Betsafe Derby Trial Stakes |
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| Listed, Lingfield 15:15 Winner: £14,461, 3yo only, 1m 3f 106y, Class 1  |
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| Friday 5th June 2020 | |
1 English King 9/4J
2 Berkshire Rocco 9/4J
3 Summeronsevenhills 25/1
8 ran Distances: 2¾l, 7l, ½l
Time: 2m 24.36s (fast by 1.44s
That was very impressive!
— Betsafe Racing (@BetsafeRacing) June 5, 2020
ENGLISH KING lays down a huge marker for the Epsom Derby!pic.twitter.com/2EvMpdHhXa
Ed Walker's English King went into the winter on the back of a taking maiden win over 10 furlongs at Newcastle in November and he took the step up to Listed level in his stride under a confident Tom Marquand.
A son of Derby winner Camelot, the 9/4 joint-favourite was held up near the back of the eight-runner field as King Carney took them along at a brisk tempo.
Berkshire Rocco - the main market rival to the winner - sat second under Oisin Murphy and he was in the right place to pick up the running as the leader weakened out of it.
But English King had made stealthy headway through the pack and sauntered up to Berkshire Rocco before exploding to the front just a furlong out and galloping right through the line for a two and three-quarter length victory.
The Lingfield winner has gone on to Derby glory nine times in the past, including last year when Anthony Van Dyck completed the double.
Marquand said on Sky Sports Racing: "I was really happy with him as it's a tough track for a horse to get used to. He had to learn on the way round in amongst them. Just at the last second (coming down the hill) he realised what his job was and he'll come on a lot for that.
"He was really impressive."
Betsafe Derby Trial Stakes (Listed)
Winner: £14,461, 3yo only, 1m 3f 106y, Class 1
8 ran
Going: Good to Firm
POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (6) English King 3 9-0 Ed Walker Tom Marquand 9/4JF
2 (3) 2¾ Berkshire Rocco 3 9-0 Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy 9/4JF
3 (1) 7 Summeronsevenhills 3 9-0 Richard Hughes Shane Kelly 25/1
4 (7) ½ Sound Of Cannons 3 9-0 Brian Meehan Martin Dwyer 13/2
5 (5) 2¾ King's Caper 3 9-0 Mark Johnston Franny Norton 7/1
6 (4) shd Pride Of America 3 9-0 Harry Dunlop Luke Morris 20/1
7 (2) 6 King Carney 3 9-3 Charlie Fellowes Kieran Shoemark 10/1
8 (8) 1¾ Dark Heart 3 9-0 Mark Johnston P J McDonald 14/1
