Waterlogging forces all-weather switch for Lingfield’s Classic trials

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Lingfield has been forced to transfer Saturday’s Derby Trial card to the all-weather after waterlogging left the turf track unraceable.

The card also includes the Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes and the Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes, with the latter race and the Derby Trial now set to be run over a mile and four furlongs due to the switch, rather than half a furlong short of the Classic distance.

Heavy rainfall in the area has taken its toll on the ground and more wet weather is forecast, causing track officials and the British Horseracing Authority to move the card on to the all-weather as any improvement in conditions is now improbable.

A statement from the BHA read: “The British Horseracing Authority has confirmed that Saturday’s card at Lingfield Park will be staged on the all-weather.

English King winning the Lingfield Derby Trial in markedly different conditions in 2020
English King winning the Lingfield Derby Trial in markedly different conditions in 2020 (Megan Ridgwell/PA)

“A BHA inspection of the course on Wednesday morning found the turf track to be unraceable due to waterlogging.

“It is considered unlikely that conditions will have improved sufficiently by Saturday to allow any races to take place on the turf safely.

“Therefore, also taking into account the weather forecast suggesting further rain, the BHA has made the decision to switch the surface at this time to offer certainty for connections to confirm their running plans.”

All existing entries at the meeting will be cancelled with the races re-opened until noon on Thursday for new entries, prior to 24-hour declarations at 10am on Friday.

Ziggy’s Phoenix rises to Chester challenge for Middleham one-two

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Ziggy’s Phoenix was away well and made every yard of the running to lead home a Middleham Park Racing one-two in the CAA Stellar Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes at Chester.

The Richard Hannon-trained filly won from the front at Ripon when breaking her duck on her second start and it was a similar story sent off the 9-4 favourite on the Roodee.

Handed a plum draw in stall one, the daughter of Kodiac pinged the gates in the hands of Ryan Moore, and having burned off Balon D’Or – who matched the winner stride for stride until the home straight – held on gamely when fellow Middleham Park runner Ziggy’s Dream, began to fly in the closing stages.

In the aftermath she was handed a quote of 14-1 by both Paddy Power and Betfair for the Queen Mary Stakes over the same five-furlong trip at Royal Ascot.

Middleham Park’s Mike Prince said: “Ziggy’s Phoenix was smart from the stalls, she’s an uncomplicated filly with plenty of speed and just bossed it from the front really.

“Interestingly, Ziggy’s Dream might be the horse to take form the race as she missed it (the break) and finished like a train. If you ran the race again would the result be different? It might well be.

“We think they’re both black-type fillies so that’s what we’d be planning with them next.

“There’s the National Stakes at Sandown and there’s a Listed race at Vichy as well. It will probably be one of those, maybe the National Stakes for Ziggy’s Phoenix.

“I’m sure Tim (Palin, syndicate manager) will be plotting with Richard and plotting with Alice (Haynes, trainer of Ziggy’s Dream) where to go. We might keep them apart next time and they might come together again at Royal Ascot.”

Claymore primed for Brigadier Gerard return

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Royal Ascot winner Claymore, off the track since July, will make his return in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown on May 25, with the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe a potential long-term target.

The Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained colt could face last year’s returning Derby winner Desert Crown in what is shaping up into a mouthwatering renewal of the 10-furlong Group Three race.

Claymore defeated the highly-touted Reach For The Moon in the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot in June, but suffered a setback after finishing fourth to Sir Busker in the York Stakes the following month, and was not seen thereafter.

Chapple-Hyam said: “Claymore is going for the Brigadier Gerard. He just got very jarred up at York.

“We got him ready to run at the Arc meeting and then it went bog-soft everywhere. It went from one extreme to the other, so we decided to pull the pin and have a lovely four-year-old for this year.”

A son of New Bay, Claymore finished runner-up to subsequent Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Native Trail in the Craven on his first outing last year before a wide draw and very soft ground scuppered his chances in the French Guineas.

Should all go well at Sandown, Chapple-Hyam will likely return to Ascot and raised the possibility of an Arc bid.

She added: “We will see what we do in the Brigadier Gerard, but he is in the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot and I don’t know, is he a 50-1 shot for the Arc?

“The entries were on Tuesday and we’ve put him in – there’s no harm. You just don’t know if he’ll make the cut, but better to be there than having to supplement.”

Meanwhile, the Peter Harris-owned Mill Stream could head straight to the Commonwealth Cup.

The Gleneagles colt was narrowly defeated by subsequent Gimcrack scorer Noble Style in a Newmarket novice last season, before going on to finish fourth to this season’s 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean, over seven furlongs, in York’s Group Three Acomb last August.

However, his trainer believes he is a sprinter and will send him straight to the Royal meeting.

Chapple-Hyam said: “We are dropping him back to six furlongs. He could go straight to the Commonwealth Cup. I don’t think there is a race available for him, so he’ll probably tootle off for a racecourse gallop somewhere.”

Jane Chapple-Hyam/Ascot
Jane Chapple-Hyam is targeting the Royal meeting again (Simon Milham/PA)

Royal Hunt Cup runner-up Intellogent will bid to go one better in the same race next month and will have his prep run in a Newbury handicap on Saturday week. The eight-year-old was fourth to Ottoman Fleet on his return in a nine-furlong Group Three contest at Newmarket last month.

“He just got tired in the Earl of Sefton,” said the trainer. “He’s probably not a Group horse any more, but he likes these big fields.

“He did well at Ascot and was then third in the John Smith’s York. He’ll do the Hunt Cup and John Smith’s again.”

Meanwhile, the full-brother to Chapple-Hyam’s Group One winner Saffron Beach, who was sold for 3.6million guineas at the end of last season, arrived with the Newmarket handler on Tuesday morning.

Granger Bay, who fetched €450,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale, will run in the colours of Fiona Carmichael, having been in pre-training with Malcolm Bastard.

Saffron Beach won two top-class races for the trainer, who will also condition her full brother
Saffron Beach won two top-class races for the trainer, who will also condition her full brother (David Davies/PA)

“I am a very lucky lady to be given the honour to train him,” said Chapple-Hyam. “He was bought from the Goffs sales and sent to Malcolm to be broken in.

“We felt we didn’t want to rush him into a training yard in January or February as is the normal time slot, we said wait until after the Guineas, so he arrived on Tuesday morning.

“Fiona also has Intellogent and Aplomb in the yard. It was really nice to get the call and I’m very happy with the squad I’ve got this year.”

Lingfield hold inspection ahead of Derby Trial

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Lingfield will hold a 10am inspection on Wednesday to determine if Saturday’s Derby Trial card will be given the go-ahead.

The going was changed to soft, heavy in places on the straight course and soft, good to soft in places on Tuesday morning following over 7mm of rain.

A further 18mm fell in a thunderstorm which saw racing briefly halted on Tuesday afternoon.

Lingfield’s clerk of the course George Hill said: “We were forecast between 5mm and 30mm today, but we had 18mm in 30-40 minutes during racing.

“We have an inspection planned for 10am which will involve the BHA course inspector in attendance.”

Chaldean in good shape after Guineas heroics

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Qipco 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean has taken his exertions at Newmarket on Saturday in his stride, according to connections.

The son of Frankel powered through rain-softened ground to land the mile Classic on what was, in effect, his three-year-old debut.

Having unshipped Frankie Dettori coming out of the stalls and running loose on his intended prep in the Greenham at Newbury, the frustration turned to delight for the 52-year-old Italian, who was riding in his 29th and final renewal of the race.

Having kept things simple, always close to the pace, Chaldean was sent for home early and never looked like he would be challenged once runner-up Hi Royal had started to empty.

It was a fourth success in the race for Dettori and a second in four years for trainer Andrew Balding, who had struck with Kameko in 2020.

Twelve years after the mighty Frankel had carried the famous Juddmonte green, pink and white colours to success in the race, his son took the laurels by a length and three-quarters.

European racing manager for the operation, Barry Mahon, said any celebrations were muted.

“The head’s not too bad. We had to go racing on Sunday, so the celebrations couldn’t be too extravagant, but hopefully there will be time to celebrate at some point,” he said. “Hopefully we’re not finished yet. We have a few more chances along the way.”

Chaldean will remain over a mile and head to the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot for his next start, with Paddy Power making him the 4-5 favourite to triumph in the Group One showpiece on June 20.

“He’s taken it well, he’s good,” added Mahon. “Andrew was happy with him when I spoke to him yesterday. He said he was quite tired on Sunday, but he said yesterday morning he was in good form again.

“The ground was very soft, yet on the Friday meeting, it was good to firm. They watered the ground in case the showers missed.

“I stayed the far side of the town and on Friday night, I promise you, there was a monsoon.

“The next morning I was talking to (trainer) David Simcock, who was on the racecourse side of town and he said they had rain, but nothing extravagant – a couple of millimetres. It is such a funny area.

“But he handled the ground, although it wouldn’t be his ideal conditions.”

Balon D’Or aiming to hit Agnes target for Owen

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Hugo Palmer’s highly-regarded Balon D’Or has a wide draw to overcome in the Caa Stellar Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes on the opening day of the Boodles May Festival at Chester.

The Kodiac colt is owned and was bred by Michael Owen – and named as a nod to the revered annual football award he won in 2001, the former England striker saying he hoped he had “saved a special name for a special horse.”

Balon D’Or made his debut in early April and was a taking winner when coming home a neck to the good, especially considering he was carried markedly right by another horse the moment he left the stalls.

His Chester draw in stall 11, widest of all, does not help his cause but some of the field could defer to a maiden event on Thursday and so he could find himself more handily placed come post time.

“He did really well on debut and I think he’s come forward for it, but he’s got a terrible draw,” Palmer said.

“He’s been given a mountain to climb but that is the luck of the draw, he’s well and we’ll just have to see how we go as there might be some non runners which would help.”

Palmer has a second runner in the contest in Tierney, a Mehmas filly out of a four-time winning mare called Madam Macie who makes her debut in the race.

“She’s a nice filly. Like all of ours, she will come forward and improve for her debut but she’s a nice speedy filly that we like.”

Curragh-based trainer John O’Donoghue is set to have his first Chester runner in debut winner Parkside Boy.

The Kuroshio colt is out of top racemare Carry On Katie, a Group One heroine who won both the Lowther Stakes and the Cheveley Park in 2003.

He ran for the first time in a Dundalk maiden in mid April and duly won by half a length under Ronan Whelan, with this Chester contest then quickly identified as his next target.

“He’s been trained for this race since he won at Dundalk, we feel that a sharp, turning five furlongs is very much his forte,” O’Donoghue said.

“Thankfully we’ve got a bit of luck with the draw in stall four, so we’re looking forward to getting him out again.

“He’s precocious and we didn’t waste any time between when he was broken and pre-trained and then sent to us. Hopefully he’s as effective as his frame and his pedigree suggest at this time of year as a two-year-old.”

Middleham Park Racing own the first two horses in the market in Ziggy’s Phoenix and Ziggy’s Dream, trained by Richard Hannon and Alice Haynes respectively.

Ziggy’s Phoenix was beaten a length on her debut at Kempton in April, after which she headed to Ripon for her first run on turf in a five-furlong novice.

There she was a comfortable winner, crossing the line a length and three-quarters ahead of her nearest rival under Joe Fanning as the 11-4 joint favourite.

Ziggy’s Dream has only one run under her belt but it was a winning performance at Doncaster, where she landed a five-furlong maiden by a length and a quarter on soft ground.

“They’re both named by the same person (co-owner) Simon Woods, it’s a privilege to have two runners in this prestigious race,” said Tim Palin of Middleham Park.

“We won this in 2011 with Lily’s Angel and these are two really nice fillies, we didn’t want to run them (against each other) but both trainers were keen to run so we declared them.

“They’ve both got soft ground form, any rain that falls shouldn’t hinder them – it might even just enhance their chances a wee bit because both horses will stay further.

“They’ll both get six furlongs in time. I think the reason Ziggy’s Phoenix is favoured by the betting market is just that she’s drawn in that pole position, she’s drawn one whereas as Ziggy’s Dream’s (stall six) form is just as good I think, the Racing Post say 3lb better and Timeform say four.

“They’re two nice fillies and hopefully after the first 100 yards they’ll be in the first wave and may the best Ziggy win, may the best horse in the race win.

“We’re there with our two fillies, we think they’re nice and hopefully they’ll be involved in the finish.”

Vadeni entered for Eclipse defence at Sandown

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Last year’s winner Vadeni leads the way with 48 horses entered for the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on July 8.

Jean-Claude Rouget’s charge became the first French-trained winner since 1960 when fending off the now-retired Mishriff and Native Trail in a thrilling finish, with just half a length separating the trio at the end of 10 furlongs.

Vadeni went on to finish third in the Irish Champion Stakes and second in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but he looked in need of his return when only fourth in the Prix Ganay last month.

Desert Crown has been off the track since winning the Derby
Desert Crown has been off the track since winning the Derby (Tim Goode/PA)

Sir Michael Stoute’s Champion Stakes hero Bay Bridge was third that day and he is entered for the Sandown Group One, along with stablemate Desert Crown, who has been off the track since winning the Derby at Epsom last June.

Vadeni, Bay Bridge and Desert Crown share the status of Coral’s 5-1 co-favourites with Charlie Appleby’s Adayar, who made an impressive return at Newmarket on Friday, and the Aidan O’Brien-trained Luxembourg, winner of the Irish Champion.

O’Brien also has 2000 Guineas disappointment Auguste Rodin among the leading lights at this stage, while Point Lonsdale is another Ballydoyle inmate who is prominent in the betting after a faultless return in the Alleged Stakes.

Emily Upjohn was a Champions Day victory
Emily Upjohn was a Champions Day victory (John Walton/PA)

John and Thady Gosden have Group One winners Emily Upjohn and Nashwa in the entries, with Francesco Clemente – unbeaten in three but yet to be tried beyond handicap level – another key Clarehaven name.

The Owen Burrows-trained Anmaat chased home Adayar at Newmarket and he also features along with Greenham winner Isaac Shelby, last year’s Irish Derby champion Westover and Joseph O’Brien’s pair of Al Riffa and Buckaroo.

Aidan O’Brien dominates the contenders numerically with 13 entered, the Gosden team has five to pick from – the same number as Rouget – and Appleby having four possibles.

Hannon anticipating retirement for recovering Mojo Star

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Mojo Star, who sustained an injury when making his return to action at Newbury last month, is on the mend but looks set to be retired from racing.

The Richard Hannon-trained Classic and Ascot Gold Cup runner-up finished lame when fourth to Grand Alliance in the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes at Newbury.

The five-year-old, who was second in Adayar’s Derby and occupied the same spot behind Hurricane Lane in the St Leger before finding only Kyprios too good in last year’s Gold Cup, was making his seasonal return after a 310-day lay-off.

His injury was not life-threatening and after being treated by vet Jamie O’Gorman, the son of Sea The Stars looks primed to enjoy stallion duties after a nine-race career that has seen him earn just shy of £543,000 in prize=money.

“He is back here now, but I would say he probably won’t race again,” said the East Everleigh handler.

“He’s always had issues with his joints and he’s quite a heavy horse who has always had problems all his life.

“He’s back home now though, although I would say he is doubtful to race again. I think he will go back to Ireland, where they will get him a job as a stallion.

“He was second in three massive races, the Derby, the Leger and in the Gold Cup. He’s still here and he’ll enjoy life, which is the most important thing.”

Meanwhile, Hannon’s hopes that Mammas Girl would keep her unbeaten record in the Qipco 1000 Guineas were dashed when she finished 16 lengths behind Mawj at Newmarket on Sunday.

Winner of a seven-furlong novice at the same track in October, the daughter of Havana Grey landed the Group Three Nell Gwyn on her first start as a three-year-old.

Mammas Girl found the ground against her in the Guineas
Mammas Girl found the ground against her in the Guineas (Tim Goode/PA)

However, having raced prominently in the early stages in the mile fillies’ Classic, she weakened late on under Kevin Stott in very soft ground, eventually finishing 11th of the 20 runners.

Hannon said: “Mammas Girl is fine. The ground was shocking really, but that’s nobody’s fault.

“She will show her true self, probably at Royal Ascot in the Coronation on fast ground and hopefully she will run much better.”

O’Brien and Moore have Savethelastdance to look forward to at Chester

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Aidan O’Brien loves the Cheshire Oaks, having saddled the winner on no less than seven occasions in the last 14 renewals.

He sends Savethelastdance to the Roodee on Wednesday as the hot favourite for the Weatherbys Digital Solutions-sponsored race, which is a notable Classic trial.

The Galileo filly – who is shading ante-post favouritism for the Oaks itself – was a little green on her juvenile debut at Thurles in October, when finishing fifth to the more experienced Foniska, yet she clearly thrived over the winter and defeated better-fancied stablemate Boogie Woogie in comfortable fashion at Leopardstown on her reappearance in heavy ground a month ago.

Though she was a 20-1 shot that day, jockey Ryan Moore feels the form looks solid and she steps into Listed company with a ringing endorsement.

“I haven’t ridden her in a race yet, but I saw the back of her as she beat me on Boogie Woogie in some style over 10 furlongs at Leopardstown last month and the runner-up won well for me at Naas afterwards,” Moore told his Betfair blog.

“That victory was a massive step up from her debut effort at two, but there was no fluke about it and this beautifully-bred Galileo filly out of a Grade One winner in the States is clearly an exciting prospect.

“It was heavy at Leopardstown but the expected better ground here should be fine, though rain is due all week I see, so it may be testing by race time.”

The Charlie Johnston-trained Sirona won twice in four starts as a juvenile, including a Listed seven-and-a-half-furlong race at Cologne in September. Like Luckin Brew, William Buick’s mount takes a big step up from a mile to an extended mile and three furlongs for the first time, having disappointed in the same Pontefract race.

Owner Jayne McGivern said: “She has wintered really well. She is working well at home and is bred for distance and we were surprised at how well she had done as a two-year-old over a mile. We kind of were not expecting that.

“This will tell us a lot about her. She had a fantastic page when I bought her, she’s not overly big, but her confirmation’s great and she surprised us how good she was and she got black type. I think the Silver Tankard (Pontefract) was a race too far as she had a few races in quick succession.

“We had her entered in the Pretty Polly and that was the original plan, but we were worried about the ground. Mark and Charlie (Johnston) preferred the Chester race anyway.

“It is a bit of a tall order, we have thrown her in a bit at the deep end, but on the other hand, if she is good enough, she’ll be fine.

“She has entries in the Oaks and Ribblesdale, and is also in the German Oaks, and you might think about York.”

Co-trainers Freddie (left) and father Martyn Meade have high hopes for Ashtanga
Co-trainers Freddie (left) and father Martyn Meade have high hopes for Ashtanga (Mike Egerton/PA)

Connections of Ashtanga are hoping the extra distance will see her build on her two starts as a two-year-old, which included a maiden success at Nottingham over an extended mile.

Trained by Martyn and Freddie Meade, the daughter of Nathaniel will be ridden by Oisin Murphy on her three-year-old debut.

Freddie Meade said: “We are very pleased with her. She did nothing wrong last year. She was a real shell of a filly and all she has done is improve over the winter.

“Oisin has come and sat on her a couple of times and I think he shares the same enthusiasm for her this year. Hopefully the step up in trip will eke more improvement and hopefully she will have an exciting year.

“I think Chester will suit her. She is very balanced and she ran well at Salisbury first time out, which can find them out a little bit.

“I think we have the Oaks as the idea for her. Why not throw her in at the deep end and see how we get on.”

Cite d’Or is the most experienced in the field, having already had 10 runs, four of them since the turn of the year.

Having wintered in Dubai, where she was beaten over 15 lengths by subsequent 1000 Guineas winner Mawj, she returned to England and was a close-up third to colts Epictetus and Hadrianus in the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom.

Trainer Harry Eustace said: “She really ran well last time and certainly got back on track from her last couple of runs last year, so that was nice to see.”

“We saw Mawj from a distance in Meydan and in hindsight, the race programme just wasn’t there and she clearly needs a trip.

“As soon as we got her back on soft ground over a trip, she came right back to form. She ran well at Epsom last year, so that helps.

“The thinking is she might like idiosyncratic tracks. It just seems to keep her more interested than others, and this is a furlong and a half further, which is a positive.

“We have put cheekpieces on for the first time. She didn’t really travel that well early on at Epsom, so Pierre just managed to keep tabs on her and then she ran well after. At Chester, it would be harder to do if she didn’t travel, so we are just trying to make Pierre’s life easier.

“We are quite exposed in comparison. Everyone likes the potential of something, whereas we are showing that we are a genuine 100-rated horse at a mile and a quarter and if the extra furlong and a half brings a little bit more out, then I think we can be very competitive in that race.

“We like the ground, and are hoping there will be a bit of rain.”

Arrest aiming to state Classic case at Chester

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Arrest will put his Derby credentials to the test under Frankie Dettori in Wednesday’s Boodles Chester Vase, with connections unsure if the tight track will suit the colt.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained son of Frankel takes on four rivals in the extended mile-and-a-half Group Three contest, with the race considered “Plan C” after Sandown’s Classic Trial was abandoned.

He opened his account at the second attempt in a mile maiden at the Esher track and, having subsequently won at Ffos Las, was beaten a head by Dubai Mile in the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud.

Barry Mahon, European racing manager for the Juddmonte operation, explained why the race is a third option.

“Chester is probably not his ideal track, but we were meant to go to Sandown and unfortunately it was abandoned with the rain,” he said.

“The Vase was Plan C as originally we were going to the Dee Stakes (on Thursday), (but) the forecast is giving plenty of rain coming in on the Wednesday afternoon and night, so we said we’d go for the fresh ground on Wednesday.

“He is ready to run and we are hopeful he will run a nice race if he can handle the turns and undulations of Chester.

“Arrest is in good form. I saw him on Saturday and physically he’s done well from two to three. He was a big frame last year and he is definitely a stronger horse this year.

“John and Thady said the other morning that the experience of Chester would do him good. If we ended up going to Epsom, he will have that under his belt.

“We have seen it in the last few years with Aidan (O’Brien) and Barry Hills before that, they all take them to Chester for the reason that they get that experience, with the crowd on top of them.

“We had two quiet days at Sandown and then at Ffos Las – not too many people and not too much happening.

“The travel to France has done him good. He has enough miles under his belt and hopefully he’ll be able to handle it and the form with Dubai Mile looks good. He ran a good race in the Guineas when you look at his finishing position (fifth).”

There has been no more successful combination in the Chester Vase than jockey Ryan Moore and trainer Aidan O’Brien, who have won the race eight and 10 times respectively.

The partnership, successful last year with Changingoftheguard, rely on Adelaide River, runner-up in a pair of Group Threes last season before finishing third in the Saint-Cloud race.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien (right) and Ryan Moore have an unmatched record in the Chester Vase
Trainer Aidan O’Brien (right) and Ryan Moore have an unmatched record in the Chester Vase (Brian Lawless/PA)

The son of Australia makes his Classic-season bow with his rider expecting him to progress.

“He probably ran to a similar level form in his three starts after his debut win, ending up with a third in that one-mile-and-two-furlong Group One race at Saint-Cloud at the back-end,” Moore told his Betfair blog.

“Rain wouldn’t be a hindrance to his chances and hopefully he can kick on at three, though he has six lengths to find with Arrest on that French form.”

Hadrianus, who was narrowly defeated by the Gosdens’ Epictetus in the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom, Michael Bell’s Duke Of Oxford, who is unbeaten after two all-weather runs, and the Andrew Balding-trained Galactic Jack complete the line-up.