Tag Archive for: Charlie Fellowes

Vadream swoops late to grab Palace prize

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Vadream came from way off the pace to catch the long-time leader Live In The Dream and win the Howden Palace House Stakes at Newmarket.

The mare had won the Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster on Lincoln day but she finished in mid-division when sent out again quickly six days later for All-Weather Finals Day.

Having her first run over the minimum distance in this Group Three, she was perhaps not surprisingly taken off her feet in the early stages.

Part of the reason for that was the lightning pace set by Live In The Dream, who had everything on the stretch going into the dip.

Just when it looked as if Sean Kirrane was going to be celebrating the biggest winner of his career on Adam West’s speedster, Charlie Fellowes’ mare began to hit top gear.

Kieran Shoemark, who now has a 100 per cent record on her from two attempts, brought Vadream with a withering run nearest to the stands and the 7-1 shot got up by half a length. Manaccan was third.

Fellowes said: “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t delighted when the rain came last night and then more this morning.

“She just loves it (soft ground). She’s a very good mare, but she has to have her conditions and she got them today.

“I’d say the Duke of York (May 17)_is unlikely, it probably comes a bit soon. We’ll just run her where the conditions are right as she’s very clearly best on good to soft or softer.

“When she gets her conditions, she’s going to be very dangerous in whatever race she turns up in.”

Bradsell returns in cracking Commonwealth Cup Trial

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Hollie Doyle is excited to be reunited with Bradsell in the British Racing School 40th Anniversary Commonwealth Cup Trial at Ascot

A hugely impressive winner of the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, he has not been seen since picking up an injury when only fourth of five in the Phoenix Stakes behind Little Big Bear.

With no pretentions of him staying a mile, trainer Archie Watson brings him back in a Group Three previously known as the Pavilion Stakes with a return to the big meeting in June firmly in his and Doyle’s thoughts.

“We’re looking forward to getting him back,” said Doyle.

“He’s looking like a typical sprinter now and he’s a chunky little horse. His work has been pretty solid and it’s a great starting point.

“It’s practically the Commonwealth Cup minus a few so it’s a very hot race. He has his course and distance form and although he may be unknown on the ground, a few of them are in the same boat.”

Charlie Fellowes is keen to see his Vintage Stakes winner Marbaan drop back in trip.

While that Group Two triumph at Goodwood last summer came over seven furlongs, he was well beaten in both the National Stakes and the Dewhurst over the same trip and Fellowes hopes he can make a successful return to sprinting on Royal Ascot Trials Day.

Marbaan (right) winning the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood
Marbaan (right) winning the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood (Adam Davy/PA)

“I felt towards the end of last year that maybe he didn’t quite see out the seven furlongs,” said the Newmarket handler.

“Being by Oasis Dream, I think there’s a good chance he might be happier over six furlongs and I think Ascot will really suit him.

“I think the ground will be perfect and I guess we’ll find out where we really stand for this year.

“He took a while to come to hand this year but he did a really nice piece of work last week and that’s given me the confidence that six furlongs should be fine.”

Mischief Magic will run for Charlie Appleby in the royal blue silks of Godolphin.

Mischief Magic and William Buick
Mischief Magic and William Buick (Steven Paston/PA)

The son of Exceed And Excel won four of his six juvenile starts, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, and Appleby is satisfied with how his colt has progressed ahead of his seasonal debut.

“We have been pleased with Mischief Magic. He is better suited to a bigger field and a sounder surface but it’s very much a starting point for the season and hopefully a stepping stone to the Commonwealth Cup,” the trainer said on the Godolphin website.

Richard Hannon will saddle both Trillium, a three-time winner who defeated The Platinum Queen in the Flying Childers last season, and the Amo Racing-owned Magical Sunset.

The latter was a five-length winner of the Radley Stakes last season and was most recently seen finishing fifth as the beaten favourite in the Fred Darling last month.

Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager at Amo Racing, said: “We were a touch disappointed after Newbury. She was drawn out on the wrong side and just flattened out a touch.

“It looks an incredibly strong race but we hope the drop back to six furlongs will help her. These sprinters go and get quicker with age and Richard says she is dynamite at home.

“She got quicker and she’s a fast filly so we hope this stiff six will play to her strengths. She will definitely travel well into the race and let’s hope she is good enough to be competitive.”

Cold Case, who landed the Two Year Old Trophy at Redcar last season, will run for Karl Burke, while Andrew Balding’s Desert Cop makes his first start on turf after winning on All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Newcastle last time out.

The field is completed by the Richard Fahey-trained Rousing Encore, second in the Mill Reef, and John Ryan’s The X O.

Grand Alliance powers clear for deserved big-race prize

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Grand Alliance finally landed the prize his undoubted talent hinted he was capable of when causing an upset in the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes at Newbury.

The Charlie Fellowes-trained four-year-old finished 11th in the Derby behind Desert Crown last year, and subsequently looked like winning the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot only to hang badly left and lose out in a photo.

Gelded last autumn, he shaped with promise when third to Max Vega in the St Simon Stakes and over the same course and distance in a Group Three registered as the John Porter he turned the form around with that rival in no uncertain terms.

Sent off an 18-1 chance under birthday boy James Doyle, Grand Alliance seemed to relish the soft ground and while the likes of Hurricane Lane and Mojo Star – first and second in the 2021 St Leger – were all at sea in the straight, the winner scooted clear.

There were still signs of his temperament, veering away sharply to his left inside the final furlong, but thankfully he had the race won by then.

The outsider of the field, Farhan, on just his second start for Phil Kirby, ran on to be second, beaten two and a quarter lengths.

Fellowes: “He has done that to a pretty decent field. I know that two outsiders finished first and second, but they were a good bunch and he has done it pretty handily in the end. I don’t think he was doing a huge amount out in front.

“I know he has a Yorkshire Cup entry, but James said afterwards he wouldn’t be jumping to step up further in trip, so I think I need to have a sit down and talk to the owner (Paul Roy) and make a plan.

“He was on and off the bridle, but that’s him. He has got a lot better than he was last year. He was particularly quirky last year and he’s settled down a lot.

“I’ve been delighted with him over the winter and, walking around the paddock, I thought he’d done really well physically. I don’t know why watching him go round with a saddle on made me see how well he had done, but he looked fantastic.

“I think he goes on any ground. It was rattling quick when he threw that race away at Ascot.”

Grand Alliance poses for the camera
Grand Alliance poses for the camera (PA)

Doyle added: “He was on and off the bridle, but that is always what he has done. He has always hinted he has been pretty good.

“Arguably he should have won at Royal Ascot last year, but he just hung across the track.

“He is very versatile ground-wise, it is amazing when you look at him – as he’s got such small feet – that he does go on this type of heavy ground.

“He does go on fast ground, so hopefully we can have a bit of fun with him.

“On better ground he could possibly go up to a Yorkshire Cup trip, but on testing ground like it is today, I think this trip is about right. It felt like a long last furlong.”

Fellowes and Vadream on a ‘shot to nothing’ on Finals Day

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Charlie Fellowes is happy to roll the dice with Vadream and allow her to bid for a second big-race victory in less than a week in the BetUK All-Weather Sprint at Newcastle on Good Friday.

An impressive winner of last weekend’s Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster on heavy ground, the five-year-old turns out just six days later for the All-Weather Championships Finals at Gosforth Park.

Fellowes admits only time will tell how much that Town Moor romp took out of his star mare, but views a tilt at this £150,000 prize as a “shot to nothing”.

“You never know until you go to the racetrack so we’ll see, but she is a remarkable filly who takes her racing incredibly well,” said the Newmarket handler.

“She’s put all the weight back on that she lost – she was actually heavier on Thursday morning when we put her on the scales than she was before her race last week.

“It’s a shot to nothing. We know that it’s a tough ask as she put in a career-best performance on bottomless ground last weekend and if it’s left a mark it’s going to be a big ask, but all the signs at home are that she is fresh and well and ready to rock and roll again.”

Chief among Vadream’s rivals is Mick Appleby’s fast-improving sprinter Annaf.

The Muhaarar colt is a dual winner at Newcastle and is three from three since the turn of the year, completing his hat-trick with a Listed success at Lingfield in February.

Annaf holds strong claims on Finals Day
Annaf holds strong claims on Finals Day (John Hoy)

Appleby said: “I would like to think he has a very good chance. He seems to be going from strength to strength this season and can hopefully take another step forward. Even though he has not grown much in the last year, he has definitely got a lot stronger.

“He is probably the best chance we have had of winning one of the big ones on Finals Day. Edraak ran very well in the race last year and, with a bit of luck, hopefully Annaf can do it.”

Diligent Harry, trained by Clive Cox, finished a neck second to Annaf in the Kachy Stakes at Lingfield and has since gone one better at Newcastle before an unsuccessful trip to France.

“Diligent Harry won nicely up at Newcastle and then we took him over to France for his third qualifying run but sadly the saddle slipped, so there was nothing we could do about that,” said Cox.

“I am pleased to say that he has been in good order since then. There are no negatives with the track, given that he is a course and distance winner, and I would be very hopeful that he can put his best foot forward.”

Ado McGuinness saddles Harry's Bar
Ado McGuinness saddles Harry’s Bar (PA)

Irish hopes are carried by Ado McGuinness’ consistent speedster Harry’s Bar, who steps back in distance after finishing third in Listed company over seven furlongs at Wolverhampton four weeks ago.

McGuinness said: “Harry’s Bar is in great form and I was very happy with is run at Wolverhampton behind two high-class horses in Berkshire Shadow and Angel Bleu.

“We are going back to a straight six furlongs, although I think he does prefer racing around a bend. There are not many other options for a horse like him, so we have to take our chance.

“He ran in the race last year and was a little disappointing but he had just come back from Dubai having had a tough winter campaign, whereas this time around he is nice and fresh.

“He worked up the Curragh the other day with Hodd’s Girl (also runs at Newcastle) and they were both very good.”

Vadream in the frame for swift return at Newcastle

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Charlie Fellowes’ Vadream could switch back to the all-weather for Finals Day at Newcastle after her impressive Cammidge Trophy triumph at Doncaster on Saturday.

The five-year-old was in action early on in the year, running three times on the all-weather to secure a spot on Friday’s valuable card at Gosforth Park.

The intention was to keep her ticking over ahead of the turf season as she is a horse happier under a greater workload, a ploy that paid off when she was an easy four-and-a-half-length Listed winner on heavy ground on Town Moor.

Vadream is likely to take up a Good Friday entry, with Fellowes more inclined to target the six-furlong BetUK All-Weather Sprint Championships Conditions Stakes rather than the seven-furlong fillies’ and mares’ race she is also engaged in.

He said: “She has come out of the race really well, she takes her racing very well and is in good form. We have been discussing Good Friday and we are leaning towards going at this point.

Vadream winning the Pertemps Network Cammidge Trophy Stakes at Doncaster Racecourse
Vadream winning the Pertemps Network Cammidge Trophy Stakes at Doncaster Racecourse (Nigel French/PA)

“A decision hasn’t been made but we are leaning towards the six furlongs, she showed such a good turn of foot and I just think a stiff seven at Newcastle might be a bit too much.

“That does mean that we will lose the services of Kieran Shoemark as he’s booked to ride Diligent Harry, but we’ve got Hollie Doyle instead and she rode her absolutely beautifully at Ascot last season.”

Saturday’s victory was attributed partly to the testing ground, but also to some work the Fellowes team have done with the filly around exiting the stalls more sharply.

“She’s been a very frustrating filly to train, she’s always had the talent and ability but she’s also had this knack of just throwing her races away,” the trainer explained.

“She’s been slowly away which you just can’t do over six furlongs, you can’t give away lengths because the race is then over.

“We have tried something different with how we load her into the stalls and how we ride her out of them and it seemed to have worked, Kieran gave her an excellent ride I thought.

“I’d like to see her do it again, I’d like her to back it up with another run like that and then I’ll start to get excited!”

Good Friday will come up quickly after her weekend efforts but Vadream thrives on racing and has produced some of her best runs when in the midst of a busy spell.

Fellowes said: “If anything it is the other way around – the more she runs, the better she is.

“If she’s too fresh she can get incredibly worked up and turn into a real handful, when she’s not left for too long before races she’s much happier and more settled. That’s why we ran her three times on the all weather before Doncaster, though those tracks didn’t always suit her.”

After Newcastle a return to the turf beckons, with targets on both side of the Irish Sea already identified and a step back to five furlongs not out of the question.

Fellowes said: “First we need to see how she goes on Good Friday, then it’s likely she’ll have, not a break as such, but a bit of a gap and then come back out for something like the Duke of York and then perhaps head to Ireland where you’re more likely to get a bit of cut in the ground.

“It might be that in very testing ground she could run over five, which would open up so many options.

“The Flying Five, Haydock Sprint Cup, Prix de l’Abbaye, Champions Day – there are so many races where you know you’re going to get cut in the ground.

“Before any of that though I want to see her do it again and hopefully on Good Friday she’ll produce something like she did at the weekend.”

Vadream dominates Cammidge Trophy rivals

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Vadream made light work of the testing conditions at Doncaster to run out a decisive winner of the Pertemps Network Cammidge Trophy.

Fit from three runs on the all-weather, the Charlie Fellowes-trained mare was a 9-1 shot to strike Listed gold and claim her first victory since landing the Group Three Bengough Stakes at Ascot in the autumn of 2021.

After initially travelling strongly on the heels of the leaders, Vadream took over from the halfway stage and never really looked in any danger of being caught.

The further she went the further the five-year-old went clear and she was not hard pressed to pass the post with four and a half lengths in hand over Fast Response in the hands of Kieran Shoemark.

Fellowes said: “We ran her on ground that was too quick last season so we won’t be doing that again but what we did learn last year was that she always improves with racing.

“We gave her three runs on the all-weather before coming here. She loves soft ground and loves six furlongs and has always threatened to do something like that.

“Last year was frustrating with quick ground all summer but we know her a lot better this year, we’ll stick to cut in the ground and six furlongs is perfect.”

Charlie Fellowes was delighted with Vadream's victory in the Cammidge Trophy
Charlie Fellowes was delighted with Vadream’s victory in the Cammidge Trophy (Mike Egerton/PA)

Considering future plans, the trainer added: “She’s in on All-Weather Finals Day and Newcastle probably is the only all-weather track you could get away with it and think you have a big chance. She is the sort of filly you can back up quickly and then she’d have a little break.

“She’ll have an entry at York in May (Duke of York Stakes) and she might get an entry in Ireland where they get cut in the ground. Hopefully we have a wet summer.

“The owner loves racing. A lot of people would have had her covered this year but he said he’d waited a long time for a filly like this and as long as she’s in good heart, kick on.”

Fellowes hoping sky is the limit for Atrium in the Lincoln

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Charlie Fellowes is looking to get the Flat season off to a flying start as Atrium takes aim at the Lincoln on the opening day of the campaign.

The four-year-old looked to be on the up last season, hitting his stride in a series of one-mile handicaps and signing off at the end of the term with back-to-back wins at Newbury and then Doncaster.

The latter success, a half-length triumph at the St Leger meeting, was against a field of 15 rivals over the Lincoln distance.

The big handicap is therefore naturally the Highclere-owned gelding’s immediate target, a race for which he is presently a 12-1 shot off a rating of 100.

“He’s really well, this has been the plan for a very long time,” Fellowes said.

“We wanted to run him in the Balmoral at the end of last year but he just missed out so we took the decision to call it a day, protect his handicap mark and aim for the Lincoln first thing this year.

“He won over course and distance so it seemed a very obvious move.

“He’s in good order at home, he worked on the grass on Saturday and looked great. He’s got another big piece of work to go and that should put him spot on for Saturday week.

“He’s not a difficult horse to get fit, he’s not a big, gross horse, he’s a light-framed horse and he’s not one that’s going to need a run or a racecourse gallop or anything like that.

“He keeps himself very fit at home anyway. I’m very happy with where is and we’re really looking forward to it.”

Atrium looked versatile with regards to ground last season, winning on good and soft, but Fellowes noted his best performances came on a surface with slightly more ease in it and that was another factor that pointed to an early-season Lincoln bid.

“What we worked out halfway through the year is that he is clearly a lot better when he can get his toe in,” he said.

“He’s a beautiful mover and you’d have no problems running him on quick ground, he’d never get jarred up but he just seems much happier with a bit of ease in the ground.

“You wouldn’t get that from looking at him because he’s a very good mover and he is happy on all grounds, but there is a definite correlation between his performances and being able to get his toe in.

“That was another really attractive reason for putting him away and going straight for the Lincoln.”

Fellowes is also formulating plans for Vintage Stakes winner Marbaan.

Marbaan winning the Vintage Stakes
Marbaan winning the Vintage Stakes (Adam Davy/PA)

That victory came over seven furlongs, but two beaten runs at the latter end of the term have caused the trainer to ponder a return to a sprint distance of six furlongs.

In the early stages of his career Marbaan ran twice over the trip, finishing third on debut and then winning by five lengths in a Nottingham novice last June.

Though a Guineas entry has been made and could still be pursued, Fellowes is expecting the Oasis Dream colt to instead drop back in trip and is thinking of races like the Pavilion Stakes at Ascot as a first port of call.

He said: “Marbaan is good, he looks really well and he’s done well over the winter. He’s not a small horse and what he did last year was very good because he’s quite a big boy, not massive but definitely not small.

“We’re in no rush because there’s nothing much for him, he’s in the Guineas but we put him in that just in case and I don’t think he’s really a Guineas horse.

“I’m hoping that we actually end up coming back to sprinting, I just felt, especially in Ireland (sixth in the National Stakes), he finished his races very tamely.

“Although he won a Group Two over seven (furlongs) at Goodwood, he was stone cold that day over the sharpest seven in the country and he was smuggled into the race.

“We had the Greenham pencilled in for him as possible starting point, but I think we could end up starting with something like the Pavilion at Ascot and see where we go from there.

“It depends how he’s working through April, if he isn’t showing me the speed I’m expecting then we could end up in the Greenham and then think about an English Guineas or a French Guineas, but I think we might end up coming back to six furlongs.”

Al Agaila on hat-trick trail in Winter Oaks feature

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Al Agaila bids to complete her hat-trick in the talkSPORT Winter Oaks at Lingfield on Saturday.

Following three placed efforts last summer, Simon and Ed Crisford’s filly bolted up when opening her account at Kempton last month before following up in similarly impressive style in the Winter Oaks Trial over this course and distance just before Christmas.

An 11lb hike makes life significantly tougher, but a bold bid can nevertheless be expected in the £100,000 all-weather feature of Lingfield’s Winter Million Festival.

“She went up 11lb for her win last time out, when she won very impressively. She’s an improving filly, but 11lb is a big hike,” said Ed Crisford.

“She has a good draw (stall two). It’s a big step up, but if she can carry the 11lb extra then I’m sure she’s capable of better things.

“She’s potentially an exciting filly.”

The Harry Eustace-trained Makinmedoit was beaten two and a half lengths into second place by Al Agaila little over four weeks ago and does have a significant pull at the weights.

“Makinmedoit has been a star really and just keeps on improving,” said Eustace.

Makinmedoit (red cap) chases home Al Agaila at Lingfield
Makinmedoit (red cap) chases home Al Agaila at Lingfield (Zac Goodwin/PA)

“We’re 10lb better at the weights with the Crisford horse, which probably won’t be enough, but we came from a long way back that day and there’s less runners this time round, which is extraordinary given the prize-money.

“If we could just sit a bit closer, you never know.”

Eustace has a second string to his bow in At A Pinch, who has not run on the Flat since 2021 but is fit from a recent spell over obstacles.

Eustace added: “With At A Pinch, the money was just too good not to roll the dice with her. She was bought to be a hurdler, but she’s got Flat form and there’s no reason why she can’t run a race.

“I was actually looking at the prize-money for Cheltenham the other day and if she was the very best hurdler we had going there, she’d be running for £125,000 added prize-money and she can run for £100,000 added in an eight-runner fillies’ handicap, so we’ll just see how we go.

“It’s extraordinary there’s less runners this time round than for the trial race a month ago. Everyone moans about prize-money, they put it on and no one goes for it, but there we are.”

Another trainer firing a twin assault is Charlie Fellowes, with top-weight Purple Ribbon joined by stablemate Tequilamockingbird.

Purple Ribbon steps back into a fillies’ handicap after finishing second to the highly-rated Belloccio in the Listed Wild Flower Stakes at Kempton in November, while Tequilamockingbird was only a short head behind Makinmedoit when third in the Winter Oaks Trial.

“Purple Ribbon is a very lightly-raced filly, but she’s very consistent. Barring an unfortunate run around Lingfield, she’s not finished out of the first two,” said Fellowes.

“She ran a blinder last time out in a pretty competitive Listed race. She’s got the class in the race, but she has to give weight away to everyone, which will be tough.

“But she’s a pretty good filly and I’ve got no concerns about the drop back to 10 furlong as she’s got plenty of speed, so I’m looking forward to seeing her run.

“Tequilamockingbird is a model of consistency and has a very good record around Lingfield – 10 furlongs around there is literally perfect for her.

“She was a bit unlucky last time out when they went absolutely no gallop and off a stronger pace, she goes in there with a nice each-way squeak.”

Charlie Fellowes is delighted with the prize-money on offer at Lingfield
Charlie Fellowes is delighted with the prize-money on offer at Lingfield (Mike Egerton/PA)

Fellowes was keen to give praise to Lingfield’s owners Arena Racing Company for putting on such huge prize-money at a time when owners are struggling to resist huge offers from abroad.

He added: “You’ve got to give all credit to ARC. It’s prize-money like this that will encourage people to keep horses in training and Tequilamockingbird is a perfect example of that, as she was due to be sold at the mares sale last year and I managed to persuade the owners to remove her from the sale and keep her in training over the winter for a crack at this.

“That is what everyone wants – to see horses kept in training in Britain. We have a fantastic industry and it’s frustrating for a lot of people that the cream of our horses tend to get sold abroad.

“The more of this (prize-money) we can get, the more we can keep horses in training and rebuff these ridiculous offers we’re getting from abroad.

“It’s all down to prize-money and the more money we can offer, the more we can attract our owners to keep horses here and the stronger our industry will be.”

Onassis out to make another leap forward

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Onassis faces another step in her breakthrough season in the Group Three Betway Atalanta Stakes at Sandown.

The daughter of Dubawi is already a Listed winner, having struck at Chantilly on her latest run following success in the Sandringham Handicap at Royal Ascot.

The Charlie Fellowes-trained filly was due to run at this level at Deauville last weekend, but connections scrapped that plan because of quarantine restrictions and decided to wait for Sunday’s target on home soil.

“It’s a hot race, but she couldn’t have been more impressive in France last time,” said Fellowes.

“I’m hoping the ground dries out as much as possible – with a strong wind and warm temperatures, there’s a good chance it will be pretty nice ground come Sunday.

“She needs to take another step forward, but the rate she’s improving this year that’s not out of the question.”

Quadrilateral is reported back in rude health after being sidelined following her third place in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Roger Charlton-trained filly had earlier finished third in the 1000 Guineas behind Love, and now seeks to open her account for the campaign.

“She’s run two very good races in fairness, to be third in both the 1000 Guineas and the Coronation,” said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Khalid Abdullah.

“It appeared afterwards that she had a sinus infection and an infected tooth, so we’ve let her recover from those and had them sorted out.

“She’s been in good form since – and even though she hasn’t won (this season), you could argue that she still sets the standard. The Guineas and the Coronation are the best races.”

Billesdon Brook, winner of the 1000 Guineas in 2018, is another bringing Classic form to the table – while her trainer Richard Hannon also runs Posted in a highly-competitive field.

The Mark Johnston stable is bidding for a third success in the Betway Solario Stakes, and is represented by two fillies in Dubai Fountain and Forever Grateful.

Dubai Fountain has finished second twice in Pattern company after winning her first two starts.

Johnston’s son and assistant Charlie said: “Dubai Fountain is well established at this level and has not done a lot wrong in her two narrow defeats in Listed and Group Three company.

“We hope this looks a decent opportunity for her to win a Stakes race.

“Obviously, there are some lightly-raced colts in there who could improve, but she sets a clear form standard and hopefully she will go very close.”

Forever Grateful a makes a quick reappearance after a promising debut at Doncaster last weekend, when she was beaten only a neck by Nazuna in a seven-furlong maiden.

“She ran a very nice debut at Doncaster last Saturday and I think she is hopefully up to this class,” said Johnston.

“Whether she will be up to it one week after her debut, I’m not sure, but it looked a like a race that was going to break up into a small field.

“If she gets placed it will be very valuable to her, so we’re taking our chance.”

Of the colts, Roger Varian’s Dark Lion has tackled Group company, finishing sixth to Battleground in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.

Apollo One, trained by Peter Charalambous, and Richard Hannon’s Etonian have won their only starts. The other two runners, Richard Hughes’ Dinoo and Andrew Balding’s King Vega, were second on their only runs so far.