APRIL REVIEW
The turf season is firmly underway and we added a further 15 winners to our seasonal tally in April, ensuring we head into May at the top of the Trainers’ Championship.
See The Fire got her season off to the perfect start with a narrow success in the Listed Nottinghamshire Oaks, with Rob Hornby deputising for regular rider Oisin Murphy, who was in Hong Kong. The five year old came so close to a first Group 1 success when runner-up in the Prix de l’Opera in October and it would be fantastic to see her make the breakthrough at the top level this term. The Middleton at York’s Dante meeting could be next, a race in which she was highly impressive last term.
Berkshire Sundance and Stateira both arrived at Newcastle on AW Finals day on the back of a win in January and it was great to see them follow up in very good style, with Oisin Murphy on board for both successes. The former remains unexposed on turf, has now won seven of his last 11 starts and looks a likely contender for the Chester Cup, while the latter looks well worth her place in a higher grade and is likely to go in search of black type.
Stellar Sunrise had won a valuable nursery at the Ebor meeting before finishing fifth in the Horris Hill on his final outing of 2025 and he looked to have taken another step forward when running out a very comfortable winner of a competitive handicap at Newbury’s Greenham meeting, with James Doyle on board. He looks a very smart colt in the making.
Double Rush looks a very smart recruit to the yard, having taken apart a sprint handicap at Newmarket on his first start since joining us, with Oisin Murphy never having to get too serious with the son of Blue Point. He has a good deal of talent and is a fascinating prospect.
Mister Winston was another to win a Newmarket handicap on his seasonal reappearance, with Oisin Murphy making all the running on the four year old, who had been gelded following his final start last autumn, and hopefully he can have a say in some of the big handicaps this year.
A winner on her second and final start at two, Prizeland will have gone into many notebooks on her seasonal reappearance, defying a penalty in a class 3 novice contest at Lingfield Park with the minimum of fuss under the returning David Probert, who is back following a spell in Hong Kong over the winter. The half-sister to Derby runner-up Hoo Ya Mal rates an exciting prospect and is a possible for the Lingfield Oaks Trial. Generic is another that will be stepping up in grade next time, having won at Yarmouth in fine style under Oisin Murphy in a race that is working out well. The son of Kameko is Chester-bound for the Dee Stakes.
Simplify is firmly on the upgrade and she maintained her unbeaten start to the season with a ready success at Thirsk, with P J McDonald on board. The manner in which she settled manners in that sprint handicap suggests she can make a very bold bid for the four-timer next time, despite a 9lbs rise.
Peaky Blinder signed off his 2025 campaign with a win and, back from being gelded over the winter, he returned with a second career success, winning with plenty to spare at Southwell under Oisin Murphy. He is another that could have the Chester Cup on his agenda next and is a stayer with a bright future. Topteam is another to have won on the AW on his return to action following a gelding operation, making all at Kempton Park with Oisin again on board, and it wasn’t his running when failing to back up that form at Epsom next time – he can bounce back.
Nanoscience had shown ability in her three runs at two and it was very pleasing to see her make a winning return to action in a maiden at Kempton Park, with Oisin Murphy doing the steering. There should be plenty of improvement to come from her.
King Of Berkshire has looked an improved performer since stepping up to 1m2f and following a short-head second on his handicap debut in mid-April, he made most of the running to go one better at Redcar under P J McDonald. A 6lbs rise demands more, but he has the scope to progress this term. Blackisthenewblack was another to score at the second time of asking in handicap company, making all in first-time cheekpieces for Oisin Murphy at Kempton Park, just half an hour after Leonie had made a successful handicap debut, with Oisin Murphy again on board. Both won with enough in hand to suggest they can remain highly competitive off their revised marks, having both been raised 6lbs.