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Crunch Time At Leopardstown As Derby Nears

Leopardstown's G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial has a considerable reputation as one of the leading preps for Epsom's blue riband, so it is a surprise that no horse since 2002 has won both this 10-furlong contest and the English Classic. That could change this year, with the current Derby looking a wide-open affair at present and Jim Bolger holding the aces in the 3-year-old colt department. Fresh from winning the G1 2000 Guineas with Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) last Saturday, the master of Coolcullen saddles Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) on Sunday and all eyes will be on how the G1 Futurity Trophy hero shapes on his return at a trip that should bring out further improvement in him. There is reportedly nothing between Mac Swiney and Poetic Flare and the fact that the latter is staying at a mile for now makes the placing of his star colts all the easier. “Mac Swiney will be running over a mile and a quarter at Leopardstown and we'll take it from there,” he said. “He'll go on any ground.”

Ballydoyle's 'TDN Rising Star' Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) beat fellow Bolger representative Flying Visit (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) in the G3 Ballysax S. over this course and distance Apr. 11 and leads Aidan O'Brien's challenge for a 14th renewal. “It was always the plan to go for the Derrinstown after he won the Ballysax,” he said. “Everything has gone well with him since and he seems to be in good form.” Third in the Ballysax, Fiona Carmichael's Taipan (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) holds the fourth-placed Lough Derg (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) on that form while Joseph O'Brien puts forward Aquis Racing and Al Mamoura Partnership's Apr. 14 course-and-distance maiden winner Southern Lights (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). “Southern Lights is a gorgeous horse that we've always had high hopes for,” he said. “He is a very laid-back character and he seemed to wake up as the race progressed last time. This is obviously a huge step up in class for him, but he has earned the chance to be tested in a race like this and we can't wait to see how he measures up.”

Also on the card is the G3 Amethyst S. and G3 Irish 1000 Guineas Trial over a mile, with the latter playing host to the Joseph O'Brien-trained Sense of Style (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) who bids to build on her return third in the seven-furlong G3 Ballylinch Stud 1000 Guineas Trial on Apr. 11. “She had to contend with plenty of traffic to deliver her challenge that day and stepping up back to a mile will be a help to her,” her trainer said. “There should be improvement to come in fitness terms and I'd be hopeful that she'll run a big race.” Also in the mix are Juddmonte's Apr. 14 course-and-distance maiden scorer Acanella (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and The Aga Khan's Shandra (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who has not been seen since making a winning debut over seven furlongs at The Curragh in August.

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Sea the Stars’ Third Realm Takes the Derby Trial

There were shades of High-Rise (Ire) (High Estate {Ire}) at Lingfield on Saturday as Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's silks were carried to success by Third Realm (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial. Winning the second blue riband prep within the week for his owner-breeder and the Roger Varian stable, the 14-1 shot who broke his maiden over an extended 10 furlongs at Nottingham Apr. 17 was held up early by David Egan before making his move downhill to the home straight. Getting first run on the 6-5 favourite Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) there, the homebred stayed on strongly to keep him at bay and score by 1 1/4 lengths. High-Rise was the winner of this in 1998 before going on to Derby glory and Third Realm was cut to around the 16-1 mark for the June 5 Classic afterwards.

Varian, whose El Drama (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) also races in these silks and captured Thursday's Listed Dee S. at Chester, was leaning towards targeting the June 5 G1 Epsom Derby. “I've yet to speak with the owner, so we'll not set anything in stone just yet and most importantly we need to see how the horse comes out of today's race,” he commented. “He ticks a lot of the boxes in that he's won a recognised trial, it looks like he'll get the trip and he's won on good-to-firm ground at Nottingham and in pretty testing conditions today. He's a neat, well-balanced colt who ought to handle the undulations of Epsom. It's the nature of the business that you're cautiously optimistic when you're going from a maiden to a recognised trial, but it isn't a surprise–he's a colt we think a lot of. He won nicely at Nottingham. I was worried about the ground, to be honest, but I thought if he handled conditions he'd be well up to running a nice race.”

Third Realm is a half-brother to this stable's G3 Bengough S.-winning sprinter Cape Byron (GB) (Shamardal), who also won on the afternoon at Haydock. Also a half to the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein scorer Ostilio (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), the G1 Prix Saint Alary third Imperial Charm (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the G1 Prix Jean Romanet heroine Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), his listed-placed dam is a half to the G2 Celebration Mile winner and GI Arlington Million runner-up Afsare (GB) also by Dubawi. Her 2-year-old colt Triple Time (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) has yet to race, while she also has a yearling colt by Lope de Vega (Ire).

Saturday, Lingfield, Britain
NOVIBET DERBY TRIAL S.-Listed, £60,000, Lingfield, 5-8, 3yo, c/g, 11f 133yT, 2:35.15, sf.
1–THIRD REALM (GB), 126, c, 3, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Reem Three (GB) (SP-Eng), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
2nd Dam: Jumaireyah (GB), by Fairy King
3rd Dam: Donya (Ire), by Mill Reef
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum (GB); T-Roger Varian; J-David Egan. £34,488. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $52,204. *1/2 to Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Hwt. Older Mare-Fr at 9.5-11f, G1SW-Fr, SW & MGSP-Eng, $306,567; Ostilio (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), GSW-Fr, SW & GSP-Eng, $343,257; Cape Byron (GB) (Shamardal), GSW-Eng & SP-Fr, $401,954; and Imperial Charm (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), G1SP-Fr, $136,125.
2–Adayar (Ire), 126, c, 3, Frankel (GB)–Anna Salai, by Dubawi (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £13,086.
3–Scope (Ire), 126, c, 3, Teofilo (Ire)–Look So (GB), by Efisio (GB). O-J H Richmond-Watson; B-Lawn Stud (IRE); T-Ralph Beckett. £6,546.
Margins: 1 1/4, 5HF, 3 1/4. Odds: 14.00, 1.20, 5.00.
Also Ran: Kyprios (Ire), Recovery Run (GB), Carlisle Bay (Ire). Scratched: Etonian (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Oaks Trial Success For Lemon Drop Kid’s Sherbet Lemon

Fourth behind TDN Rising Star Noon Star (Galileo {Ire}) in a 10-furlong Wetherby novice Apr. 25, Apple Tree Stud's Sherbet Lemon (Lemon Drop Kid) was on top at the end of a close call for Saturday's Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial. Shadowing the leader Loving Dream (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) throughout the early stages, the 28-1 shot worked her way to the front with over a furlong remaining and dug in to prevail by 3/4 of a length from Save a Forest (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) with less than two lengths covering the first four home.

Apple Tree Stud's manager is the former leading jumps jockey Robert Thornton and he said, “She wasn't far behind John Gosden's horse [Loving Dream] at Wetherby last time and there were extenuating circumstances for our filly, as she was stood in the stalls for 10 minutes and got shuffled back. We thought she'd run well today, but she's surprised us that she's won.” As far as a tilt at the June 4 G1 Epsom Oaks is concerned, Thornton was positive. “I think we sort of have to–I'm not sure how many chances you get to do that type of thing and it's a dream to have runners in those type of races,” he added. “She's handled all types of ground and handled the undulations today, so we may as well have a go. She'll stay galloping, so you never know, she could run into a place.”

Successful on her only other start on Newcastle's Tapeta Feb. 11, Sherbet Lemon is a half-sister to the strong-staying G1 Melbourne Cup third Il Paradiso (Galileo {Ire}) and to the stakes-placed Love Beach (Bernardini). The dam, who was runner-up in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. for Ballydoyle, is a full-sister to the four-times group 1-winning champion and successful Irish 2000 Guineas-winning sire Mastercraftsman (Ire) and a half to the GIII Locust Grove H. winner Genuine Devotion (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}). This is also the family of the brilliant G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Sakhee (Bahri), fellow sire Celestial Storm (Roberto) and the G2 Middleton S. winner Beautiful Romance (GB) (New Approach {Ire}). Her 2-year-old colt Bad Gus is by More Than Ready, while she also has a filly foal by Tapit.

Saturday, Lingfield, Britain
NOVIBET OAKS TRIAL FILLIES' S.-Listed, £40,000, Lingfield, 5-8, 3yo, f, 11f 133yT, 2:40.99, sf.
1–SHERBET LEMON, 126, f, 3, by Lemon Drop Kid
1st Dam: Famous (Ire) (G1SP-Ire, $210,166), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Starlight Dreams, by Black Tie Affair (Ire)
3rd Dam: Reves Celestes, by Lyphard
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. ($200,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Apple Tree Stud; B-Mt Brilliant Broodmares II LLC (KY); T-Archie Watson; J-Paul Mulrennan. £22,992. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $37,373. *1/2 to Il Paradiso (Galileo {Ire), Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 14f+, G1SP-Aus & GSP-Eng, $465,393.
2–Save A Forest (Ire), 126, f, 3, Kingman (GB)–Bark (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O-The Gredley Family; B-Stetchworth & Middle Park Studs Ltd (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £8,724.
3–Ocean Road (Ire), 126, f, 3, Australia (GB)–Love and Laughter (Ire), by Theatrical (Ire). (140,000gns Wlg '18 TATFOA; 150,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Qatar Racing Ltd; B-Kevin & Meta Cullen (IRE); T-Hugo Palmer. £4,364.
Margins: 3/4, 1, NK. Odds: 28.00, 12.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Divinely (Ire), Loving Dream (GB), Nash Nasha (GB), Technique (GB), Regent (GB). Scratched: Invite (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Epsom Trail Winds On

Classic preparations continue apace on Saturday, with Lingfield staging the Listed Oaks and Derby Trials and Naas hosting the G3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Blue Wind S. Godolphin did not fare well in the main events at Chester this week, but are well-represented again in both Lingfield trials with the Derby hopeful Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), such an eye-catching runner-up in the Apr. 23 G3 Sandown Classic Trial on the same card that the filly Nash Nasha (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) captured a well-contested novice. Adayar will be a warm order to deny a pair of Ballydoyle representatives in the Moyglare Stud colour-bearer Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who took Cork's competitive Blackwater Race also on Apr. 23, and the G3 Eyrefield S. third Carlisle Bay (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Charlie Appleby said, “Adayar is proven on soft ground, although I'm always a little bit hesitant when you win a soft-ground maiden. You could just have been the class horse in the race and on any ground you'd win. Everyone is testing their credentials and with the other two going to Chester, we thought we'd let Adayar go to Lingfield, where he should get nice, easy ground as well.”

Aidan O'Brien said of his duo, “Carlisle Bay is a tough, solid horse who we always thought would get a mile and a half well. He's a little bit lazy and a little bit laid-back, but that's the way he's always been and he's been working nicely. Kyprios is a horse we always liked last year. He had a nice run in a winners' race in Cork a couple of weeks ago and we always thought he would get a mile and a half well as well. Both are in good form, we think both will get the trip well and we think both will come on from their runs.” Nash Nasha has several well-regarded peers to take on including a pair of unexposed John and Thady Gosden-trained bluebloods in Loving Dream (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who was runner-up to 'TDN Rising Star' Noon Star (Galileo {Ire}) in a 10-furlong Wetherby novice on Apr. 25, and Regent (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who beat the re-opposing Invite (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}) also over that trip on the Polytrack here on Mar. 26.

In the Blue Wind, a trio of 4-year-old fillies make the contest an Oaks trial with a difference and Ballydoyle's well-regarded Willow (Ire) (American Pharoah) looks to put a disappointing seasonal bow behind her when seventh in the Listed Salsabil S. at Navan on Apr. 25. She gets 15 pounds from Gary Barber and Team Valor International's year-older Silence Please (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who was last seen finishing second in Leopardstown's G3 Kilternan S. in September.

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