Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore rounded off a good week in Britain by winning both the Oaks and Derby Trials at Lingfield on Saturday.
The trainer and jockey teamed up to win four races at Chester earlier this week with Minnie Hauk, Lambourn, Mount Kilimanjaro and Illinois.
The show moved on to Lingfield on Saturday where the pair combined to win with both Giselle and Puppet Master.
By Frankel out of the multiple Grade 1 winner Newspaperofrecord (by Lope De Vega), Giselle (30/100 fav) had little trouble in defeating her two rivals in the William Hill Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes.
It looked a straightforward task on paper and it ultimately was, but she was keen enough in the early stages for Ryan Moore.
Easy ?????
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 10, 2025
Giselle crusies to the William Hill Oaks Trial Fillies' Stakes ?? #ITVRacing | @LingfieldPark pic.twitter.com/6iUGSziPNB
Racing in a hood, Moore was at pains to keep her undoubted power under wraps and dropped her in last of the three.
Grant Tuer’s Love Talk set the pace, with Harpsichord in behind, but once in the straight Moore moved his mount into a position to challenge.
Once she was asked a question, the race was over and it became a matter of how far she would win by – and she showed a huge engine in pulling nine lengths clear of Harpsichord.
She was cut to a general 10/1 chance for the Oaks at Epsom.
Speaking from Naas, O’Brien said: “It was a good experience for her. I was afraid she’d be too keen, because she had been keen. I don’t know what was in her head this year when she started back, she was just very on the bridle. Hopefully that will settle her.”
Paul Smith, son of Coolmore’s Derrick Smith, said: “Ryan said she’s a top-class filly who is going the right way. It was a slow pace and now we have options either way (regarding trip).
"For sure, she will have learned a lot from today, and she’s in the mix for the Oaks.
“We have runners tomorrow (Leopardstown) and then at York, after that we will know where we stand.”
Coolmore’s Kevin Buckley added: “Ryan said she was a little unsettled for a time and was keen enough, but she got the job done nicely.
“We put the hood on her for the first time, which was okay considering they went steady.
“She has a fantastic pedigree and we have a lot to look forward to.”
Derby Trial
It was much harder work for Moore in the Derby Trial, where Puppet Master (4/5 fav) was all out to hold stable companion Stay True (5/2) by a short-head. The pair finished three and a half lengths clear of the other four runners. A stewards' enquiry was called but there was no change to the result.
Puppet Master is by Camelot and had previously finished fourth to the O'Brien-trained Delacroix in the Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown. That winner runs tomorrow (Sunday) in the Derby Trial at Leopardstown.
Stay True comes out of the Lingfield race with great credit. From the final crop of Galileo, he had only run once before this race and looks sure to improve.
Great battle in the Lingfield Derby Trial!
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 10, 2025
Puppet Master and Ryan Moore just about do enough to land the @LingfieldPark Derby Trial from a valiant stablemate in Stay True!
Stewards Enquiry pending... pic.twitter.com/S9ZQOebTkT
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