Azleet has earned a place in the Betfred 1000 Guineas after pulling off a stunning upset in the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket. The three‑year‑old filly, trained by Stuart Williams, had only managed two wins from seven starts as a juvenile last season and had previously been beaten when stepped up to Listed and Group level. Consequently, she entered the trial as a rank outsider at 50‑1, with few giving her a serious chance of success. During the seven‑furlong race, Marco Ghiani held the filly at the back of a twelve‑horse field while the early pace unfolded.
As the field turned into the final three furlongs, Azleet began to make her move, finding a better rhythm as the ground rose. In the last half‑furlong she engaged in a head‑to‑head battle with America Queen and ultimately edged her out by a neck.
Act Of Kindness finished a length and a half behind in third place. Williams was ecstatic after the win, saying, "We’ll go there and roll the dice in the 1000 Guineas – it will be a special moment for me to have a Group One runner at Newmarket.
We came here to test whether we were good enough to take the entry, and we got our answer today." He added that Azleet had shown considerable improvement compared with her final race of the previous year, when she missed the start by four lengths and was unable to finish strongly. "She finished well despite a poor break and wasn’t beaten far by Spicy Marg, a very good filly," Williams noted.
Williams praised Ghiani’s ride, saying the jockey settled Azleet at the rear before she showed a touch of eagerness at the halfway point, then finished strongly. "She’s a high‑class filly who has already won a Group Three, so why not give the Guineas a go?" The win also highlighted the difficulty small yards face in locating talent. "It’s really hard for a yard of our size and spending power to find horses like this. We’re lucky to have one every couple of years, and right now we have two – this fillet and Quinault – which is exciting," Williams said.
He continued, "I pride myself on getting the best out of every horse I train. If there’s a race to be won, we’ll try to win it. To be here on a day like this, with a chance to compete for a big race on home soil, is brilliant." While Azleet will head back to the Rowley Mile for the Guineas, her runner‑up America Queen – who placed second in the Lowther Stakes and fourth in the Cheveley Park Stakes last season – will skip the British Classic and travel to France for a shot at the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp.
Trainer Richard Hughes explained, "She did it the hard way; the winner sat last while we were out front into a headwind. There was no hiding place, and she stayed the seven furlongs well, battling back and leading the pack all the way." Hughes added that he may target the French Guineas for America Queen, hoping for a favorable draw and a slower pace. "She’s run a blinder, she’s a pleasure to train, not flashy but she gives everything," he said. Charlie Appleby, whose filly Act Of Kindness finished third, hinted that the horse could be aimed at a Listed race at York later in the season, perhaps the Michael Seely Stakes.
"She’s a nice filly but not a Guineas filly – it’s a bit early for her at a mile. She could step up in distance and still improve," Appleby said. The article also turned to other notable performers.
Damysus, a son of Frankel, has emerged as a serious contender at the top level after a dominant win in the Betway Earl of Sefton Stakes. Although the colt was out of the Derby at Epsom last summer, he has since collected a Listed victory in France and a Group Three triumph in the Darley Stakes, showing that he possesses considerable potential. Carrying a three‑pound penalty for his recent Group Three win, Damysus was made the 7‑4 favourite in a race where he took the lead early from Cambridgeshire winner Boiling Point and accelerated away, winning by three and three‑quarter lengths. James Doyle rode him with restraint, only needing to ask for a gentle pull in the closing stages.
John Gosden, who co‑trained the colt with his son Thady, praised the horse’s development: "He’s more powerful now, more mature as a four‑year‑old, and the acceleration when James asked for it was instant. Anything from a mile to a mile and a quarter should suit him." Gosden suggested that after a possible Group Two run, Damysus could aim for Group One contests, perhaps the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, though he believes the horse may be better suited to a longer distance later in the season.
He hinted at a potential clash with stablemate Ombudsman at Royal Ascot and even mentioned the Prix d’Ispahan as a realistic target before a possible run in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. The piece also covered Morshdi, who announced himself as a Derby prospect with a victory in the Betway Feilden Stakes.
Trained by William Haggas, the three‑year‑old made his first start since breaking his maiden at York in October. Starting at 14‑1, Morshdi travelled strongly under Tom Marquand, holding off the market favourite Poseidon’s Warrior to win by a length. Haggas praised the colt’s temperament, calling him "a lovely little horse" and noting that the win came over a suitable nine‑furlong distance. After the race, the odds for Morshdi in the Betfred Derby were cut to 25‑1, and Haggas indicated that a run in the Dee Stakes at Chester could be a logical stepping stone before a possible appearance in the Epsom Classic on June 6.
He added that the colt now carries a penalty, but believes Chester’s track would suit him well. Overall, the day's racing news highlighted several emerging talents and the strategic planning of trainers as they map out campaigns for the spring classics and beyond.
Azleet’s improbable triumph, America Queen’s French ambitions, Damysus’s rise, and Morshdi’s Derby hopes all illustrate the depth of talent in the current generation and set the stage for an exciting run‑in to the major festivals at Newmarket, Newbury, York, and Ascot.