SATURDAY 13TH MAY 2023
AUTHOR: JORDAN YATES (EVRACING_)
Welcome aboard to this week’s Saturday preview where I’ll be sharing my opinions on the seven races featured on ITV from Lingfield and Ascot, with the feature race being the Derby Trial at Lingfield. As ever, if you are having a punt, make sure it’s done in a responsible manner.
It’s the 1.30 at Ascot which gets us underway and this is a Class 3 handicap which is ridden over a mile and four furlongs. I think that this can go to Sir Rumi for Kevin Stott and Richard Hannon in the Amo Racing silks. He bounced back to form last time out with a smart victory at Epsom when getting the betting of Flying Solo by a length, and he still looks to be on a manageable mark should he build on that effort.
Next up it’s the 1:50 at Lingfield which is more handicap action this time on the all-weather and this time over a distance of seven furlongs. Like a lot of the action throughout the day, this is a competitive affair, however, there could be more to come from Gold Medal for Dylan Cunha and Harry Burns. He arrives here having won his last two outings which both came at this track, and there could still be room to maneuver on his current mark.
Back to Ascot now for the 2:05 which is a Class 2 handicap that’s contested over the straight mile. It could be worth siding with Belhaven here for the team of Harry Eustace and Pierre-Louis Jamin who takes off three pounds. She won impressively on his most recent outing at Nottingham, drawing clear of a six-runner field to win by over three lengths and she gave the impression that there could be more to come from her. This will ask more of her, but I think that she’s got every chance of running a big race.
The 2:25 at Lingfield is up next and this is the Group 3 Fitzdares Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes that’s ridden over seven furlongs. I’ve taken a chance on Queen Aminatu bouncing back to form here for William Haggas and William Buick. She had been developing into a highly-progressive filly winning three races on the spin which included two listed races as well as a win on All-Weather Finals Day. She bombed out though last time at the Curragh within Group 3 company, but that clearly wasn’t her true running and I think she can be forgiven for that effort and get back to her highly progressive ways here.
Moving onto the 2:40 at Ascot and this is the Victoria Cup which is a Heritage Handicap that’s ridden over seven furlongs. I’ve sided with last year’s winner here and that comes in the form of Vafortino for Kevin Philippart De Foy and Benoit De La Sayette who takes off three pounds. He arrives here in solid form having finished third and second on both of his outings this term and will contest this race off the same mark as his half-of-a-length second last time at Newmarket. If getting a bit of luck in running he’s got every chance of successfully defending his crown.
The 3:00 at Lingfield is the penultimate race of the day that’s featured on ITV and this is the Listed Oaks Trial that’s ridden over a mile and four furlongs. I think that this can go to Be Happy who represents Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien who have been in the winners this week at Chester. She made her seasonal reappearance in a French Group 3 last time where she finished a decent enough third of eight. It’s highly likely that she’ll build on that here and that makes her an obviously big player.
It’s the 3:35 at Lingfield where we sign off and this is the feature race of the day which is the Listed Derby Trials that’s also ridden over a mile and four furlongs. This is all about Military Order for me who sports the famous blue silks of Godolphin for William Buick and Charlie Appleby. He was mightily impressive last time out at Newbury last month when getting up by the best part of four lengths, and I think that he’s a seriously exciting talent for his powerhouse connections. He’s the one they all have to beat.
image credit: horseracingphoto.co.uk
Everything Racing 