Friendly fires into Derby reckoning
CALLUM SHEPHERD is daring to dream a potential first ride in the Derby could reap the ultimate reward after Ambiente Friendly’s blistering Lingfield Trial win.
The biggest Flat race in the world has been crying out for a horse to make a compelling claim and Ambiente Friendly, trained by James Fanshawe at Newmarket for owners the Gredley family, stepped up to the task in grand style yesterday.
Lingfield has a history of producing Derby heroes. Nine colts since the Trial’s inception in 1932 have won over this twisting and undulating course before going to thrive at Epsom, the last of which being Anthony Van Dyck in 2019. Ambiente Friendly ticked a lot of boxes.
So impressed were bookmakers by what they saw that they slashed his ante-post odds from 100-1 to 10-1, and Shepherd, his young jockey, could not contain his enthusiasm after Ambiente Friendly scooted away from Aidan O’Brien’s Illinois, who had been sent off 7-4 favourite.
There were four-and-a-half lengths between first and second and there was no indication that Ambiente Friendly was stopping. Speed and stamina is a potent combination for a horse with ambitions of going to Epsom, and there will be improvement to come. ‘That was just exceptional,’ Shepherd said.
‘I have ridden him in loads of work and he has come on so much.
It felt like a proper race. I can’t believe how he split the field so comfortably. That was brilliant.
‘If I’m allowed to keep the ride, he will go there with a chance after such a good audition.’
Also heading to Epsom, for the Oaks, will be Ralph Beckett’s You Got To Me, who made every yard of her trial for jockey Hector Crouch. Beckett had also won the Cheshire Oaks trial with Forest Fairy on Wednesday.
‘I was confident she’d handle the track and she has proven to be good enough,’ said Beckett, whose filly held off the late thrust of another O’Brien runner, Rubies Are Red. ‘She knows her own mind and Epsom will suit her well.’