bet365 Feilden Stakes |
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| Listed, Newmarket 14:25 £55,000 guaranteed, 3yo fillies only, 1m 1f, Class 1  |
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1 Almeric 11/4F
2 King Of Cities 17/2
3 Nightwalker 15/2
8 ran Distances: 1l, 7½l, 2l
Time: 1m 53.23s (slow by 4.33s)
✅ Almeric fends off King Of Cities in the £55,000 Listed @bet365 Feilden Stakes at HQ pic.twitter.com/Bp9AUngT1y
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 15, 2025
The Andrew Balding juggernaut shows no signs of slowing as Almeric, all elegance and purpose, strode to a polished success —carrying the same kind of momentum that saw the Kingsclere team rattle in four winners at Newbury just days prior.
With the Rowley Mile bathed in early-season promise, Oisin Murphy charted a stalking passage aboard the 11-4 favourite, ever poised in the slipstream of Tom Marquand on Green Storm, who took the field along with intent.
But as they swung for home and the rhythm quickened, the early leader began to wilt—his stride shortening just as the cavalry loomed. Cue Almeric and King Of Cities, the latter under a determined Rossa Ryan, pulling clear with purpose in what became a two-horse war to the line.
Stride for stride they battled, but it was the son of Study Of Man—his head low, ears pinned, and eyes on the prize—who edged away with the kind of authority that speaks of more to come. A length clear at the post, with Nightwalker staying on with promise for third on debut for the Gosden team.
There was a stewards’ enquiry into that stretch-long duel, but the result stood—and rightly so.
“He’s a smart horse,” said a clearly pleased Balding. “We fancied him coming in and he’s clearly got an engine, especially on this slower ground. It’s lovely for Miss Rausing—he’s a homebred and he’s got a future.”
Murphy added that his mount was “running on fumes” in the final strides, having chased a fierce early pace on seasonal reappearance—but it didn’t show when it mattered.
With entries in the French, Irish and German Derbies, options abound—but it’s the Dante at York and a Gallic raid that appear to be top of the shortlist.
“He’ll come on for that—he’s only just getting started,” Balding smiled. And so, it seems, is the season.
bet365 Feilden Stakes (Listed)
£55,000 guaranteed, 3yo only, 1m 1f, Class 1,
8 ran
Going: Good to Soft
POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (3) Almeric 3 9-2 Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy 11/4F
2 (5) 1 King Of Cities 3 9-2 Richard Hannon Ryan Moore 17/2
3 (1) 7½ Nightwalker 3 9-2 John & Thady Gosden Kieran Shoemark 15/2
4 (6) 2 Green Storm 3 9-2 Charlie Johnston Tom Marquand 7/2
5 (7) 1½ Sallaal 3 9-2 Roger Varian Silvestre De Sousa 7/2
6 (2) 7 Last Galileo 3 9-2 K R Burke Clifford Lee 18/1
7 (8) 29 Masai Moon 3 9-2 Charlie Appleby William Buick 7/1
8 (4) 7 Law Of Design 3 9-2 Brian Meehan James Doyle 28/1
