By Peter Moore at Sandown Friday 26th April 2024
Arabian Crown put on an impressive display to comfortably win the The Bet 365 Classic Trial and in so doing enhanced his glowing reputation with his Betfred Derby claims ramped up after a scintillating all the way win under champion jockey William Buick.
Immediately after the race, Paddy Power slashed the colts price by half to 6-1 for the Epsom classic.
Nine days after a racecourse gallop over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket, Arabian Crown thrilled the Friday afternoon crowd to start his three-year-old career in the grandest of manner.
The son of Dubawi proved he could stay 1m 2f after winning the Zetland Stakes at Newmarket in October.
William Buick, who was winning the contest for a third time, said: “Arabian Crown is a very uncomplicated horse and I think everyone will be pleased with that, I certainly was and it’s quite testing out there. It’s early in the season and they are entitled to improve. I would be as confident as you can be that he’ll stay a mile and a half.”
He added: “Experience-wise, it would not worry me either way if he had another race before Epsom, but he’s ticking all the boxes prior to it. Epsom is Epsom and you never know how they are going to handle it until the day but I couldn’t be happier with him.”
Jockey Silvestre de Soussa claimed his first British Group win for two years when Charyn produced another one of his trademark late surge to get up and win the Group 2 Bet365 Mile.
Roger Varian’s grey beat Poker Face by one and a quarter lengths in a thrilling conclusion to the contest.
De Sousa said: “I’m delighted to win a Group 2 like this on Charyn. He’s an improving type and thanks to Roger and the owners for keeping me on him.”
Varian said: “We’ll have to look at the Lockinge after that. There’s a possibility we could step him up in trip later on.”
Also on the day, Harry Charlton brought up a quick fire double after hand Of God won the bet365 Esher Cup handicap along with Okeechobee 35 minutes later in the bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes, with Ryan Moore riding both to success.
It wasn’t the best of days for Moore who later picked up a two day riding ban for causing interference in the 1m 2f handicap which will rule him out of the final day of Chester’s May meeting and the two day Classic trials meeting at Lingfield on the 10th and 11th of May.
The John and Thady Gosden trained Siyola won the bet365 Wild Card fillies novice stakes on debut, with her stablemate Beeley finishing second.
After the race, Gosden said despite the automatic entry that Siyola receives to enter the oaks, it is unlikely the filly will go to Epsom, with the second likely to head to Chester for the Chester Oaks.