Jaysella’s Saturday Selections for 17th May 2025

Jaysella’s Saturday Selections from Newbury & Navan

Newbury

Sky Sports Racing Aston Park Stakes (Group 3) 12.50
Al Aasy
Well, he’s getting on a bit now is Al Aasy, but I think he’s just as good as ever and can take this. He does like it here at Newbury, with four wins from seven starts, and showed us all that there’s still plenty of fire in the belly when taking the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown Park last time out. That race has had the form franked too, after See The Fire bolted up at York this week, and I’ll bet that Al Aasy can give a few pounds away to the four year olds, Sunway and King’s Gambit, and still come out on top. Supercool Jim Crowley’s in the hot seat, so Al Aasy it is, for me, in the opener.

Highclere Castle Gin Carnarvon Stakes (Listed) 1.25
Ides Of March (nap)
Beware the Ides Of March!, don’t they say, in Julius Caesar, and although this is two months and two days later than that famous warning, this field had better watch out. Yes, I think Ides Of March is going to be winning this for Aidan O’Brien, but you won’t get much bang for your buck if you too think I’m right. The Ballydoyle handler can hardly put a foot wrong at the moment, and with the Irish Guineas meeting just week away, Aidan’s got his timing spot on. Charlie Appleby’s Symbol Of Honour couldn’t do at Newmarket what he’s been doing at Meydan a couple of weeks back, but this ground will suit him, and it may have been that the 7 furlong trip stretched him a bit at Headquarters. Richard Hughes’ Sayidah Dariyan and Andrew Balding’s Berkshire Warrior will both try to convert their all-weather form to the grass, so they make my shortlist, but this ground’s going to be pretty quick, so it’s a big step up for them both. You’ll be missing some dots on your dice if you don’t think this one’s going back to Ireland, in my view, so Ides Of March is the one to be on!

Trade Nation London Gold Cup Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 2.00
Nebras
Girl power rules here, as Hollie Doyle gets the leg-up on Nebras for his first run in a Handicap. This Dubawi colt lines up as top-weight, but I do think he’s unexposed and the best of this lot, though there was lots of money going down for Aidan O’Brien’s Genealogy this week, though that might be a skew you can attribute to the red hot form of the Ballydoyle squad. Roger Varian’s Saddadd is another getting a bit of support, but the big surprise for me is that the Pinatubo sired colts are showing plenty of stamina for these 10 furlong trips. Pinatubo only went up to a mile as a three year old, but he’s popping out some that’ll go this trip now at stud, so I think Saddadd’s the danger. Nebras and Hollie Doyle to score, with Saddadd to make a race of it.

BoyleSports Lockinge Stakes (Group 1) 2.35
Rosallion
This is just about the deepest Lockinge that I can remember, as I talked about on the Podcast this week, but I’m going to stick with Richard Hannon’s Rosallion. There’s a big bit of loyalty from me here, as Dancing Gemini looks a really top class colt for Roger Teal, with wins at Doncaster and Sandown already in the book this season, and he has certainly returned a better model this term. However, Rosallion was my Guineas colt last year, and I just hope that he’s as good as he was when he won the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot last year. Of course, it was Charlie Appleby’s Notable Speech who took the 2,000 Guineas in front of Rosallion, but couldn’t land a blow at Ascot after that, and both this pair are first time out against a race-fit Dancing Gemini. A corker in store, and I’m sure one of these three is going in, with my cash on Rosallion. Fingers crossed!

Childwickbury Stud Fillies’ Trial Stakes (Listed) 3.10
Qilin Queen
I saw enough at Newmarket to give Qilin Queen the thumbs up for this Listed race. Nothing was going to get near to the very exciting Falakeyah in the Pretty Polly at Newmarket, but Qilin Queen did herself justice, putting in a decent shift to come a neck third. This Newbury track might suit her better, as she ran well to come second to the smart Derby hope, Luther, at Haydock Park last September, so she’s got every chance of winning this, with Hollie Doyle in charge making me like this idea even more. The Frankel filly, Sand Gazelle is one to keep an eye on, especially with Oisin Murphy in the chair, but I’ll chance my luck with Hollie and Qilin Queen.

Navan

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Yeats Stakes (Listed) 3.50
Butterfly Wings (nb)
Butterfly Wings is the one for me in this Listed contest. Sired by the US Triple Crown winning Justify, this trip should be within range, as Aidan O’Brien prepares her for a stab at the Oaks next month, and the Irish Oaks in July. I’m sure that Wayne Lordan won’t be knocking the spots off her with the Epsom Oaks so close, but if she’s going to feature in that Classic, she should really be winning this. Paddy Twomey’s got his stable in top nick this term, so first time out winner Carmers is one to note, while Jessica Harrington’s Bonnie Moon looked like she needed further when third of seven at Gowran Park last month. Butterfly Wings to wing this one, and sharpen up for the next couple of Classics.

Royal County Handicap (Premier Handicap) 5.00
Dakota Blue
“In twilight skies where dreamers fly…..” as the poem goes, this one’s going to Dakota Blue. I get that she’s got to give weight to Aidan O’Brien’s Light As Air, who finished with a flourish at Leopardstown on his first run this year, but Johnny Murtagh’s course winner was never stretched when scoring here last month, and this Sioux Nation gelding is probably a Group horse running in handicap company. Dakota Blue to go in with a forecast on Light As Air a tempting bet.