Ascot Trials Day review & replays: Who enhanced their credentials for the Royal meeting in June?

We round-up the latest action from Trials Day at Ascot, featuring a sparkling debut success for a well-bred filly.

Coltrane too good in Sagaro

Coltrane readily landed the Longines Sagaro Stakes on his first run of the season.

Trained by Andrew Balding and ridden by Oisin Murphy, the son of Mastercraftsman had a great time of things in staying races through 2022, winning three times including the Doncaster Cup when narrowly beating Trueshan.

He ended last year with a head second to the same rival on Champions Day in the autumn, but reversed that form in no uncertain terms with Alan King’s charge, who could manage only a well-held fourth having been below his best on his Nottingham reappearance as well.

Coltrane took it up with a couple of furlongs to travel and really stretched clear to score by four and three-quarter lengths from gallant runner-up Wise Eagle (18/1), who acquitted himself well up in grade for trainer Adam Nicol. El Habeeb made up late ground from the rear and finished a further head back in third.

Murphy said on Sky Sports Racing: “Coltrane took off when we got racing and gave me a really good feel there.

“He had an injury two seasons ago but he’s come back in the form of his life. They’ve done a great job with him at home.

“When Hollie took off I was able to travel along really easily on Trueshan’s heels and the kick in the straight was great. I really think he could be a top stayer this year.”

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Betfair and Paddy Power reacted by cutting Coltrane to 5/1 second-favourite from 10/1 for the Gold Cup at the Royal meeting, an antepost market topped by Aidan O’Brien’s mare Emily Dickinson (7/2 favourite). Sky Bet go 4/1 from 8s about the winner following up next month.

Alan King said of Trueshan: “We’ll give him a break, train him for Ascot – the Gold Cup – obviously that’ll be ground dependent. But there’s a strong possibility you’ll see him over hurdles in the autumn.

“I don’t think there’s enough fight in him at the minute, to finish fourth and finish so weakly, that was poor.

“He had hard races last year, we got him back to win here but it was a hard, hard race to beat Coltrane.”

Queen makes super start

The well-bred Queen For You (4/1) made a striking start to her career with victory in the Naas Racecourse Royal Ascot Trials Day British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes.

Trainer by John and Thady Gosde, who sent out Grande Dame to win this event on debut 12 months ago, repeated the trick with the daughter of Kingman, who was in receipt of weight all round and took full advantage in the hands of Rab Havlin.

Queen For You travelled sweetly towards the back of the field as they dawdles through the early stages and moved through the gears in good style to ultimately skip clear and win by two lengths from Andrew Balding’s 17/2 chance Copy Artist. The 11/10 favourite Dancing Goddess was well held under William Buick.

Havlin said on Sky Sports Racing: “I rode the dam a lot at home and this filly has a lot of talent.

“She’s quite raw but she quickened up and I almost gort there too soon. But she quickened up again and can only get better, mentally.

“I think she’s going to be a miler to be honest. I only had to move on her and she was instantly there. She’s done a few bits that were baby-ish through the race but she’s good.

“It’s (Royal Ascot) not too far off and we’ll have to see how she’s come out of the race, but she’s not had a hard race today and the boss may even want to get another run into her. We liked her at home, she’d shown plenty.”

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Maximum effort from Haynes-trained colt

Maximum Impact defied the 3lb weight penalty to maintain his unbeaten record in the Royal Ascot Two-Year-Old Trial EBF Conditions Stakes.

Trained by Alice Haynes for the Amo Racing partnership, the son of Havana Grey was backing up a 12-length debut success at Leicester in mid-April and he duly delivered as the even-money favourite, getting the better of the other previous winner in the five-runner field – Action Point.

The pair of them had the race between them from a long way out, winning jockey Kevin Stott happy to take a lead from Hollie Doyle on Action Point, and the grey knuckled down well to get on top just after the furlong market, eventually coming away to win by two and a quarter lengths. The Line – who showed his inexperience in the preliminaries – ran on well for third.

Maximum Impact was cut to 10/1 from 20/1 by Sky Bet for the Norfolk Stakes (5f) at the Royal meeting in June, with Paddy Power and Betfair 14/1 for the Coventry Stakes (6f).

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Stott said on Sky Sports Racing: “It was tough ground at Leicester first time out. He’s probably a six-furlong horse really and Hollie took a length out of me at the two-furlong pole. But I was always confident that when we hit that last furlong and up the hill a little bit we were going to come good.

“I think he learned a lot from that, considering first time out he didn’t really have a race.

“He was tough, I’m really glad that we had a battle as he’ll have learned a lot from that. He’s done that well with a penalty.”

Haynes said: “He did it well, that was the first battle he’s had really. The Amo team have a big weekend ahead and it’s fantastic.

“It’s our first Ascot winner. It’s great for the team.

“We’ll possibly look to step him up in trip at the Royal meeting. It’s beautiful racing ground out there today and come rain or shine at the Royal meeting we know this horse will handle it.”

Sweet success for Jamin in opener

Pierre-Louis Jamin got a fine tune out of Chasing Aphrodite (8/1) to beat 85/40 favourite Yaanaas in the opening Howden Manny Mercer Apprentice Handicap at Ascot on Wednesday.

The Harry Eustace-trained winner was making his first appearance of the season having underdone a breathing operation during the winter and took advantage of a drop in both class and trip compared to his final run of 2022 over 10 furlongs at Lingfield in November.

The combined move worked wonders as the son of Protable stayed on strongly inside the final furlong to get the better of Roger Varian’s previously unbeaten Yaanaas, who shaped well in defeat under Aidan Keeley.

Third went to Helm Rock (16/1), with Baltimore Boy (8/1) fourth and Global Esteem fifth at odds of 10/1.

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