Owner Gary Gillies has another leading Finals Day contender on his hands after Regal Ulixes posted a commanding victory on AWC Trials Day at Lingfield Park.
Each £45,000 handicap on the card offered free entry to the corresponding Finals Day race at Newcastle, as well as a £15,000 bonus should they follow up on Good Friday.
Regal Ulixes (4/1) impressed in the Midnite AWC Middle Distance Trial Handicap, in which he travelled strongly in midfield before stretching out nicely to score by a length and a half from Cesarewitch hero Beylerbeyi.
Trained by Andrew Balding, Regal Ulixes had started favourite for the equivalent 10-furlong trial at Newcastle’s AWC Trials Day on his comeback last month but weakened to sixth having raced keenly.
Gillies did not leave Newcastle empty handed though, with another Balding-trained contender Stateira making light work of her opposition in the Filly & Mare trial. Stateira is already qualified for Finals Day, while Regal Ulixes needs one more run to guarantee his place.
Gillies said: “The plan all winter for Regal Ulixes has been Finals Day, so it is great to see him put in a performance like that. Andrew and the team have always considered him to be a quality horse. He won his two novice races nicely and then picked up an injury at Royal Ascot last year, which was a massive shame. Now he is back in this sort of form, I think he could have a big year ahead of him.
“To have him and Stateira potentially going up to Newcastle with leading chances is very exciting. I will head up there to watch it and hopefully we have a great day. Owning horses like this is such a rewarding experience. It is different to having a bet on a race because, if you win or lose, you just walk away and it is quickly forgotten, whereas when it is your own horse, it is like watching your kid. You are so proud when they do well. I own too many horses, but I love the game.”
Ian Williams sent out a one-three in the Midnite AWC Marathon Trial Handicap, with 12/1 chance Enemy leading home last year’s winner Roaring Legend and stablemate Sheradann.
The trio filled the first three places for much of the two-mile contest, with Enemy showing the best change of gear late on to win by a length and a quarter. This success takes the nine-year-old’s career earnings past £1.1 million.
Williams said: “I am thrilled with that. It was not the plan to make the running with Sheradann from the widest draw, but the lack of pace left him there, which probably helped Enemy. Sheradann had beaten Enemy at Kempton at the start of the season, so it is nice to see him back in this sort of form.
“Enemy keeps pulling it out at the age of nine. He has won a couple this winter now and is still performing at a very good level. It is always great when the old boys come out and score some points! Enemy will certainly kick on to Newcastle, while Sheradann is a possible as well.”
Apiarist, who finished third in last season’s Mile final, could be headed back there after justifying 9/4 favouritism in the BetMGM AWC Mile Trial Handicap with a neck verdict over Popmaster.
Apiarist was fourth in the corresponding trial at Newcastle on his only other outing this season and the Kevin Ryan-trained five-year-old requires one more qualifying run over the coming weeks.
His jockey Jack Callan said: “Apiarist has done that well in what was a strong enough field. He jumped nicely, which enabled us to get a good position, and travelled strongly the whole way. I always felt that I had plenty of horse underneath me. The gaps came for us in the straight and he was able to take advantage. I can see him coming on a bit for the run as well, which bodes well for the future.”
Fast Track Harry (3/1) continued his faultless first time out record for Clive Cox in the Midnite AWC Sprint Trial Handicap, having won on his debut at Newbury in 2024 and Doncaster last year.
Ridden prominently on his return from a gelding operation, the four-year-old led a furlong out before digging in to repel 11/4 joint-favourites Ferrous and Lakers in a driving finish.
Jockey Rob Hornby said: “Clive expected a good run from Fast Track Harry. We had a nice set up in stall two, although it was his first time racing around a bend, so Clive was keen for him to get that right. I wanted to take a lead and having horses on his outside helped him. He quickened up nicely and, once he got in a battle, I always felt he was going to come out on top. I think there is more improvement to come and he should have a good year.”
Middleham Park Racing enjoyed a double on the card, starting with the lightly raced SaffronDandy (25/1) in the BetMGM AWC 3 Year Old Trial Handicap over six furlongs.
The only filly in the lineup, the daughter of Dandy Man had scored on her handicap debut at Wolverhampton last month and only needed to be pushed out to win by half a length.
Trainer Richard Hannon said: “I am really pleased with Saffron Dandy. She looks better this year having filled into her frame. I thought she won quite nicely today, which is encouraging because this was a much more competitive race than Wolverhampton last time. She needs one more run to qualify for Finals Day, so we will look to work that in over the coming weeks, but this was a nice pot in its own right. I would be pretty confident that there is more improvement in her.”
The same colours were carried to victory in the BetMGM AWC Fillies And Mares Trial Handicap by 12/1 chance Ziggy’s Queen, who was making her first appearance over seven furlongs.
Trained by Richard Fahey, the five-year-old was held up in a share of last by 5lb claimer Ethan Tindall before unleashing a strong run out wide to collar Powdering in the final stride.
Tom Palin of Middleham Park Racing said: “It has been a good afternoon’s work! I was monitoring the entries last week and noticed that Ziggy’s Queen might get a run, so we decided to put her in. I thought Ethan gave her a peach of a ride, as the plan was to drop in from that draw [10] and deliver her on the line. The step up in trip was the question mark, but we felt it was worth finding out with Good Friday in mind, whether that’s at Newcastle or back here. This opens up more options for her now.”
