All the talk is of the jumps finale at Sandown on Saturday, but first the Esher track hosts a stellar Flat card on Friday and our Ben Linfoot picks out the main talking points.
Could we see some Derby clues on Friday?
Absolutely. All roads to Epsom glory are open at this time of year and the Group 3 bet365 Classic Trial has thrown up some good horses in recent years, notably the 2021 Derby winner, Adayar, who was second in this race and the 2022 Irish Derby winner, Westover, who prevailed in this trial.
Westover’s owners, Juddmonte, have Windlord in contention on Friday, Andrew Balding’s son of Dubawi impressing in his York novice victory last year before finishing a close-up third in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes, behind two subsequent Group 1 winners, on his final start at two (see free video replay, below).
The Beresford often digs out high-quality middle-distance three-year-olds and Windlord is expected to step up now he goes out in trip at three, so with the Balding team in good nick he’s an understandable favourite given the yard have won this race three times in the last decade.
Aidan O’Brien is represented by the Wootton Bassett colt Swagman, while once-raced winners I Am I Said, for Ralph Beckett, and Damysus, for the Gosdens and Wathnan, add further depth and intrigue to what looks a potentially informative trial.
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Could we see some Oaks clues on Friday?
Even though there’s not an Oaks trial as such on the card, we could you know. The bet365 ‘Wild Card’ Fillies’ Novice Stakes over 10 furlongs was the race Emily Upjohn announced herself in three years ago before she sluiced up in the Musidora and went down by a short head in the Oaks at Epsom.
She was, of course, trained by the Gosdens and they have Star Of Light in here, a well-bred Frankel filly who impressed when winning on debut at Wolverhampton in December, picking up really nicely after a slow start. No surprises she picked up a Timeform large P (see free video replay, below).
Her dam, Star Catcher, won the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot and while she could end up missing Epsom and following the same path, she is in the Oaks, and she’s well worth monitoring here.
Winter’s Song (another with a large P), who defied greenness to win on debut at Yarmouth earlier in the month, is another worth keeping an eye on for Charlie Appleby, as is Andrew Balding’s Music Piece (with merely a small p), a daughter of Camelot with an Irish Oaks entry.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsWill the bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes be a platform to G1 glory?
It wasn’t last year but it can be. Sir Michael Stoute used it as a launchpad for Ulysses and Crystal Ocean who both won Group 1 races later in the same season after starting out in this race and that will be the objective for some of this field.
Take Almaqam, for example. Ed Walker’s horse showed some very good form last season at three, notably when beating Kikkuli three-and-three-quarter lengths at this track on just his third start, and he looks the type to improve again at four.
He finished last year on a high finishing a head second to Jayarebe in the Group 2 Prix Dollar at Longchamp and he’s got a Group 1 entry in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh at the end of May.
His half-brother Saleymm improved at four and if this Lope De Vega colt does take another step forward this year he’ll be putting himself in the frame for a top-level success.
Another one with highest-level pretensions is See The Fire, who also had the option of the bet365 Mile at the six-day stage but takes her chance over a quarter of a mile further in this race.
The daughter of Sea The Stars couldn’t quite break her Group 1 duck last year at three, finishing a neck second to Opera Singer in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, and a return crack at that race in Sussex will be the main aim with her this campaign. If she’s ready to go, she’ll be a real threat getting weight from the boys here.
Is it written in the stars for Dancing Gemini?
Last year Charyn won the Doncaster Mile followed by the bet365 Mile followed by three Group 1 successes after being winless at three – and this year Roger Teal’s Dancing Gemini could well bid to follow in his hoofprints.
He was winless at three for starters and he won the Doncaster Mile in Charyn-esque fashion last time, so he’s treading an eerily similar path with Friday’s Group 2 bet365 Mile next on the hitlist.
This will give us a good gauge as to whether he can complete the second half of the masterplan – namely winning at the highest level – and if he can see off the likes of Lead Artist, Tamfana and Haatem like he did his rivals on Town Moor we could well be looking at Charyn II.
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