Wednesday
DAMYSUS (John and Thady Gosden/James Doyle) was an impressive winner of the Group 3 Earl of Sefton Stakes on his seasonal debut on Wednesday.
Justifying favouritism in the mile and one event at 7/4, he looked out of the top drawer as he sauntered to a near four-length victory over fellow Wathnan Racing representative King’s Gambit (Harry Charlton/Jamie Spencer), with Boiling Point (Karl Burke/Clifford Lee) weakening into third after setting the pace. Persica finished fourth.
The flashy son of Frankel travelled powerfully in midfield before making smooth headway to lead going into the dip and never looked in danger of defeat, which must have connections dreaming of bigger prizes in the summer.
“That was good to see,” said a satisfied Thady Gosden. “Damysus has an explosive turn of foot and put it to good use there.
“He’d done well over winter and has a lot of potential. We knew he’d handle the track as he won well here last autumn. He could go up to a mile and a quarter, but he’s not short of speed, so he could go back to a mile.”
Azleet provides big shock
Azleet (Stuart Williams/Marco Ghiani) went into the record books on Wednesday as the biggest-priced winner in the history of the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes, as she motored home at 50/1 to keep her dreams of 1000 Guineas success alive.
The daughter of Tasleet showed improved form for the step up to seven furlongs, running on strongly to beat the rallying America Queen (Richard Hughes/Rossa Ryan) by a neck, with Act of Kindness (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) best of those drawn low in third, a further length and a half away.
Drawn highest of all in stall 12, Azleet was held up in rear as Fitzella and America Queen set a good gallop, and she quickened well to challenge out of the dip despite racing quite freely, relishing the stiffer test as she repelled the runner-up’s renewed challenge up the final climb. She was cut to 25/1 for the 1000 Guineas after the race.
Williams said: “We were hopeful coming here as she had been working well, but we didn’t know if she would definitely get the trip as she’s very fast. She was given a special ride by Marco as she was a little keen at halfway, but came home strong. We’ll roll the dice in the 1000 Guineas after that and it’s a special time for me to have a first runner in a Newmarket classic.”
Morshdi looks Derby class
Morshdi (William Haggas/Tom Marquand) is a 25/1 shot for the Betfred Derby with the sponsor after taking the Listed Feilden Stakes over a mile and a furlong. Racing in the colours of Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum, the powerfully built Morshdi was sent off at 14/1, but was more than a match for better-fancied rivals as he accelerated out of the dip to race to an eye-catching length win from favourite Poseidon’s Warrior (Charlie Appleby/William Buick).
Sheikh Ahmed also owned the Slip Anchor colt Morshdi, who won the Derby Italiano and Grosser Preis Von Baden for the late Michael Jarvis in 2001, and will hope his namesake can prove at least as good. The winner is likely to head to the Dee Stakes at Chester to test his Epsom credentials and will incur a 3lb penalty for this success.
Thursday
THE Group 3 Craven Stakes saw two of the fancied runners withdrawn due to quickening ground, which weakened the contest to some degree, but it still threw up a promising winner in the shape of Oxagon (John and Thady Gosden/Oisin Murphy), who made virtually all in the mile contest to put himself in the picture for the 2000 Guineas over course and distance next month.
Sent off second-favourite at 7/4, Oxagon was sporting cheekpieces for the first time and showed himself ideally suited by top of the ground, as he skipped away from his rivals to win by two lengths and three-parts of a length from Avicenna (Roger Varian/Ray Dawson) and favourite Hidden Force (Charlie Appleby/William Buick).
The winner was well held in the Futurity at Doncaster when last seen, seeming all at sea on heavy ground, but was a good second to Puerto Rico in the Champagne Stakes there prior to a creditable effort behind the ill-fated Gewan in the Dewhurst. He looks to have strengthened up well since his juvenile days and his senior trainer thinks he’s done enough to take his chance in an open Guineas.
“He has trained well this year,” said John Gosden. “I think the addition of cheekpieces has just focused his mind today. He is one of those horses that things come easily to and he can be a little bit dreamy at home – he is always looking for low-flying seagulls. Oisin feels it’s an open Guineas and we should go for it.”
Candy off the mark
It’s been a very quiet 2026 for veteran handler Henry Candy, and Run To Freedom (Rob Hornby) was his first runner of any kind since early November, when contesting the Group 3 Abernant Stakes over six furlongs.
Despite that, and the fact that the eight-year-old had been unplaced in three previous runnings of the Abernant, the 25/1 shot looked better than ever as he came out best in a tight finish, beating Aramram (Richard Hannon/Sean Levey) and the front-running Quinault (Stuart Williams/Marco Ghiani) for a surprise win that delighted his trainer. The race looked open on paper and the first seven home were covered by just two and a quarter lengths.
“It was brilliant,” was Candy’s immediate reaction when asked. “I wouldn’t want to be rude, but it wasn’t the greatest race. Run To Freedom’s rating said he should be there or thereabouts, and he has just been in good form lately. I kept telling Godfrey [Wilson, owner] there is no way this horse is going to win group races as an eight-year-old entire! Godfrey, quite rightly, didn’t listen and has had a wonderful day today.”
Rest of the card
Thursday’s card at Newmarket also threw up a couple of promising winners in the supporting races. The Wood Ditton for unraced three-year-olds has a reputation for producing smart prospects and was won by Portcullis (John and Thady Gosden/Ryan Moore) in the colours of the King and Queen.
By Frankel out of Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner Castle Lady, Portcullis was unable to make the track as a juvenile due to a series of minor issues and he stood still for a second when the stalls opened here, but when finding his rhythm, he looked a smart prospect and is likely to take in a novice under a penalty next time, as his trainer feels he needs more experience before being asked to tackle Pattern company.
The confined novice (open to three-year-olds with a maximum of one previous run) went to the promising Maho Bay (Charlie Appleby/William Buick), a one-mile, three-furlong winner at Kempton in the winter, and he booked his place in the Dante Stakes at York with a smooth success over promising pair Amadeus Mozart (Aidan O’Brien) and Guildmaster (John and Thady Gosden), also winners on their respective debuts. The winner is entered at York and in the Derby itself and is one to keep on side, given the style of this win.