The Spring Trials weekend at Newbury gets underway, with Shabab Al Ahli facing Sahara King in the feature race. Charlie Appleby's Shabab Al Ahli, a Frankel colt, is set to compete in the Darley EBF Novice Stakes after an impressive win at Southwell under Conor Planas. This victory earned the colt a quote of 33-1 for the Derby.
Now, Shabab Al Ahli will be looking to assert his dominance over the field, potentially paving the way for a future bid at the Epsom Classic. Appleby has a successful history in this race, having won its inaugural running in 2023 with Military Order. Sahara King, meanwhile, has shown promise with a debut win at Wolverhampton in November, with the form of that race gaining substance after the fourth-placed Mohaaraj achieved success in a subsequent outing. Another notable contender is My Love Is King, trained by Gosden, who holds a Derby entry and is currently priced at 40-1 after a comfortable win at Newcastle in November.
The Gilded Prize, a classy Frankel filly, is also in the running for today's Henri Matisse Coolmore Prix Cleopatre, aiming to build momentum towards the Prix de Diane at Chantilly. With only two starts under her belt, she has already made a significant impression, notably when she stretched clear of her rivals under Colin Keane on her reappearance last month.
Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, who had an outstanding season last year, may have uncovered another gem. Other key races and contenders are featured throughout the day, including Zavateri and Albert Einstein in the Greenham Stakes, and the Bridget 'Confined' Maiden Fillies' Stakes, which boasts exciting pedigrees such as Synchronicity, a full-sister to Ombudsman.
The Harry Charlton yard presents Sapphire Secret, a Kingman filly, while Flying the flag for Shadwell is the Gosden-trained Seet, half-sister to the reigning champion filly Kalpana. William Haggas, with a strong record in this race, sends Song Of The Clouds into competition. Debutants like Take A View, Time Lock's full sister, face stiff competition in their first outings. At Bath, Hunky Dory tackles the minimum distance for the first time, shouldering a 5lb penalty after a convincing win at Wolverhampton.