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

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.

Balding said: “He looked very good when he won the Melrose (at three) and he hasn’t really looked back. To come back here in June is the plan and he’s very versatile ground-wise and he’s a course and distance winner.”

Murphy, riding his first Pattern-race winner in the UK since returning from a 14-month suspension, added: “It’s fantastic to ride so many winners for Andrew, including a few better races like on Good Friday.

“This horse has very lucky owners (Janice and Mick Mariscotti) who have 10 horses with him. Coltrane is in the form of his life, and Andrew has done a terrific job getting him to his best.”

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.

Trueshan could also contest the Gold Cup next month, but King is eyeing a possible switch in code.

He said: “It’s ground dependent, but we’ll train him for the Gold Cup. There’s a strong possibility you might see him over hurdles in the autumn.

“The Northumberland Plate, the Goodwood Cup and Ascot in October were all tough races and I hope they haven’t left their mark on him.

“I brought him back to win here and we had to come, but it was always going to be tough to beat Coltrane.

“His next race will tell us an awful lot, but whatever happens he’s been the most wonderful servant.”

Cold Case keeps Burke's good run going

Cold Case was cut to 8/1 from 16/1 by Paddy Power for Royal Ascot glory after winning the British Racing School 40th Anniversary Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes.

Representing in-form trainer Karl Burke and owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, the son of Showcasing was last seen justifying short-priced favouritism in the William Hill Two Year Old Trophy at Redcar in October and defied his winter layoff to wear down strong-travelling Bradsell inside the final furlong and a half.

Cold Case went on to win by a length and a half from 125/1 outsider The X O, who ran on to snatch second.

Bradsell, winner of last year's Coventry Stakes and sent off the 13/8 favourite under Hollie Doyle, looked likely to collect when striking the front a furlong and a half out, but he appeared to get tired close home and ultimately weakened into third.

Winning jockey Clifford Lee said: "I thought as he hadn’t run for a while he might need it, but he picked up really well.

“He’s a good galloper, very consistent, and he has a bit of boot as well.

“I will be more confident wherever he goes next time."

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."

Thady Gosden said: “She’d been going nicely at home and her mother won the Coronation Stakes while Kingman was a champion miler.

“So yes, we would take a look at the Coronation Stakes. It’s five weeks away but another run would benefit her."

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).

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: “It’s the first battle he’s had, but he hit the line strongly. He has a very relaxed attitude and came back in with his ears pricked.

“The owners have lots of two-year-olds but this one will enjoy the step up to six furlongs. He has a great brain and we had to come here to test him.

“There’s a race at Sandown (National Stakes) but I think we will probably wait and come back here."

Rest of the action...

The Richard Hannon-trained Chindit (5/2 joint-favourite) kept up his remarkable second of winning first time out for the fourth year in success when making just about every yard of the Howden Bloodstock Paradise Stakes.

The experienced five-year-old was able to dictate matters at a relatively slow pace and he responded generously for Pat Dobbs, eventually holding the closing Cash (9/2) by three-quarters of a length, with Raadobarg (4/1) just a nose further back in third.

Sky Bet trimmed Chindit to 20/1 from 25/1 for the Lockinge Stakes and 20/1 from 33s for the Queen Anne Stakes.

Hannon said: “That’s the fourth year in a row he’s won and he’s much more relaxed. He would have preferred to get a lead but he had his own way in front.

“I think he will go for the Lockinge next, then the Queen Anne and maybe Australia at the end of the year. He’s an extremely reliable and very sound horse, and will make an extremely good stallion.

“There are a good few races down there (in Australia) as well as races like the Shadwell Mile round two bends in the US.”

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.

Jamin said: “The sun and wind are having an impact on the ground, but my main concern was to get him some cover which would help him get his head down and settle.

“He’s definitely benefitted from a wind operation since his last run.”

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