Richard Hoiles: 5 tips for Saturday at Lingfield and Ascot

The horse racing broadcaster provides his tips for this Saturday’s racing at Lingfield, including a pick for the Fillies’ Handicap at Ascot.

A week of Classic Trials comes to an end on Saturday with the Derby and Oaks trials at Lingfield. After a typical week of O’Brien Chester domination, it will be Charlie Appleby very much in the spotlight as he saddles current market leaders in both but with the form of the yard under the microscope.

At the time of writing (Friday morning) the yard are 0/14 in May and whilst several horses have made the frame, the fact that eight of the 14 have gone off 7-2 or less (and the expected winners are 3.35) should make punters wary about taking short prices about the likes of Romantic Symphony and Maho Bay.

Trainer form splits opinion as by the time if can be statistically proven off a sufficiently large sample size it is obvious to all (and prices adjusted accordingly). So trying to ride the peaks and troughs can lead to several wrong calls that are just down to natural variance, but similarly it can lead to correct trends being identified well before the market catches up.

First of the two trials is the Lingfield Oaks Trial, where Charlie Appleby is only rarely represented with his sole success from just three runners coming in 2023 when the race was run on the All Weather. Romantic Symphony comes here off the back of a win on that surface at Kempton where she readily accounted for inferior rivals. She comes from an excellent family and is ready for this step up in grade but just has the stable form shadow to deal with. Aidan O’Brien, whilst having saddled three winners from 11 runners (Expected wins 4.38 A/E 0.69), has also suffered his fair share of reverses with six horses beaten at 15-8 or less – and it could be that the bigger priced of his two runners BLOOM 9/2 (13:28 Lingfield) who is overs. Clearly the price will be inflated by Ryan Moore electing to partner Cameo, but Ryan has actually yet to partner either in any of their eight starts. There would also be the outside chance that if the rain, which would suit Cameo, did not arrive then she may not run (O’Brien has never saddled two in this race before) with the result that Ryan would switch to Bloom anyway.

In the Derby Trial, it is William Haggas who could provide the danger to Godolphin with MALTESE CROSS 11/4 (13:58 Lingfield) who lines up against unbeaten Maho Bay. Both have impressed in their runs to date and step up in grade against the more highly tried Isaac Newton who was beaten in the Feilden, form which has not been franked by the likes of Poseidon’s Warrior and Shayem. If Romantic Symphony has bolted up in the Oaks trial, then concerns about Maho Bay would be significantly reduced. But if beaten, it would only point more strongly to Maltese Cross who looked as if the step up in trip would really suit after Newbury success last time.

Away from the trials SWEET REWARD 17/2 (12:55 Lingfield) has dropped to a decent mark of 78 and with the yard firing on all cylinders (6/24 last 28 days, A/E 2.07), he can make it tell especially if there is some rain between now and race day. He has been a fine stable servant with five of his seven victories coming off this mark or higher and was placed under today’s claimer last time at Epsom. Portman has always supported Olivia Tubb, who works in the yard, and she has a good record for the stable (20/136 A/E 1.39).

There can often be a ‘Golden Highway’ close to the stands rail at Lingfield on the straight course and if HAVANA PUSEY 10/1 (14:40 Lingfield) can bag it, she can outrun her odds in the 7f Fillies Listed contest. There does not look to be much speed in the race and so even though she is drawn in stall 2 there is a real chance she can get right across to the fence. If so, she could prove hard to pass with the majority of her higher rated rivals usually hold up horses who would then have to move off the best ground to launch their challenges.

Away for Lingfield there are fiendishly difficult handicaps in the Swinton at Haydock and the Victoria Cup at Ascot, which make up part of the nine-race coverage on ITV. Of those other races, RADIANT BEAUTY 7/1 (13:45 Ascot) looks interesting on her return to handicap company. The key will be whether James Doyle can get her to settle, but she has proved most progressive and thankfully did not blow her mark when not disgraced in Listed company last time. James Owen is 13/47 A/E 1.45 in the last 14 days, and Doyle is 3/9 for the yard with this his first association of 2026.

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