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

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

11th

5

(2)

6th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

1m 4f 6y

Class 1

16:00 Epsom

Balzac

9st 2lb

J: Silvestre De Sousa

T: Jane Chapple-Hyam

Novice winner whose rallying third of six in Listed race here (1m2f, good) in April suggested that longer trips would suit; tried 11.6f in the Lingfield Derby Trial (good to firm) and recorded his highest rating, but Maltese Cross and Bay Of Brilliance were just over 6l ahead of him; major work to do.

100/1

3rd

2

(2)

9th May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 3f 133y

Class 1

13:58 Lingfield

Balzac

9st 2lb

J: Silvestre De Sousa

T: Jane Chapple-Hyam

Winning siblings include Claymore, a Group 3 winner at 1m2f for this yard; third to Maltese Cross in a 1m Newmarket maiden on sole 2yo start; evens when making all in a Kempton novice (1m, AW) on return and his rallying third of six in Listed race at Epsom (1m2f, good) suggested that this longer trip would suit; some others have better form but he can improve.

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

15th

22

(5)

11th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

1m 2f 56y

Class 2

15:45 York

Pearl River

8st 2lb

J: Cam Hardie

T: Richard Hannon

Returned to form to win over C&D (good) in May and close second of three at Salisbury (1m4f, good to firm) subsequently; he's the sole 3yo in the field and further improvement is possible, but necessary from out of the handicap in this much hotter contest.

33/1

2nd

2

(2)

30th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

1m 4f 5y

Class 3

16:37 Salisbury

Pearl River

9st 7lb

J: Joe Leavy

T: Richard Hannon

Has a record of 2-3 in handicaps, the wins over 1m2f at Nottingham (good to soft) as a 2yo and York (good) in latest outing; likely to be suited by this new trip and is the proven handicapper in the field; possibly hasn't reached his ceiling yet.

5/2

1st

2

(3)

23rd May 2026

Good

1m 2f 56y

Class 4

16:25 York

Pearl River

9st 8lb

J: Alec Voikhansky

T: Richard Hannon

All seven races on good or softer; 1m2f suited him well on final two runs as 2yo, culminating in a Nottingham handicap win; not discredited when up against it on his two starts this term and this is much more realistic, but he still needs better.

10/1

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