The Darley EBF Novice Stakes takes center stage on day one of the Spring Trials Weekend at Newbury, with Shabab Al Ahli facing off against Sahara King. Trained by Charlie Appleby, Shabab Al Ahli is looking to build on his impressive win at Southwell in February, where he earned a 33-1 quote for the Derby. The colt will be stepping down in distance and will aim to assert his dominance in the field.
Appleby has a good record in this race, having won the inaugural running in 2023 with Military Order. Meanwhile, Sahara King will be looking to follow up on his debut win at Wolverhampton, where the fourth-placed finisher, Mohaaraj, has since gone on to achieve success. Other notable runners include My Love Is King, trained by Gosden, who holds a Derby entry and is currently 40-1 for the big race after a comfortable win at Newcastle in November.
The Gilded Prize will also be in action, looking to take top honors in the Henri Matisse Coolmore Prix Cleopatre ahead of a potential trip to Chantilly for the Prix de Diane. This daughter of Frankel has made a stunning impression in her early career, with a straightforward success on the polytrack and an eye-catching reappearance last month.
Her trainer, Francis-Henri Graffard, had an outstanding season last year and may have uncovered another gem. Other highlights on Sky Sports Racing include the Greenham Stakes, where Zavateri and Albert Einstein will lock horns, and the Bridget 'Confined' Maiden Fillies' Stakes, which features an exciting lineup of pedigrees, including Synchronicity, a full-sister to the talented Ombudsman. The owners' European Racing Manager, Barry Mahon, has expressed excitement about the Gilded Prize, stating that if all goes well, she will likely head to Chantilly over the Epsom Oaks.
Turbulente, Arkansas, and Warriors Whisper will provide opposition, while the 2.32pm Bridget 'Confined' Maiden Fillies' Stakes will see many top owners represented, including Juddmonte, Godolphin, and Shadwell. The Harry Charlton yard will field Sapphire Secret, a Kingman filly out of Whatami, while William Haggas will send Song Of The Clouds into battle, looking to build on his impressive record in this race. Time Lock's full sister, Take A View, will make her debut in the Dreweatts Maiden Fillies' Stakes, facing a field of other nice types making their first starts.