Oxagon Secures Craven Stakes Victory for In-Form Gosden Team

Oxagon made a strong case for the 2000 Guineas with a commanding win in the Betway Craven Stakes. In a field missing key contenders Hawk Mountain and Hankelow due to the dry conditions, Hidden Force was the favorite at 11-10 to bolster Charlie Appleby's bid for the season's first Classic. Oxagon, making his seasonal debut in first-time cheekpieces, benefited from a well-controlled ride by Oisin Murphy to secure a comfortable two-length victory. Trainer John Gosden, who trains Oxagon in partnership with his son Thady, expressed his high opinion of the horse, noting that a tactical error at Doncaster and a disappointing run in the Dewhurst were behind them. Gosden attributed the addition of cheekpieces to focusing Oxagon's mind, a tactic that seems to have paid off. The win marked Gosden's second Craven Stakes victory, following Field Of Gold's win the previous year, and has set his sights on the Guineas. Bookmakers have cut Oxagon's odds to 25-1 from 50-1, with connections eager to take their chance in the Guineas. Meanwhile, Roger Varian's Avicenna took the runner-up spot, with the trainer considering both the Newmarket and ParisLongchamp Guineas for his charge. In other racing news, veteran sprinter Run To Freedom proved he still has what it takes with a surprise win in the Zyn Abernant Stakes at Newmarket, while Portcullis, a son of Frankel, made a spectacular debut in the Betway Wood Ditton Maiden, carrying the colors of the King and Queen to a five-and-a-half length victory.