Jaysella’s Saturday Selections for 10th May 2025

Jaysella’s Saturday Selections from Lingfield, Haydock Park & Ascot

Lingfield

William Hill Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes (Listed) 1.15
Giselle
Well, it’s a real shame that there’s just the three lining up for this Oaks Trial. As I said on the Podcast this week, I think that this Lingfield Park course is the most telling trial for the Derby and the Oaks, with the up and downs giving the horses a real test, before they are let loose on Epsom’s tricky track. So, out of these three, it’s pretty hard to get away from Aidan O’Brien’s Giselle, who is a long odds-on to take this. She’s a Frankel filly, with a whole host of fancy entries in the diary, and I do think that she ran well enough last year to justify favouritism, running to within a length and a quarter behind stablemate Bedtime Story in a Fillies Maiden at Leopardstown. I thought Bedtime Story was the most exciting juvenile filly last year, and if Giselle has trained on, she should have the measure of Harpsichord and Love Talk.

William Hill Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes (Listed) 3.00
Puppet Master (nap)
Aidan O’Brien is going to take this trial with Puppet Master, the choice of Ryan Moore and the class act of this line-up. He was fourth in the Ballysax, where we’d given the winner, Delacroix as the Sunday next best, and he’s looking something special, so Puppet Master can have his day in the sun at Lingfield Park. Having said that, I’m really liking the Ghaiyyath sired colts coming through, so Richard Hannon’s Nightime Dancer is surely too big a price at around 12/1 this week, and I’ll bet he will give Puppet Master a race. That looks a tempting reverse forecast to me, so that’s my guess, but it’s Puppet Master for the win for in-form Ballydoyle.

William Hill Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes (Group 3) 3.35
Jabaara
I’m going to side with Roger Varian’s Jabaara for the Chartwell, as I thought I saw enough in her last run at Keeneland to swing me her way. That US race was a Grade 1, and if she hadn’t hung right after taking the widest of all routes round the home bend, I think Joel Rosario would have had her much closer. So on Saturday, that’s Silvestre De Sousa’s job, to keep Jabaara in a straight line! Ralph Beckett’s Cathedral, a Too Darn Hot filly, cost 800,000 Euros for Amo Racing, so has to be respected, with Marco Botti’s Great Generation another big danger in a cracking race. Great Generation won this last year, and goes well fresh so she makes up my three, with Jabaara just edging the vote. Tempting for a Tricast!

Haydock Park

Pertemps Network Spring Trophy Stakes (Listed) 3.55
Kikkuli (nb)
I really, really liked Kikkuli last year, and couldn’t believe it when Haatem got first run on him in the Jersey at Royal Ascot. Aidan O’Brien’s River Tiber had gone off a big favourite for that Group 3, but it was Richard Hannon’s Haatem that broke free from the pack at the 2 furlong pole, and Oisin Murphy on Kikkuli just ran out of track to go down by a short head in a real thriller. Tiber Flow is up for William Haggas, but it could be Owen Burrows’s Alyanaabi that gives Kikkuli most to think about under super-cool Jim Crowley, and they’re next to each other in the stalls, so I’d expect plenty of pace out of the gate, with Alyanaabi being a Too Darn Hot gelding. A very, very good contest for the grade, but Harry Charlton’s in a purple patch, so I’ll take Kikkuli to score.

Ascot

Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% British EBF Fillies’ Handicap 2.05
Zapphire
One for us girls here as Hollie Doyle gets the leg-up on Julie Camacho’s Zapphire for this Fillies’ Handicap. With John & Thady Gosden’s Rainbows Edge topping the weights making a first start in a handicap in the Royal silks, Zapphire looks well treated, and that will do nicely thankyou Hollie. Last year’s winner, Bellarchi is back for more Ascot success for Grant Tuer, if regaining the form of last year, where she does seem better earlier in the season. Rainbows Edge does have William Buick booked for the ride, so he’s the one to make Hollie work for it, but Zapphire can take this.

Schweppes Victoria Cup (Heritage Handicap) 2.40
Roi De France
I’m sticking with Oisin Murphy and Roi De France to take the Victoria Cup. There’s plenty to make a case for, but Roi De France has form on fast ground, and should be fully tuned up after a couple of spins on the all-weather this year. Steph Hollinshead’s Myal can’t seem to stop winning, so goes on my shortlist, while Ralph Beckett’s Quirat has just about topped the markets this week for Juddmonte. At a bigger price, Ed Walker’s English Oak won the Buckingham Stakes here last year, and has William Buick aboard, but Roi De France is the one for me.