Lingfield Park staged one of its premier All-Weather Championships fixtures on Saturday, with Willem Twee and Blue Trail securing breakthrough Listed victories on the card.
Willem Twee justified strong market support as he stormed down the outside to win the BetUK Golden Rose Stakes, a race in which G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint victor Mischief Magic finished fifth.
Having missed most of 2023 due to injury, Willem Twee has now won his last two starts and trainer James Fanshawe indicated that the Listed BetUK Kachy Stakes back at the track in February could be his next port of call.
The G3 BetUK Winter Derby, now run at Southwell, is among the options for Blue Trail after he denied Tyrrhenian Sea by a nose in the BetUK Churchill Stakes.
Charlie Appleby’s four-year-old, who has enjoyed three of his four career wins on the all-weather, was making his first appearance since finishing fifth in the G3 Earl Of Sefton Stakes in April.
Andrew Balding appears to have a nice prospect on his hands after Popcorn Magic made a winning introduction in the 10-furlong novice. In what looked a decent contest, the son of Mastercraftsman readily accounted for the more experienced duo of Indemity and Hosana Power.
Elsewhere, All The King’s Men posted one of the most impressive handicap performances of the week when scoring by three lengths at Wolverhampton, a victory that saw him raised 8lb to a mark of 98. Trained by George Boughey, the five-year-old has now made the frame in all six of his all-weather starts.
Al Ruffa registered a similarly impressive victory in an extended-mile handicap at the same track on Friday, on what was his second appearance since joining Daniel & Claire Kubler. Having been bought for 24,000gns at the sales in July, the six-year-old will be looking to repeat the heroics of stable star Astro King, who won the Cambridgeshire Handicap in the same colours.
The Ed de Giles-trained Chifa was touched off at Kempton Park in early November but made no mistake at the course on Wednesday as he won a seven-furlong handicap by three and a half lengths.
Ejaabiyah looks a potential Classic candidate for Roger Varian based on her sparkling six-length debut success on the same card. The Frankel filly is the first foal out of Estijaab, winner of the world’s richest race for two-year-olds – Australia’s G1 Golden Slipper – in 2018.
Another Frankel offspring Meydaan made a successful debut for Simon & Ed Crisford at Newcastle on Friday, with the son of G1 scorer Nezwaah seeing off Mr Hampstead, himself a full-brother to Irish Oaks winner Savethelastdance.
Following seven victories apiece in the last fortnight, Varian and the Crisfords share top spot in the All-Weather Championships trainer standings on 12 wins.
John & Thady Gosden are next best on 11. The father and son partnership unleashed a blue-blooded newcomer of their own at Newcastle on Sunday in Lautrec, who hails a from the same family as Magna Grecia and St Mark’s Basilica.
The Matt Crawley-trained Star Of St Louis has joined Sydney Bay (Geoff Harker), The Caltonian (Linda Perratt) and Intoxica (Ed Dunlop) on 14 points in the race for the £30,000 All-Weather Bonus prize covering October & November.
In a wide-open competition, there are further six horses within two points of the lead, including Likeashadow (Alan Brown), Nordic Glory (Michael Attwater) and Bella Kopella (Nigel Tinkler) on 13 points.
