Shabab Al Ahli meets Sahara King in the feature on day one of Newbury’s Spring Trials Weekend.
3.42 Newbury – Exciting Shabab Al Ahli faces nine rivals in feature
Charlie Appleby sends Southwell winner Shabab Al Ahli to the Darley EBF Novice Stakes this afternoon, the feature on day one of Spring Trials Weekend at Newbury.
This Frankel colt impressed when bolting up in February under Conor Planas and is currently quoted at 33-1 for the Derby. He drops a furlong in trip today and will aim to dominate this field as he builds towards a possible Epsom Classic bid. Appleby won the inaugural running of this race in 2023 with Military Order, who was as short as 9-2 for the Derby that year.
Sahara King looks a promising sort after a winning debut at Wolverhampton in November; the form received a boost when the fourth-placed Mohaaraj subsequently won. Another likely improver is My Love Is King for the Gosden yard — a Newcastle debut winner in November who holds a Derby entry and is priced around 40-1.
Other links and reading: Hollie Doyle blog on Wareeth; report on trainer Evan Williams jailed.
3.55 Saint-Cloud – Classy Gilded Prize targets Group 3 en route to Diane
Gilded Prize will attempt to take the Henri Matisse Coolmore Prix Cleopatre as a stepping stone towards the Prix de Diane at Chantilly.
A scopey Frankel daughter in Juddmonte colours, she has only run twice but has made a strong early impression. After a straightforward polytrack debut success in November she left a clear impression when stretching away under Colin Keane on her reappearance. With Francis-Henri Graffard enjoying a fine season, she could be another exciting prospect.
Owners’ European Racing Manager Barry Mahon said they are enthusiastic about her prospects. If she handles the step up in class she is more likely to head to Chantilly than the Epsom Oaks at this stage. Opponents include Turbulente, who finished three lengths behind the favourite last time and could narrow the margin for Christopher Head, and Arkansas, a Listed winner whose third-placed stablemate Warriors Whisper also reappears.
2.32 Newbury – Ombudsman’s full sister debuts for Ed Walker
The 2.32pm Bridget ‘Confined’ Maiden Fillies’ Stakes at Newbury features several notable pedigrees and top owners.
Synchronicity is a full-sister to Ombudsman, last season’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes and Juddmonte International winner who opened this term with a Dubai Turf success for Godolphin. Given that family, Kieran Shoemark’s mount is expected to be prominent in the market.
Harry Charlton runs Juddmonte-owned Sapphire Secret, a Kingman filly out of Whatami and a half-sister to Sir Delius, who captured the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes in Australia last week. Representing Shadwell, the Gosden-trained Seet is a half-sister to reigning champion filly Kalpana, while William Haggas, who has won three of the last five renewals, sends Song Of The Clouds — a Night Of Thunder filly related to Group 3 winner Mighty Ulysses.
Best of the rest
Time Lock’s full-sister Take A View debuts in Newbury’s Dreweatts Maiden Fillies’ Stakes over ten furlongs and faces several other interesting newcomers. Of those with experience, Allaire could be the one to beat for the partnership of Oisin Murphy and Andrew Balding.
At Bath, Jack Morland’s Hunky Dory carries a 5lb penalty in the MJ Church Handicap after an easy Wolverhampton victory and drops to the minimum trip of five furlongs for the first time, having previously raced over seven and six. The remainder of the Bath field are out of form, though Jax Edge did manage a recent win on her second-last start.