Popmaster 18-1.
Updated
Hickory got there in the middle of the track at 22-1, Qirat next and Gleneagle Bay third. What a finish…
Off and running in the Victoria Cup …
Level break … Noodle Mission leads early, Roi De France well positioned second rank …
Noodle Mission still leads from Myal, Pop Master prominent too. Roi De France going well … Here’s Qirat dow the middle, Gleneagle Bay near side for Hollie Doyle it’s going to be very close!
Wow, three-way photo between Gleneagle Bay, Qirat and Hickory
They are at the post for the Victoria Cup, here’s the latest betting:
4-1 Roi De France
5-1 Qirat
6-1 Gleneagle Bay
7-1 Ten Pounds
9-1 Myal
11-1 Metal Mickey
12-1 bar
ASCOT 3.15, HANDICAP, 1M 3F 211YD
Two non-runners – Vaynor and Kotari – bring the field down to 10, with Turquino currently favourite for Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy to defend his two-race unbeaten record. Neither contest was too special and he was only a half-length in front at the line last time, but his pedigree and attitude promise much better to come and he has been handed a very fair opening mark of 86. His main rival looks to be Fireblade, with William Buick booked for his first ever ride for Dylan Cunha. He was better than the bare result on his handicap debut at Leicester last month and could be the value bet against the favourite.
SELECTION: FIREBLADE
Lingfield 2.25 result: Candyman Stan all the way again
1. CANDYMAN STAN 6-5 FAV, 2. Charlie’s Choice 18-1.
Updated
Off and running in the 2.25 Lingfield … and Candyman Stan is straight into his preferred front-running role… Strung out a bit already, Charlie’s Choice outpaced at the back …
Candyman Stan heads down the hill two lengths in front of Kings Code, Vice President next.
Five out, Candyman Stan goes easily for Jason Watson, Charlie’s Choice making some ground as they turn for home …
Charlie’s Choice heads off in pursuit of Candyman Stan … two out, he’s still leading, going further clear a furlong out, Candyman Stan still leads and he’s going to make it all again …
Vice President is attracting some support for the next here at Lingfield, Candyman Stan solid at around 6-5 though.
3.00 LINGFIELD, DERBY TRIAL STAKES, 1M 3F 133YD.
Rahiebb was scratched for this race a few minutes ago, leaving six to go to post. Puppet Master, the mount of Ryan Moore, is getting shorter all the time in the betting and is now trading at around 4-6. He is looking to improve on his fourth place behind his stable companion Delacroix and Wednesday’s Chester Vase winner, Lambourn, in the Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown in March.
Stay True, also from the Aidan O’Brien stable, is a 4-1 shot after winning a maiden on his belated racecourse debut at Leopardstown in April.
Prince Of The Seas, meanwhile, was still green when finishing fifth in the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom on his return to action, and could well improve enough to figure here.
SELECTION: PRINCE OF THE SEAS
2.40 ASCOT, VICTORIA CUP HANDICAP, 7F
It’s a smaller field than usual for the Victoria Cup, with two non-runners taking the field down to 17, but still wide-open with John & Thady Gosden’s runner Roi De France, with Oisin Murphy booked to ride, heading the market at around 9-2. He was second in the All-Weather Mile Championship at Newcastle last time and has plenty of weight, but an obvious chance if his all-weather form translates back to turf. Gleneagle Bay is also fancied for Stephen Thorne’s Irish yard, and he drops back to what could be an ideal seven furlongs after showing up well for a long way on his seasonal return in a big field at the Curragh in March. Ten Pounds (Harry Charlton) and Qirat (Ralph Beckett) are also attracting support in what looks a strong renewal of one of the major early-season handicaps.
SELECTION: GLENEAGLE BAY (NAP)
2.05 Ascot result: Royal success with Rainbows Edge
1. RAINBOWS EDGE 100-30, 2. Arisaig 15-8 fav.
Updated
Off and running for the 2.05 Ascot …
Arisaig held up by Callum Shepherd, Finsceal Luas leads from Zapphire, Rainbow’s Edge coming through with Arisaig as they go into the final quarter … Rainbow’s Edge from Arisaig, favourite coming with a strong run but it’s going to be a winner in the Royal silks … Rainbows Edge wins and will surely be heading for the Royal meeting next.
Jockey fined $65,000 for whip use in Kentucky Derby
Away from the domestic racing for a moment, here’s interesting news from the United States of a significant whip penalty for Junior Alvarado, who steered Sovereignty to the Godolphin operation’s first ever success in the Kentucky Derby last weekend.
Alvarado hit Sovereignty eight times during the race, two above the limit of six set by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (Hisa), which replaced state-by-state whip regimes with nationwide rules in 2022, and has picked up an eye-watering $62,000 (£46,000) fine as a result.
Alvarado’s penalty is aggravated by the fact that it was his second violation of the rules in a 180-day period and was also initially assessed as either $250 or 10% of the winner’s purse, whichever is greater, which in the case of the Kentucky Derby is 10% of $3.1m.
“I couldn’t keep track of that,” Alvarado told The Bloodhorse after the breach was pointed out to him following last Saturday’s race. “It’s such a big race, there’s so much that you’ve got on your mind.
“When the extra [last] whip happened, I was right next to the favourite [Journalism] and I needed to do what I needed to do at the time. I just wanted to win the biggest race in America.”
Updated
The field are going to post for the 2.05 at Ascot, Arisaig is the 9-4 favourite with Rainbows Edge next in at 11-4.
Here’s the closing stages of the Swinton Handicap Hurdle up at Haydock.
Champ by name... 💪
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 10, 2025
Our Champ takes the Pertemps Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle#ITVRacing | @haydockraces | @freddie68528641 | @Chrisgordonrac1 pic.twitter.com/ecBZCJ03Sa
1.50 Lingfield result: Second course win for Morcar
1. MORCAR 9-1, 2. Hamlet’s Night 7-1 3. Gincident 6-1.
Updated
Mister Daydream is the early leader, Fox Avatar is keen in fifth … Gincident is held up … five furlongs out, still Mister Daydream leads, Dashinwhitesargent next, Fox Avatar coming under pressure … Into the straight Dashinwhitesargent moves towards the lead, Gincident comes with a run, Morcar too, it’s going to be Morcar for the win ..
Off and running in the 1.50 at Lingfield …
Fox Avatar is 5-2 favourite for the next here at Lingfield, won’t be long now …
Here’s the closing stages of that race up at Ascot, the £1.75m Celestial King is the one in purple colours vanishing out of the right-hand of the screen as Military Code confirms his Royal Ascot credentials.
Coventry-favourite Military Code remains unbeaten with a gutsy all-the-way display in the opener at @Ascot!
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 10, 2025
A smart colt for Charlie Appleby and @WilliamBuickX to go to war with!🔵 pic.twitter.com/LjFI0uoMZh
2.25 LINGFIELD, HANDICAP, 1M 3F 133YD
Not the strongest race on the Lingfield with just five runners going to post. There’s been plenty of money today for the front-running Candyman Stan, a comfortable winner at Brighton last time, and he should have an easy time of it on the lead again here. Andrew Balding’s four-year-old is now odds-on at 10-11 and could well make all again.
SELECTION: CANDYMAN STAN.
2.05 ASCOT, FILLIES’ HANDICAP, 1M (STR)
Just six runners in ITV’s first race from Ascot, and a runner in the royal colours in Rainbows Edge, who was bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II. If she shows up well here, she will surely be aimed towards a race at the Royal meeting next month, but Arisaig could be the better bet for win purposes today after a luckless run in a Listed race at Goodwood last time.
SELECTION: ARISAIG.
1.35 Haydock result: Champ reigns in the Swinton
1. OUR CHAMP 8-1, Helnwein 7-1, 3. Goblet Of Fire 15-2, 4 Givemefive 12-1.
Updated
Off and running in the Swinton Handicap Hurdle …
Givemefive and Tapley show up early …over the first … Dance And Glance racing well off the pace at the moment …
A circuit to go, Givemefive still leads … Ooh Betty next and Tapley prominent too … Dance And Glance still ridden patiently … no fallers or significant mistakes as yet as they head out of the back …
Helnwein maes steady progress .. No move yet from Dance And Glance … now Harry Cobden makes a move but the favourite’s under plenty of pressure … Our Champ takes over in front, coming down to the last … Freddie Gordon gets a good jump from Our Champ and that puts the race to bed … Our Champ wins the Swinton Handicap Hurdle.
They are circling around at the start up at Haydock before the Swinton Handicap Hurdle, Dance And Glance is the favourite at 11-2 with Helnwein at 13-2.
Kia Joorabchian did not get a huge run for his money from Celestial King at Ascot. His £1.75m purchase was only fourth of the seven runners, some way behind the third horse home, in a race won by the favourite, Miltary Code.
1.50 LINGFIELD, HANDICAP, 1M 2F
The lightly-raced four-year-old Fox Avatar is the early favourite here after a promising return to action on the all-weather at Chelmsford last month. He finished strongly from well off the pace to be beaten less than a length-and-a-half, and is off the same mark here. Gincident, from James Owen’s (permanently?) in-form yard is popular too, with further improvement possible as he steps up in trip.
SELECTION: GINCIDENT.
Here’s the closing stages of the opener, from ITV Racing’s Twitter/X feed.
Easy 😮💨
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 10, 2025
Giselle crusies to the William Hill Oaks Trial Fillies' Stakes 🥇 #ITVRacing | @LingfieldPark pic.twitter.com/6iUGSziPNB
Ryan Moore told Oli Bell, ITV’s racecourse reporter, that the going was “good-to-firm, firm in places” on the way back to the unsaddling enclosure. He did well to keep a lid on Giselle as she raced keenly behind the steady pace in the opening half-mile, and while she strode well clear of her field from the two-pole, she will need to settle much better than that if she goes to the Oaks at Epsom on 6 June.
She was 20-1 for the Classic beforehand and the snap quotes from the bookies’ reps range from 10-1 to 14-1 now.
1.15 Lingfield result: Giselle powers clear in Oaks Trial
1. GISELLE 30-100 FAV, 2. Harpsichord 4.1
Updated
Off and running in the Lingfield Oaks Trial … Giselle is taken back to sit last of the three runners … she’s taking quite a hold as Love Talk sets a steady pace … Harpsichord is close behind and Giselle is still taking a strong hold in third … going to the top of the hill, no change in the order as they start the descent … they’re turning in, Giselle goes far side and they are three across the course … Giselle has the lead, she’s got this wrapped up, half a furlong out and she’s well clear … Giselle wins the Oaks Trial.
Big-money buy in the spotlight at Ascot
It’s not on the ITV schedule, but there’s also an interesting contest at the top of the Ascot card at 1.30, when Kia Joorabchian, football super-agent and ever-expanding owner – in terms of his string, not his waistline – will get a first indication of whether the £1.75m he shelled out for Celestial King at the Newmarket Breeze-Up sale in April was money well spent.
Celestial King has been backed as though good things are anticipated this morning and is trading at 6-4 from a top price of 7-4 overnight. Godolphin’s Military Code, the winner of his only start to date at Newmarket last month, is the 5-4 favourite.
Just under 15 minutes to the off in the opener here, and what is expected to be a somewhat one-sided Oaks Trial. Giselle is currently on offer at around 1-3 in the Lingfield betting ring.
PlumptonL 1.50 Machete Beach 2.25 Proper Twelve 3.00 Walkinthewoods 3.35 Prince Quattro 4.10 Hecouldbetheone 4.45 Sea Invasion 5.20 Queen’s Theatre.
Ludlow: 2.05 Ballintubber Boy 2.40 Service Minimum 3.15 Regal Renaissance 3.50 Auntie Maggie 4.25 Jaxonne 5.00 Galway Reel.
Newcastle: 2.50 Run Of Luck 3.25 Ninth Life 4.00 Gunship 4.35 Federated 5.10 Orange Sky 5.45 Benacre 6.15 Andalprofit (nap) 6.45 Badri (nb).
Updated
It’s a Classic weekend in France, where the Poule d’Essai des Poulains French 2,000 Guineas) and Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas) are on the card at Longchamp tomorrow, due off at 3.25BST and 4.05 BST respectively.
Up-and-coming trainer Ollie Sangster, who saddled both the second and third fillies home in last weekend’s 1,000 Guineas, will make another attempt to break his Classic duck when Celestial Orbit lines up for the fillies’ event.
She was second behind Zanzoun – who was a big fancy for this prior to being scratched with a minor setback earlier in the week – on her seasonal reappearance in the Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket in April, and has picked up a useful draw near the rail in two.
“She’s been in great form since the Nell Gwyn and seems to have taken a nice step forward from that run,” Sangster said on Saturday.
“I think the mile will be a positive for her and we are happy with the draw we have out in Paris. It was good-to-soft when we declared and it will be interesting to see what it is like, as she wouldn’t want anything too quick. That would be a slight concern, but other than that it would be all systems go.”
Watering ban may have led to small Classic trial fields
A total of 10 runners for two recognised Classic trials with a total of £120,000 in the prize money pot is a disappointing turnout from Lingfield’s point of view – and three runners in the Oaks Trial particularly so – but it was hardly an advertisement in terms of attracting decent fields that the turf track was approved for use only on Tuesday, following an inspection by the British Horseracing Authority.
The course has been watering almost around the clock from the start of May to ensure safe ground, but was very much playing catch-up after the local water authority asked it to stop watering during one of the driest Aprils on record.
The course would have had the option of switching today’s card to the all-weather, but the whole point of Lingfield as a trial venue is that its turf track, with a downhill run to a sharpish left-hand turn, is a decent facsimile of what will face the Derby and Oaks runners when they descend towards Tattenham Corner at Epsom next month.
A switch to the Polytrack was avoided this time around but amid the uncertainty, it is not surprising that some trainers at least may have found alternative targets for their potential Classic contenders.
Updated
1.15 LINGFIELD, OAKS TRIAL FILLIES’ STAKES, 3YO, 1M 3F 133YD
The three-runner Oaks Trial revolves around Aidan O’Brien’s Giselle, who is bred in the purple – by Frankel out of Newspaperofrecord, a Breeders’ Cup winner on turf as a juvenile – and looked unlucky to be denied a Group Three win behind her stable companion, Whirl, on her final start at two at the Curragh last October. She’s in green colours on the outside, rather than the orange and blue she will be wearing today.
She was fourth across the line and subsequently promoted to third, and it seems as certain as these things can ever be that she will be much better over middle distances this season. Giselle is already no bigger than 20-1 for the Oaks next month, will go off at around 1-4 today and anything other than a comfortable success will be seen as a disappointment.
SELECTION: GISELLE
Preamble
Good afternoon from Lingfield Park in the leafy Surrey commuter belt, the latest stop on Flat racing’s long and winding road through the traditional Epsom Classic trials before attention turns to Leopardstown’s Derby Trial card on Sunday.
Lingfield’s Derby Trial, due off at 3.00, has been won by just two subsequent Epsom Classic winners this century, but Adayar, the 2021 Derby (and King George) winner finished second here, while Ambiente Friendly, an impressive winner of this trial 12 months ago, set off as the 9-2 second-favourite and was beaten only by a resurgent City Of Troy.
This year’s race has attracted a seven-strong field headed by two runners from Aidan O’Brien’s stable – Puppet Master and Stay True - and an interesting, lightly-raced colt from Ralph Beckett’s yard, Prince Of The Seas. Season-by-season, Beckett has been working his way towards the very top of the mountain in British Flat racing and he saddled two Oaks winners in six years between 2008 and 2013, but he has had just four runners in the Derby, all at double-figure odds, with Westover’s third place in 2022 currently as close as he has been to winner.
The Oaks Trial at 1.15, meanwhile, is all about O’Brien’s runner, Giselle, the 1-4 favourite in a field of just three runners. She is already top-priced at 20-1 for the Oaks already, will set off at around 1-4 and could well be at single-figure odds if she comes up with a performance to match the pre-publicity.
Elsewhere around the country today, the Victoria Cup Handicap at Ascot (2.40) will be the key race in many punters’ Yankees and Lucky 15s, and while the field of 18 – down from 19 at the final declarations – will be the smallest for 20 years, the bookies were still going 6-1 the field overnight.
And at Haydock, the annual mixed meeting – featuring races both on the Flat and over jumps – includes the Swinton Handicap Hurdle, a last hurrah for some useful two-mile handicap hurdlers before a well-deserved rest over the summer.
With seven meetings spread around the country and nine races in all on the ITV Racing schedule – picks for which are here, along with a recap on yesterday’s Chester Cup card. It is going to be a busy afternoon and you can follow the main action at Lingfield, Ascot, Haydock and elsewhere right here on the Guardian’s Saturday live blog.
