Marco Botti expects True Colors to take another step forward in the BetMGM Winter Oaks Trial Handicap (2pm) at Lingfield Park on Wednesday, December 3.
The 10-furlong contest serves as a stepping stone to the £110,000 BetMGM Winter Oaks Handicap at the track on January 17, with subsequent G2 scorer Charlotte’s Web winning both races last season.
True Colors has raced exclusively on the all-weather so far, starting her year with a pair of third-place finishes and a maiden success at Chelmsford.
Having missed the summer, the Zarak filly finished fourth over a mile at Southwell in October before posting a comfortable victory in an extended nine-furlong handicap at Wolverhampton last month.
Botti said: “True Colors has taken time to come to hand, which is why we have been very patient with her this year. She won nicely at Wolverhampton and, now that she has strengthened up, it looked like she appreciated the step up in trip.
“From what I see at home, I expect her to be competitive from a mark of 81, although she is taking on some fillies who have been competing in a higher class of race. It will be a good test to see where she is at.
“She has trained well since Wolverhampton and the track at Lingfield should not be an issue. Hopefully, she will be there or thereabouts.”
Simon & Ed Crisford have dominated the BetMGM Winter Oaks Trial and BetMGM Winter Oaks, completing the double with Al Agaila, Oh So Grand and Charlotte’s Web.
The father-son partnership is represented by the lightly raced Suzette Defoye, who made a winning introduction at Southwell 12 months ago and finished sixth in a Nottingham handicap last time out.
Impressive Ascot scorer Morrophore is one of five mounts on the card for Ryan Moore as the former champion jockey returns from a broken leg. Trained by John & Thady Gosden, Morrophore is a half-sister to Utmost, who landed the Listed Winter Derby Trial at the track in 2018.
William Haggas saddles Newcastle handicap runner-up Winter Flower and Frances Ethel, who contested G1 races in South Africa prior to two unplaced efforts in the UK recently.
Music Piece was beaten a neck in the Listed Height Of Fashion Stakes in May and Andrew Balding’s filly lines up on the back of another runner-up finish in a Newbury handicap.
The David Simcock-trained Quamby is the only handicap debutant in the field, having made the frame in novice contests at Wetherby and Southwell this year.
Helmsley won a Redcar novice by five and a half lengths on her final start for Ralph Beckett and has since joined Ivan Furtado, while Wilhelmina steps up in trip for Kevin Philippart de Foy following seconds at Kempton Park and Wolverhampton.
