Felix to continue progress in Trial
Marco Botti’s Felix can continue his steep upward progression by winning the Betway Winter Derby Trial at Lingfield tomorrow.
The relatively lightly-raced five-year-old is with his third trainer, having started life with Lu ca Cum a ni before moving on to Sir Michael Stoute after the retirement of the Italian.
Given they are two of the more patient trainers in the ranks, it is perhaps no surprise that Felix is coming of age at this stage of his career.
That started after being gelded and having had a wind operation, following three below-par outings for Stoute. He then won a handicap at Newmarket from a mark of 82 before heading to the sales – where he fetched what now looks a bargain 24,000 guineas.
Botti was the lucky recipient – and bar one inexplicable blip at Wolverhampton, Felix’ s progress has been impressive. On Boxing Day 2019 he won off 88 at Wolverhampton on his first outing for new connections, then followed up at Ling field before his blip at Wolverhampton. He then he won at Kempton before almost a year off.
That was what made his reappearance win at Wolverhampton all the more impressive, beating Bangkok and Forest Of Dean, so it seems highly likely there is even more improvement to come.
Fizzy Feet would be an apt winner of the Betway Kachy Stakes for owner Dave Lowe, but she still has a fair bit to find with Misty Grey.
The latter was a very busy juvenile for Mark Johnston, with a second place in a Listed race his best effort, but he made it back to the track only in September of his threeyear-old season – and raced just twice more.
His owners then moved him to Tom Dascombe, for whom he has positively thrive d–winning all three outings for his new trainer. He actually beat Fizzy Feet in December, and strictly on the figures there should not be much between them again. However, that day Misty Grey did not get the clear est of runs and was probably value for a bit more.
Charlie Appleby’s Royal Touch will have to start winning soon if he is to live up to his half-brother’s reputation.
Farhh was an outstanding horse for Saeed bin Suroor, but he was unfortunate to be around at the same time as Frankel.
Second to Sir Henry Cecil’s great in the Sussex Stakes and International at York, he enjoyed his days in the sun when winning the Lockinge and the
Champion Stakes in 2013.
Royal Touch has shown ability in his two runs to date, but he was well beaten by a stablemate when odds-on at Newmarket in October. That was on heavy ground, though – and while Farhh handled those conditions, his younger sibling can be forgiven his one go on it. Gelded since, he now needs to produce the goods.