Varian’s Third Realm displays his Epsom Derby credentials

THIRD Realm threw his hat into the ring for next month’s premier Classic at Epsom with an impressive display in Saturday’s Derby Trial at Lingfield.

Fourth on his sole juvenile start at Kempton in November, the son of Derby hero Sea The Stars made a successful comeback at Nottingham last month to earn himself this step up to Listed class.

Ridden with restraint for much of the near mile-and-a-half journey by David Egan, the 14-1 shot was switched wide to challenge rounding the home turn and quickly reeled in the leaders to grab the advantage.

The giant 6-5 favourite Adayar did his best to close the gap, but Egan always looked in control in front and Third Realm, right, was ultimately good value for the winning margin of a length and a quarter.

Trainer Roger Varian said: “It goes without saying we’re delighted with that performance.

“We thought he’d run well. It’s the nature of the business that you’re cautiously optimistic when you’re going from a maiden to a recognised trial, but it isn’t a surprise – he’s a colt we think a lot of.

“He won nicely at Nottingham. I was worried about the ground, to be honest, but I thought if he handled conditions he’d be well up to running a nice race.”

Paddy Power reacted to the victory by cutting the winner to 10-1 from 100-1 for the Cazoo Derby at Epsom on June 5.

Varian added: “I’ve yet to speak with the owner (Sheikh Mohammed

Obaid), so we’ll not set anything in stone just yet and most importantly we need to see how the horse comes out of today’s race.”

Elsewhere on the card, outsider Sherbet Lemon claimed top honours in the Oaks Trial.

Stepping up to Listed class, the American-bred filly was a widely unconsidered 28-1 shot in the hands of Paul Mulrennan, but raced close to the pace throughout and battled her way to the front in the home straight.

Catterick – (five-year record) Top Trainers (with runners): T Easterby 31-260 (11.9%), R Fahey 26-185 (14.1%), D O’Meara 25-157 (15.9%), K Dalgleish 17-100 (17%), M Johnston 17-111 (15.3%), J J Quinn 17-150 (11.3%), E Alston 13-47 (27.7%), R Menzies 8-43 (18.6%), B Ellison 8-63 (12.7%), R Fell 8-84 (9.5%), S Dixon 7-79 (8.9%).

Top Jockeys (with mounts): Jason Hart 33-193 (17.1%), Daniel Tudhope 22-106 (20.8%), James Sullivan 18-169 (10.7%), Paul Mulrennan 15-98 (15.3%), Ben Curtis 15-130 (11.5%), Joe Fanning 14-107 (13.1%),

Harrison Shaw 13-91 (14.3%), Phil Dennis 13-106 (12.3%), David Allan 13-150 (8.7%), Kevin Stott 12-100 (12%).

Favourites: 169-503 (33.6%).

Ffos Las – (five-year record) Top Trainers (with runners): E Williams 34-231 (14.7%), P Bowen 22-171 (12.9%), D Rees 14-94 (14.9%), T Vaughan 10-103 (9.7%), D Pipe 9-62 (14.5%), R Curtis 8-39 (20.5%), N Mulholland 8-62 (12.9%), H Fry 7-28 (25%), J Flint 7-44 (15.9%), D Hamer 5-51 (9.8%), O Sherwood 4-16 (25%), K Bailey 4-23 (17.4%).

Top Jockeys (with mounts): Adam Wedge 27-133 (20.3%), Sean Bowen 24-149 (16.1%), Tom Scudamore 14-92 (15.2%), James Bowen 8-104 (7.7%), Lorcan Williams 6-26 (23.1%), Ben Jones 6-36 (16.7%), Tom O’Brien 6-49 (12.2%), Alan Johns 6-61 (9.8%), Robbie Dunne 6-64 (9.4%), Paddy Brennan 5-33 (15.2%), Isabel Williams 5-35 (14.3%). Favourites: 102-329 (31.0%).

Lingfield – (five-year record) Top Trainers (with runners): R Hannon 82-488 (16.8%), M Johnston 77-368 (20.9%), A Watson 68-330 (20.6%), W Haggas 49-169 (29%), G L Moore 44-366 (12%), A Balding 38-236 (16.1%), S Dow 35-309 (11.3%), A Carroll 34-356 (9.6%), J Osborne 23-233 (9.9%), M Attwater 23-336 (6.8%).

Top Jockeys (with mounts): Adam Kirby 98-579 (16.9%), Luke Morris 95-832 (11.4%), Tom Marquand 80-503 (15.9%), David Probert 74-615 (12%), Richard Kingscote 66-334 (19.8%), Kieran O’Neill 36-408 (8.8%), Hector Crouch 35-327 (10.7%), Liam Keniry 29-407 (7.1%), William Carson 26-271 (9.6%). Favourites: 833-2471 (33.7%).

Southwell _ (five-year record) Top Trainers (with runners): N Henderson 20-51 (39.2%), O Murphy 17-101 (16.8%), F O’Brien 15-66 (22.7%), Dr R Newland 13-48 (27.1%), H Whittington 12-46 (26.1%), M Keighley 12-72 (16.7%), B Pauling 11-68 (16.2%), A King 10-46 (21.7%), T R George 9-64 (14.1%), O Greenall 8-44 (18.2%).

Top Jockeys (with mounts): Nico De Boinville 21-73 (28.8%), Sam Twiston-Davies 18-95 (18.9%), Aidan Coleman 17-100 (17%), Brian Hughes 14-97 (14.4%), Daryl Jacob 11-45 (24.4%), Gavin Sheehan 11-61 (18%), Adrian Heskin 10-42 (23.8%), Henry Brooke 8-66 (12.1%), Tom Cannon 6-34 (17.6%), Richie McLernon 5-45 (11.1%).

Favourites: 211-569 (37.1%).

Windsor – (five-year record) Top Trainers (with runners): R Hannon

52-285 (18.2%), A Balding 24-126 (19.1%), M Channon 20-130 (15.4%), E Walker 19-106 (17.9%), M Johnston 15-59 (25.4%), C Hills 14-101 (13.9%), R Beckett 14-103 (13.6%), E

J-Houghton 14-113 (12.4%), R Varian 13-52 (25%), M Bell 13-66 (19.7%), S C Williams 13-91 (14.3%), S & E Crisford 12-53 (22.6%). Top Jockeys (with mounts): Oisin Murphy 53-288 (18.4%), James Doyle 31-130 (23.9%), Silvestre De Sousa 29-98 (29.6%), Sean Levey 25-147 (17%), Jamie Spencer 18-104 (17.3%), Pat Dobbs 16-102 (15.7%), Kieran Shoemark 13-112 (11.6%), Andrea Atzeni 12-71 (16.9%), David Egan 12-137 (8.8%), William Buick

11-39 (28.2%), Ryan Moore 11-51 (21.6%). Favourites: 256-764 (33.5%).

Cheek pieces – Catterick: 1.40 Fashion Advice; 2.15 Major Snugfit, Strict Order; 2.50 Barney Bullet, Idilico, Kings Creek(*), Winfola; 3.25 B Fifty Two, Bevsboy, Gullane One, Star Citizen, Zylan; 4.30 Black Kraken, Bollin Neil, Murchison River, She Got Fast; 5.00 Equidae, King Of Tonga, Nordic Fire, Tathmeen, The Great Heir, Zumurud. Ffos Las: 1.30 Easkey Lad; 2.05 Lermoos Legend, Templier; 2.40 Aaron Lad(*), Landofsmiles, Minella Bobo, Shantou Village; 3.15 Dolciano Dici, Imperial Knight,

Umndeni, Voodoo Doll; 3.50 Chain Smoker, Hedgeinator, Kapsize(*), Lex Talionis, Robin Of Sherwood, The Big Yin, Twojayslad; 4.20 Arthur’s Reuben, Falethao D’ana, Isla Di Milano, Minella Voucher, The Manuscript. Lingfield: 1.15 Young John; 1.50 Amnaa, Fujaira

King, Global Acclamation, The Lacemaker;

3.00 Vandad(*); 4.10 Blairlogie, I’m Digby, Junoesque, Mostaqqer; 4.45 Arthur’s Angel, 5.15 Fleeting Visit, Ray’s The One. Southwell: 5.20 Do It For Thy Sen, Fenrir Binding, Old Harry Rocks, Rostello; 5.50 Commodore Barry, The Captains Inn; 7.50 Supreme Yeats(*), Waterlefe Getaway(*); 8.20 First Quest, Lord Apparelli(*). Windsor: 4.25 Vintage Rascal(*), Water’s Edge; 7.00 Tara Iti; 7.30 Lawmans Blis. (*) denotes horses wearing cheek pieces for the first time.

Tongue straps – Catterick: 1.40 Ehrmann; 2.50 Tippler, Kings Creek, Winfola, Barney Bullet; 3.25 B Fifty Two, Gullane One; 4.30 Murchison River, She Got Fast, Allerthorpe;

5.00 Equidae. Ffos Las: 1.30 You Name Him, Hitdroadjack; 2.05 Cape Robin, Dunbar, Templier, Sad Eyed Dylan, Flight To Nowhere,

Grand Coureur, Crackle Lyn Rosie; 2.40 Theligny, Shantou Village, Minella Bobo; 3.15 Dolciano Dici, Spectator; 3.50 Lex Talionis, Twojayslad, Robin Of Sherwood, Marble Moon, Triangle Rock, The Big Yin, Hang Tough, Kapsize; 4.20 Cave Top, Bassarabad, Clondaw Rigger, Minella Voucher, Arthur’s Reuben, Falethao D’ana. Lingfield: 1.50 Vitesse Du Son; 3.00 Vandad; 3.35 Anniemation, Dyagilev, Lady Of York; 4.10 Mister Freeze, Rubheira; 5.15 Alchemystique. Southwell: 5.50 Commodore Barry, Licklighter; 6.20 Flamingo Rose; 7.50 Pepper Street, Just Once; 8.20 Timeforaspin, First Quest. Windsor: 4.25 Psyche; 5.30 Hot Diva; 6.00 Cream Of The Crop; 6.30 Stormy Antarctic, Syrtis; 7.30 Chubba, Impossiblepossible.

Visored for the first time – Catterick: 2.15 Para Queen; 3.25 Canford’s Joy. Lingfield: 4.45 Copake.

Blinkered for the first time – Ffos

Las: 2.40 Ocean Cove; 4.20 Stung For Cash. Lingfield: 3.35 Miss Sligo; 5.15 Thorn. Today’s longest traveller: Elusive Artist (4.45 Lingfield) – 270 miles.