Azleet has thrust herself into contention for the Betfred 1000 Guineas with a stunning upset win in the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes. Trained by Stuart Williams, the three-year-old filly overcame long odds of 50-1 to claim victory in this key trial for the first fillies' Classic of the year.
Under the guidance of Marco Ghiani, Azleet settled at the rear of the 12-strong field before making her move inside the last three furlongs and finding her stride on the rising ground. In a thrilling finish, she battled it out with America Queen in the final half-furlong, ultimately prevailing by a neck, with Act Of Kindness a length and a half further behind in third.
Williams expressed his delight with the performance, stating, 'We'll go to the 1000 Guineas and take a chance. It's going to be a special time for me to have a Group One runner in a race at Newmarket.' He also highlighted Azleet's potential, noting that her previous run was hindered by a poor start and a difficult passage, but she finished strongly and was not beaten by far by the promising filly Spicy Marg. Ghiani's ride was praised by Williams, who said the jockey settled Azleet in at the back and she came home strong, demonstrating her high-class ability.
The victory marks a significant milestone for Williams' yard, and he acknowledged the challenge of finding horses of Azleet's caliber, saying, 'It's really difficult for a yard of our size and spending power to find horses like this. We've been lucky and we get one every couple of years, but we have two at the moment - this filly and Quinault - and it's exciting.' Meanwhile, America Queen's trainer, Richard Hughes, announced that his charge will head to France for the French Guineas, citing the filly's stamina and determination as key factors in her performance. He said, 'She did it the hard way and the winner sat last while we were out in front into a headwind. There was no hiding place and I think she stayed the seven furlongs well there, because she did battle back and was up in the van all the way.' Act Of Kindness's trainer, Charlie Appleby, indicated that his filly may target a Listed prize at York, stating, 'I was very pleased with her and having been reminded I hadn't put her in the Guineas coming here, I've walked away knowing why I didn't.
She's a nice filly but not a Guineas filly and that has all come a bit soon for her.' In other racing news, Damysus made a dominant comeback in the Betway Earl of Sefton Stakes, with trainer John Gosden suggesting that his charge may be suited to a longer trip and could potentially clash with stablemate Ombudsman at Royal Ascot. Morshdi also announced himself as a Derby contender with victory in the Betway Feilden Stakes, with trainer William Haggas eyeing a stop-off at Chester en-route to a possible appearance in the premier Classic at Epsom on June 6.