Azleet has punched her ticket to the Betfred 1000 Guineas following a dramatic upset in the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket. The three‑year‑old, trained by Stuart Williams, had only managed two wins from seven starts as a juvenile and had previously fallen short when stepped up to Listed and Group level. Consequently, she entered the Nell Gwyn as a long‑shot at 50‑1, largely overlooked by punters and analysts alike. During the seven‑furlong race, Marco Ghiani settled Azleet at the back of a twelve‑horse field, allowing her to conserve energy while the pace unfolded ahead.
As the field turned into the final three furlongs, the filly began to make her move, finding a rhythm as she tackled the rising ground. In the last half‑furlong she was drawn into a tight duel with America Queen and managed to edge her out by a neck, while Act Of Kindness trailed a length and a half behind in third place.
Williams was elated after the win, saying, "We’ll go there and roll the dice in the 1000 Guineas – it will be special for me to have a Group One runner at Newmarket. We came here to see if we were good enough to take the entry and we got our answer." He added that Azleet had shown significant improvement compared with her final run as a two‑year‑old, when she missed the break by four lengths and struggled through a difficult race. "She finished strongly and wasn’t beaten far by Spicy Marg, a very good filly.
Marco gave her a brilliant ride, kept her at the back, and she responded beautifully when asked. She’s a high‑class filly who has already won a Group Three, so why not give the Guineas a go?" Williams also highlighted the rarity of finding a horse of Azleet’s calibre for a small operation. "It’s hard for a yard of our size and spending power to locate talent like this. We’re lucky to have two promising fillies at the moment – Azleet and Quinault – and it’s exciting." He concluded, "I pride myself on getting the best out of every horse I train.
When there’s a race to be won, we’ll fight for it. To be here on a day like this, with a chance to win a major race on home soil, is brilliant." The runner‑up, America Queen, trained by Richard Hughes, will head to France a week later for a shot at the French 1000 Guineas at Longchamp. Hughes praised his filly’s effort, noting she had to battle a headwind and could not find a sheltered spot on the course. "She stayed the seven furlongs well, fought back and was up front all the way," he said.
He added, "If the French Guineas plays out slowly and she gets a good draw, I would love to roll the dice there. She’s a pleasure to train – not flashy, but she gives everything." Act Of Kindness, who finished a length and a half behind, may be aimed at a Listed race at York, according to trainer Charlie Appleby. "She’s a nice filly but not a Guineas type. A mile next season could suit her, perhaps the Michael Seely at York," Appleby suggested, noting she could improve in the second half of the campaign with proper care.
The meeting also featured a dominant performance from Damysus in the Betway Earl of Sefton Stakes. The Frankel‑sired colt, who missed the Derby at Epsom last year, has since collected Listed wins in France and a Group Three victory in the Darley Stakes, confirming his high potential. Carrying a three‑pound penalty for his recent Group Three win, Damysus was made the 7‑4 favourite by John and Thady Gosden’s stable. After taking the lead from Cambridgeshire winner Boiling Point, he accelerated sharply under James Doyle, winning by three and three‑quarter lengths with King’s Gambit a close second.
Gosden was upbeat about the colt’s development: "He’s more powerful now, not a big horse but stronger as a four‑year‑old. James asked him to go and the acceleration was instant. He’ll be suited to distances from a mile to a mile and a quarter.
After a Group Three win last year and another here, we’ll target a Group Two next and then look at Group One opportunities." Looking ahead, Gosden hinted that Damysus could be aimed at longer trips, perhaps meeting stablemate Ombudsman at Royal Ascot in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. He also mentioned the Prix d’Ispahan as a realistic option, noting the colt’s versatility and resilience after a troubled Derby run that left him with a cut and a two‑month layoff. "He’s come back strongly from winter quarters, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him against Ombudsman at Ascot if they both get there," Gosden said. Among other notable performances, Morshdi, trained by William Haggas, announced himself as a Derby prospect with a win in the Betway Feilden Stakes.
The three‑year‑old, who broke his maiden at York in October, started at 14‑1 and was ridden decisively by Tom Marquand. Despite early speed from the favourite Poseidon’s Warrior, Morshdi stayed on the uphill finish and held the leader by a length. Haggas praised the colt’s temperament, calling him "a lovely little horse" and noting his ability to handle the wind‑swept conditions on the day.
Following the victory, Morshdi’s odds for the Betfred Derby were cut from 50‑1 to 25‑1, and Haggas is now eyeing a stop‑over at Chester before a potential appearance in the Epsom Classic on June 6. He added, "He’s a lovely horse, and I’ve always thought Chester would suit him.
The Dee Stakes is the race I have in mind – he’s tailor‑made for that distance." Overall, the Newmarket meeting delivered a mixture of surprise winners and clear indicators of future targets for several promising horses. Azleet’s unexpected triumph has thrust her into the Guineas spotlight, while Damysus and Morshdi have both confirmed they belong at the highest level. The coming weeks will see trainers fine‑tune their campaigns, with the 1000 Guineas, the French Classic, and the Derby all within striking distance for these emerging stars.