Ferguson eager to assess Canberra’s Classic claims

/by

James Ferguson is excited to see whether Canberra Legend can book his Derby ticket in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York.

After justifying odds-on favouritism on his racecourse debut at Newcastle in February, the Australia colt successfully stepped up to Listed class in last month’s Feilden Stakes at Newmarket.

The three-year-old is a 14-1 shot for the Betfred Derby at Epsom on June 3 with the sponsors and Ferguson is hopeful he can enhance his claims on the Knavesmire on Thursday.

“He’s a joy to train and like a lot of Australia’s (progeny) he has a very good mind,” the Newmarket handler said on Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday programme.

“For us he’s very exciting. He’s done his final piece of work and hopefully we can get there (York) in one piece and enjoy the day.”

Connections went to 350,000 guineas to purchase Canberra Legend as a yearling and Ferguson revealed it did not take him long to realise he could be a bit special.

He added: “It’s no secret that Mr Ho (owner) spent a lot of money to buy this horse and I was very grateful he decided to send the horse to me.

Trainer James Ferguson at York
Trainer James Ferguson at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

“We realised pretty soon when he came to the yard that he had a bit of presence about him. He was a big two-year-old and was never going to be a sharp, early type.

“You have this horse in your yard and you hope to God that he’s as good as you think he is. More often than not it doesn’t go so well, but when he won at Newcastle it was a relief.

“Stepping up from a novice to a Listed race is quite a big step, but I didn’t want to fit in another novice with a penalty on the all-weather and we had confidence in the horse.

“The Feilden Stakes is a proven race for good horses, it seemed a good option, we took our chance and thank God it went right.”

Having been pleased with his colt since his Newmarket triumph, Ferguson admits he will need to put up a big show at York if he is to head to Epsom.

He said: “I’ve given him two pieces of work since, he’s worked on the Limekilns and he’s worked on the Al Bahathri (gallops). Michael Hills sat on him both times and having ridden well over a thousand winners, he knows what he’s doing.

“Being realistic, I think to go to Epsom, with the trials that we’ve seen so far, I’d like to see him run well (at York).

“The most important thing is that he comes back safe and sound, we know we’ve got a good horse and whatever happens in the Dante he’s won a very good trial in the Feilden.

“I would like to see him win or place well to enable us to go to Epsom, if not we’ll think about going to France (French Derby) or straight to Ascot.”

Pretty Polly a possible pick for Via Sistina

/by

A trip to Ireland for the Pretty Polly Stakes remains on the agenda for Via Sistina following her runaway victory at Newmarket last weekend.

Making her first appearance since winning a Group Three in France in November, George Boughey’s mare successfully graduated to Group Two level with a six-length romp in the Dahlia Stakes under a typically cool ride from Jamie Spencer.

The daughter of Fastnet Rock is now set for a tilt at Group One honours, with the Curragh on July 1 a possible target.

“She’s a good filly,” said Boughey.

“I think the likelihood is the Pretty Polly is probably the plan. This weather is changeable and no one really knows what is going on, but if we get a wet summer we might see a bit more of Via Sistina than we would in a usual year.

“She’s very effective on that (soft) ground and between a mile and a mile and a half, I don’t really know what her trip is.

“She showed loads of pace and there’s a big summer ahead for her.”

Nashwa handed Prix Corrida target

/by

Nashwa is being prepared for a trip to France later this month after connections opted to sidestep the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Stakes at York on Thursday.

The dual Group One-winning filly has been slow to come to hand this term and will make a belated reappearance in the Prix Corrida, a Group Two contest over an extended 10 furlongs at Saint-Cloud on May 28.

As a three-year-old she finished a close-up third in the Oaks, before gaining compensation in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly.

Under regular rider Hollie Doyle, the John and Thady Gosden-trained daughter of Frankel then earned a second top-class success in the Nassau at Goodwood.

She fell agonisingly short when beaten by Place Du Carrousel in the Prix de l’Opera at ParisLongchamp and had to settle for fourth behind Oaks victor Tuesday in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland.

Owned by Imad Al Sagar, Nashwa holds Group One entries in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Pretty Polly at the Curragh and in the Eclipse.

However, Al Sagar’s racing manager, Lord Grimthorpe, explained much will depend on how she fares on her seasonal bow.

“She just hasn’t quite come,” he said. “She worked nicely on Saturday morning and I think we will probably try to head for the Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud at the end of the month.

“Obviously, that will give us a good guide as to where we’re at and if she looks good enough and is in good enough form, I’m sure Imad would like to go to the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.”

Angel delight at Haydock for Beckett and Crouch

/by

Angel Bleu returned to the winner’s enclosure with victory in the Pertemps Network Spring Trophy Stakes at Haydock.

Ralph Beckett’s four-year-old was a top-class juvenile but was winless last term in three starts.

He made his all-weather debut earlier in the year, finishing second to Berkshire Shadow in the Lady Wulfruna, and then headed to the Prix Edmond Blanc at Saint-Cloud where he came home sixth over a mile.

At Listed level over seven furlongs at Haydock he was sent off at 3-1 under Hector Crouch and took up the lead in the final furlong.

He traded blows with Andrew Balding’s Holguin but rallied to succeed by a neck, with the stewards leaving the placings unaltered after an inquiry into possible interreference.

Crouch said: “He was very tough, that was probably a furlong short of his best here today.

“He’s won Group Ones at a mile, I was really pleased to get him back on track.

“He’s had a tough couple of years since his very busy and successful juvenile career, it’s a step back to where we know he can be.

“He’s a funny horse, he can take a bit of winding up sometimes. He needed that today, it was just nice to get him back in front.”

Of the inquiry involving the runner-up, Crouch added: “He had every chance for a solid furlong and just wasn’t good enough on the day.”

Angel Bleu after Vintage Stakes success at Goodwood in 2021
Angel Bleu after Vintage Stakes success at Goodwood in 2021 (John Walton/PA)

Creative Force made light work of the Pertemps Network Conditions Stakes for Charlie Appleby and James Doyle.

The chestnut was third on seasonal debut in the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket and has a smart back catalogue of form with Group One successes to his name.

He has a particular liking for Ascot having won the Jersey Stakes and the Champions Sprint there, and is likely to be heading back to the Royal meeting come June.

At Haydock he was the 4-6 favourite and produced a pleasing run to cross the line three lengths ahead of his nearest rival.

Doyle said: “I’m really pleased with him. He’s a bonny horse and he’s been a real flag-bearer for us over the years. He usually comes to the fore when you need him and hopefully this is just a little stepping stone to better things.

“Obviously he does enjoy getting his toe in but he’s still effective on quicker ground and he should be in for a good campaign, he certainly hasn’t lost his enthusiasm over the years anyway.

“I was kind of looking at it and I thought it would be a bit tactical. There were no certain leaders in the race and he’s a pretty chilled out character. I didn’t think we’d be going that quick so I said to Charlie perhaps to let him pop out and prick his ears in front and I can go whenever.

“With the ground drying all the time and it being over six furlongs it’s probably his minimum trip nowadays.

“I thought he just got done for a bit of speed at Newmarket, they went really slow and dashed into the dip and kind of got in a bit of a tangle out the other side so I was keen to just let him balance up and go for home.

“He’s done plenty of winning at Ascot and did me a big favour in the Jersey Stakes a couple of years ago. When the rain comes for him it’s a big plus, so we’ll just have to see, but even on quick ground he runs his race.”

Peking Opera performance sets up bigger and better things

/by

Derby entrant Peking Opera picked up where he left off with a smart victory in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Yeats Stakes at Naas.

Aidan O’Brien’s Galileo colt ended his two-year-old season with a win in a one-mile Leopardstown maiden that has produced several subsequent winners.

Running for the first time this term he was the 5-2 favourite under Seamie Heffernan and duly went on to prove his stamina with a half-length triumph markedly up in trip to a mile and five furlongs.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “The form of his Leopardstown race over a mile has worked out well.

“He has done well over the winter and is a horse that is going to stay very well.

“This was a lovely race to start him off in and he is one to look forward to going forward over a staying trip.

“He could be one for something like the Queen’s Vase over one mile and six furlongs at Ascot. You could bring him back a fraction to one mile and four furlongs

“He has good options and he did well to win on seasonal debut.”

When asked about the Derby entries, he replied: “He has (those entries) and it is an option for him. He is versatile between a mile and four furlongs and a mile and six.”

Jessica Harrington’s Givemethebeatboys struck on debut to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden under Shane Foley.

The Bungle Inthejungle colt was a 12-1 chance and raced in the group travelling down the centre of the track, eventually making up a huge amount of ground in the final furlong to prevail by three quarters of a length.

Foley said: “If he hadn’t run well today, we would have been scratching our heads a bit! We have had a few two-year-olds disappoint, so we are glad he did that.

“We took him out the last couple of times because of ground and I was adamant that I think he is a good horse, and good horses handle any ground. He’ll be better on better ground, he couldn’t really quicken in it (today).

“I thought the race was gone, but his class got him through.

“The pace was on the far side and he had to do a bit of running to get on top, but the good ones can get you out of trouble!”

When asked if he sees him as a Royal Ascot horse, he replied: “Definitely I’d say, and Con (Marnane, owner) likes Ascot.”

Appleby thrilled to see Military Order advertise Classic credentials

/by

Charlie Appleby has already used the Fitzdares Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes to prepare one Betfred Derby winner – and he was left “delighted” by the performance of Military Order, who will now head to Epsom primed to perfection attempting to give the Moulton Paddocks handler his third victory in the Classic.

The Frankel colt had won two of his first three outings, but this was his first real test as he tried to justify the lofty reputation that being a full-brother to a Derby and King George winner brings.

Military Order’s elder sibling Adayar finished second in the Lingfield feature in 2021 before triumphing at Epsom, and Military Order proved he is indeed made of similar stuff, showing his quality under a fine ride from William Buick to hold off Ed Walker’s Waipiro.

The Listed triumph now puts him firmly in the Derby picture, and Appleby believes the experience at Lingfield will serve him well ahead of his big-race assignment on the Surrey Downs in three weeks time.

He said: “I was delighted with that, he learnt plenty today and it was a great ride by William.

“We were going in there today with confidence based on what he had achieved to date.

“It was a mile and a half with the race being on the all-weather track, so we saw him see it out well.

“He has a pedigree and a profile there that is coming along very nicely into hopefully a Derby horse. I know he has now gone joint-favourite (for the Derby) and deservedly so. We will obviously now be keeping an eye on what happens next week in the Dante, but I was very pleased with him.

“I’m just delighted to see Military Order confirm he is the horse we feel he hopefully is going forward.”

Waterlogging to Lingfield’s turf track meant the trials day card was run on the all-weather for the first time since 2012 – with Appleby enjoying a fine afternoon on the synthetics as Eternal Hope gave him a first success in the Fitzdares Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes.

The daughter of Teofilo does not hold an entry for Epsom on June 2 and may not be seen until the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, but equally the Moulton Paddocks handler has not ruled out adding her to the Oaks line-up and will be keeping a close eye on how the fillies’ Classic is shaping up, particularly in terms of the ground.

Eternal Hope ridden by jockey William Buick winning the Fitzdares Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes
Eternal Hope ridden by jockey William Buick winning the Fitzdares Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes (Steven Paston/PA)

“The filly had experience on the synthetics and travelled round there well and picked up well and saw it out well as well, so I was really pleased with that,” continued Appleby.

“What sort of strength of depth was in there, we will have to wait and see.

“But in terms of supplementing her for an Oaks, we didn’t run her in the Pretty Polly at Newmarket because of the ground so that would have to be something we keep an eye on and therefore the likelihood is we will look more towards the Ribblesdale with her.

“I’m not saying we won’t (supplement) and we will be keeping an eye on the Oaks picture.”

Rebel Territory claims Victoria Cup spoils for Amanda Perrett

/by

Rebel Territory was an Ascot hero for Amanda Perrett when making light work of the Peroni Nastro Azzurro Victoria Cup.

A winner over this seven-furlong distance at Newmarket on his return, the five-year-old was sent off at 11-1 for what is typically a fiercely-contested handicap and was part of a select group to race on the far side of the track with Richard Fahey’s Zip taking that cluster along.

Defending champion Vafortino was at the head of affairs of those to race stands side and at one stage it looked as if Kevin Philippart De Foy’s five-year-old was about to pull off back-to-back triumphs.

But as the runners entered the final furlong it became obvious that Rebel Territory in the hands of Jim Crowley was moving best and that they would be confirming Rowley Mile form over Vafortino from their clash last time.

Crowley allowed Rebel Territory to drift out into the centre of the track before storming four-lengths clear of Biggles in the closing stages, blitzing a high-class ensemble of handicappers.

Perrett believes the drop back to seven furlongs has been key to her charge’s early-season success and will now wait to see what the handicapper does before deciding on her next move, with a return to the Berkshire track for Royal Ascot and trips to France among the options.

She said: “He had conditions very much in his favour and he was lucky he got such a good lead. But he still had to do it on his own down the middle of the track and we are absolutely delighted.

“The key has been the drop back to seven furlongs on that ground. In the summer months we might go back up to a mile, but it opens up so many options. He’s versatile and is settling and relaxing and enjoying his racing.

“They didn’t really quicken on and just plugged on and he enjoys those conditions because he can handle them and not many horses can.”

She added: “We’ll have to wait and see what the handicapper does, he could go back to Royal Ascot and run in the Buckingham Palace and there’s plenty of other nice races coming up. We might even take him to France if it gets quick.

“I think we’re going to be guided by what happens next Tuesday.”

Black Poppy blossoms for Kerry Lee in Swinton Hurdle

/by

Kerry Lee’s Black Poppy defied a career-high mark to gallop to a tough success in the Pertemps Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock.

The seven-year-old has posted two good runs this year, finishing third in a Newbury handicap and then winning a similar Cheltenham contest last time out, for which he went up 5lb.

But that proved no barrier to success, as under Adam Wedge the 10-1 chance fought hard on the run to the line, capitalising on a last-flight error from Teddy Blue to pull clear and prevail by a length and a quarter.

“He’s run a super race, going into it I was concerned it might all be a bit quick for him given Cheltenham and Haydock are nothing alike,” said Lee, whose runner picked up just short of £57,000 for first place.

“We decided that he was very well, the plan was actually to go novice chasing with him but there were no sensible novice chases around so we thought we’d have a go at this. He’s come up trumps and I thought it was a cracking ride from Adam.

“I’ll have to have a think about what to do with him now, I’ll talk to the lads!

“I was going to find a chase for him but now he’s run like that over hurdles, I’m sort of wondering why you’d want to.

“Until the tables turned for him at Cheltenham he had had a pretty miserable season and his owners have been very patient and very loyal, it’s great to be able to reward that.”

Wedge added: “It’s great for me to able to get the season off to a good start with a nice race like that.

“It’s panned out pretty well for me to be fair, he’s jumped the first couple a bit big.

“Kerry said he’s been schooling fences at home, once he’s got into his rhythm down the back he was very good, very quick. He’s got me into the race nicely.

“They were keen to be a bit handier on a flat course today and it’s all worked out very well.”

Military Order marches to Epsom with stylish Lingfield win

/by

Military Order shot to the top of the Betfred Derby market as he went one better than his brother Adayar to claim the Fitzdares Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes.

Adayar finished second in this in 2021 before going on to triumph at Epsom and his high-class sibling took his record to three wins from four starts in the manner of a high-class operator himself.

With waterlogging to Lingfield’s turf track meaning this was run on the all-weather for the first time since Main Sequence’s victory in 2012, William Buick had Military Order travelling nicely behind the pace set by James Tate’s Regal Empire

The pack began to bunch as the eight-strong field approached the home bend and when Regal Empire angled out spinning the turn, Buick seized the opportunity to nimbly slip up the inner and set sail for home with Ed Walker’s Waipiro the only one to match strides with the athletic son of Frankel.

The duo went toe-to-toe up the home straight, but it was the even-money favourite who came out on top by a length and a quarter at the winning post, with a further four and a quarter lengths back to the King’s Circle Of Fire in third.

Although the race has provided Charlie Appleby with a Derby winner in the past, it is the first time he has won the Listed event and Military Order now heads to Epsom as Betfair’s 4-1 joint-favourite alongside Auguste Rodin, while Coral make the colt their outright 7-2 market leader.

“He did everything I asked him. He’s come through that really well and will have learned plenty, not that he needed to be shown,” said Buick.

“Today was a different test to Newbury, but when I asked him to quicken into a gap running downhill he didn’t hesitate. He was totally relaxed and beautifully balanced.”

Military Order looks smart
Military Order looks smart (PA)

Alex Merriam, Appleby’s assistant, said: “It was pretty straightforward. It took him a while to get rolling, but he saw it out strongly.

“All systems are go for Epsom, he’s had a run on grass and now a run down a bit of a hill.

“Last year we were blessed with some good milers but this year we have some nice mile-and-a-quarter and mile-and-a-half types.

“Military Order is a similar size to Adayar, but a sharper model.”

He added: “Castle Way is a good prospect, but I think he will go to Ascot (King Edward VII Stakes).

“Flying Honours is going to York and it will be interesting to see how he gets on in the Dante if we get some decent ground there.”

Walker, meanwhile, will press on with his Derby plan for Waipiro after his gallant effort.

“The winner got a run up the inside and the horse that made the gap pushed us out and onto the wrong lead, making us disorganised, but we still gave him a run for his money,” he said.

“Rob (Hornby) couldn’t pull him up and I think we have to go to Epsom.”

Eternal Hope burns brightly for Appleby and Buick at Lingfield

/by

Charlie Appleby won the Fitzdares Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes for the first time as Eternal Hope put her name into the Betfred Oaks picture at Lingfield.

Always well placed by William Buick tracking the pace set by stablemate Sunset Point and the 6-5 favourite Be Happy, she was in the perfect spot to strike rounding the turn for home and showed a likeable turn of foot to outgun the Aidan O’Brien-trained market leader in the straight.

Although Coral introduced the filly into the Oaks market at 16-1, the daughter of Teofilo would need supplementing into the line-up for Epsom’s June 2 showpiece.

But although her next move will become clearer in time, what is not in doubt is her class and she impressed her rider.

“She’s a lovely filly who started her career late and can only improve as that was just her third run,” said Buick of the 9-4 scorer.

“She’s not in at Epsom, but I’m sure they’ll have a good think about supplementing her.”

Alex Merriam, Appleby’s assistant, added: “She picked up well and did it nicely. It would have been lovely to put her on turf, but she’s suited by a sound surface.

“This race looked competitive without being red hot, so let’s see if it stops raining. 

“We will take a look at what the ground is like closer to the time (of the Oaks).”