The Spring Trials weekend commences at Newbury, with Shabab Al Ahli facing off against Sahara King in the day's featured race. Charlie Appleby's Shabab Al Ahli, a Southwell winner, is set to participate in the Darley EBF Novice Stakes, having earned a 33-1 quote for the Derby after a convincing win in February under Conor Planas.
The Frankel colt will be looking to dominate the field and potentially pave the way for a future bid at the Epsom Classic. Appleby had previously won the inaugural running of the race in 2023 with Military Order, who went on to have a strong showing in the Derby that year. Sahara King, meanwhile, appears to be a promising contender after winning on debut at Wolverhampton in November, with the fourth-place finisher from that race, Mohaaraj, having since achieved success. Another noteworthy competitor is My Love Is King, trained by Gosden, who is making his second start after a winning debut and currently holds a 40-1 quote for the Derby.
The Henri Matisse Coolmore Prix Cleopatre will also see the classy Gilded Prize vying for top honors as she heads towards the Prix de Diane at Chantilly. This Frankel filly has only competed twice but has already made a significant impression, with her career beginning with a straightforward victory on the polytrack before an eye-catching performance under Colin Keane on her reappearance last month. Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard is hoping to build on his impressive season last year, potentially having unearthed another gem. Other notable races and contenders are set to feature throughout the weekend, including Zavateri and Albert Einstein in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury, and various other talented fillies in the Bridget 'Confined' Maiden Fillies' Stakes.