April 28 / 14.40 Epsom

14.40

Good To Firm

Betfred Blue Riband Trial Stakes (Listed Race)

  • Prize money: £34026
  • 1m 2f 17y
  • Class 1
  • 6 runners
RTV
View Course
Betfred Blue Riband Trial Stakes (Listed Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

OUR TIP

Form: 3-1

Last run: 27 days

W: 9st 3lb

3 yo Colt

OR: —

Form & Verdict
Winning siblings include Claymore, a Group 3 winner at 1m2f for this yard; lots to like about his persevering third of seven in a good 1m Newmarket maiden (22-1; ridden by 7lb claimer) on debut but he didn't need any more than that form when making all on Kempton AW (1m) this month; Derby entry who should make a better 3yo but how much better will be clearer after today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

6

(1)

19th Sep 2026

Good

1m 2f 0y

Class 2

14:47 Newbury

Balzac

9st 1lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: Jane Chapple-Hyam

Record of 1-1 on AW; 0-6 on turf but has useful form in this sphere, including at Listed level; gelded prior to good second under 7lb claimer in Ascot handicap (1m2f) most recently; may well build on that effort and go one better with Ryan Moore taking over.

11/2

2nd

2

(1)

5th Sep 2026

Good

1m 1f 212y

Class 3

15:25 Ascot

Balzac

9st 9lb

J: Sorin Moldoveanu

T: Jane Chapple-Hyam

On the Derby trail after winning AW novice in April and finished third in Blue Riband Trial at Epsom and Lingfield Derby Trial in the spring; like many he was beaten a long way in the big one and his subsequent 14th in the Golden Gates here (1m2f, good to firm) was underwhelming; off since and has been gelded; will need to resume in his spring form to make an impact but a handicapping case can be made.

16/1

14th

10

(15)

20th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

1m 1f 212y

Class 2

17:35 Ascot

Balzac

9st 3lb

J: Billy Loughnane

T: Jane Chapple-Hyam

AW novice winner who was third in 1m2f Listed race at Epsom and 11.6f Derby Trial at Lingfield (good to firm); same fate as many when tailed off in the Derby (1m4f, soft; 66-1) two weeks ago; improvement is also needed if he's to make a splash on this handicap debut, but return to 1m2f can help.

25/1

4/9

Form: 7145-

Last run: 184 days

W: 9st 3lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
By Frankel; dam won the Group 3 Albany (6f) as 2yo and bred Group-placed Agenda (1m4f) for this yard; clung on for 7f maiden win at the Curragh on second start but was a better horse in the autumn, not having much to race against when involved in a scramble for second in a Group 3 at Newmarket (1m, good to firm) then bogged down by the class rise and/or very soft ground in the Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud; likely to do better as a 3yo over this longer trip; good chance with sights lowered.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

1

(2)

20th Jun 2026

Good

1m 4f 207y

16:33 Down Royal

New Zealand

9st 13lb

J: Jack Cleary

T: A P O’Brien

Narrow winner of a Curragh maiden last July; limitations exposed in stakes races, twice last year and in Listed events at Epsom and Navan this term; cheekpieces tried now; stable has won two of the last five editions of this race; unwise to rule out.

11/2

3rd

3

(3)

16th May 2026

Good

1m 5f 0y

16:07 Navan

New Zealand

9st 5lb

J: Wayne Lordan

T: A P O’Brien

The most experienced of these, having won Curragh 2yo maiden and twice campaigned in Group company, notably fifth in Group 1 Criterium International; underwhelming seasonal debut, however, in Epsom Classic Trial last month, weakening quite tamely final furlong; blinkers now tried and upped in trip.

7/4

Form: 65431- D

Last run: 202 days

W: 9st 3lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 82

Form & Verdict
All five races on good or slower; middling form on first three starts but was all the better for the step up to 1m2f on final two runs and his stamina was much in evidence when forging clear in a Nottingham handicap (good to soft), despite running green; needs to have come on a ton over the winter to play a part and the track and good to firm ground are other queries.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

12

(9)

19th Sep 2026

Good

1m 5f 61y

Class 2

13:37 Newbury

Pearl River

8st 2lb

J: Silvestre De Sousa

T: Richard Hannon

Sole 3yo in this field; has shown fairly useful form over middle distances, winning twice; creditable second at York (1m2f) most recently; interesting off bottom weight, assuming he's as effective at 1m5f.

8/1

2nd

16

(9)

6th Sep 2026

Good To Soft

1m 2f 56y

Class 3

15:15 York

Pearl River

9st 2lb

J: Alec Voikhansky

T: Richard Hannon

First run at 1m6f when fourth of five runners last time at Newmarket; has looked vulnerable since winning off 5lb lower here in May.

14/1

4th

5

(2)

22nd Aug 2026

Good To Firm

1m 6f 0y

Class 3

16:29 Newmarket (July)

Pearl River

8st 13lb

J: Alec Voikhansky

T: Richard Hannon

Still 6lb higher than for emphatic win at York (extended 1m2f, good) in May but ran well when fifth of 13 at Glorious Goodwood (1m3f, good to firm); not out of this if suited by the new trip (first run beyond 1m4f).

11/2

Form: 513

Last run: 45 days

W: 9st 3lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 81

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Form: 1-

Last run: 160 days

W: 9st 3lb

3 yo Colt

OR: —

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Form: 1-

Last run: 131 days

W: 9st 3lb

3 yo Colt

OR: —

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £73.00
Straight Forecast £61.79
Trifecta £236.40

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

New Zealand

NEWMARKET:

Saxon Street

Telegraph:

Balzac

Daily Mail:

Saxon Street

D Express:

Saxon Street

The Star:

Saxon Street

RP RATINGS:

New Zealand

TOPSPEED:

New Zealand

POSTDATA:

New Zealand

The Times:

New Zealand

The Guardian:

New Zealand

Daily Mirror:

New Zealand

The Sun:

New Zealand

Daily Record:

New Zealand