With just 10 runners in total lining up for the two Classic trials at Lingfield on Saturday, the Victoria Cup at Ascot is certainly to attract to the lion’s share of the day’s betting turnover and Gleneagle Bay (2.40) is an interesting runner for Stephen Thorne’s County Dublin stable with Hollie Doyle booked to ride.Gleneagle Bay is lightly raced for a five-year-old, with just six starts in the book thus far, but has already been touched off in two valuable big-field handicaps in Ireland and made a very promising return to action at the Curragh in March.He travelled well until a furlong out before lack of a recent run started to tell, and the drop back to a stiff seven furlongs with Doyle doing the steering could be ideal.Lingfield 1.

15: A thin field of just three runners for the Oaks Trial and the impeccably bred Giselle should stamp her class on the race,Haydock 1,35: Dance And Glance caught the eye on his handicap debut, when he finished with running left having raced well off the pace,He is just 1lb higher here, with Harry Cobden in the saddle,Lingfield 1.

50: The step up to 10 furlongs could well bring improvement from Gincident, who kept on well at Yarmouth last time.Ascot 2.05: Arisaig was caught in a classic Goodwood pocket at Listed level last time but still acquitted herself well and looks very fairly weighted off 94 back in a handicap.Lingfield 2.25: Front-running Candyman Stan was a comfortable winner last time and should have an easy time of it on the lead again.

Lingfield 3.00: Aidan O’Brien’s two runners, Puppet Master and Stay True, head the betting for the Derby Trial but Ralph Beckett’s beautifully bred Prince Of The Seas could be overpriced at around 7-1 as a result.He was still very green last time but won a strong maiden at Sandown last September with last month’s Fielden Stakes winner in fourth, and may only show his full potential now that he steps up to around a mile-and-a-half.Ascot 3.15: Fireblade was better than the bare result when successful on his handicap debut at Leicester last month and the fact that Dylan Cunha has booked William Buick for his first ever ride for the yard is also a big positive.

Lingfield 3.35: Ralph Beckett’s Cathedral is the only three-year-old in the race and was only narrowly beaten on her first try in Group Three company last season.Haydock: 1.00 Harbour Lake 1.35 Dance And Glance 2.

10 Jules Winfield 2.45 Boston Run 3.20 Callianassa 3.55 Kikkuli 4.30 Requiem.

Lingfield: 1.15 Giselle 1.50 Gincident 2.25 Candyman Stan 3.00 Prince Of The Seas 3.

35 Cathedral 4.10 Prince Of India 4.45 Protest Rally.Nottingham: 1.20 It’s Tim 1.

55 Hidden Verse 2.30 Military Girl 3.05 Signcastle City 3.40 Thiscouldbefun 4.15 South Parade 4.

50 Lord Abama.Ascot: 1.30 Military Code 2.05 Arisaig 2.40 Gleneagle Bay (nap) 3.

15 Fireblade (nb) 3.50 Chartwell Jock 4.25 Morrophore 5.00 Northcliff 5.35 Last Outlaw.

Hexham: 4.05 Dream Jet 4.40 Not Sure 5.15 Wallace Olinger 5.50 Pike Road 6.

20 Blakey Boy 6,50 Delta Blues Belle,Leicester: 5,25 Moghitha 6,00 Ideal Guest 6.

30 Beauld As Brass 7.00 My Mate Mike 7.30 Indian Spirit 8.00 Candonomore 8.30 Odd Socks Havana.

Warwick: 5.40 Striking A Pose 6.10 Doyen Quest 6.40 Cave Article 7.15 Cobbler’s Boy 7.

45 Prince Imperial 8.15 Diamond Ambition.The 2025 Chester Cup success of East India Dock proved to be a big day in the careers of two of racing’s rising stars – Harry Davies, who was aboard the big-race winner for the second year running, and trainer James Owen, whose championship-winning talent for training Pure-Bred Arabians has transferred brilliantly to training thoroughbreds both over the jumps and on the Flat.East India Dock had last been seen on a track when finishing a close third as the hot favourite for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, and he switched back to the Flat as a much-improved performer, coming with an irresistible run down the middle of the track, over a trip he was trying for the first time on the level, to land the spoils with something to spare.As Owen pointed out afterwards, his yard has now sent out 100 winners both on the Flat and over hurdles in less than three years, and his strike-rate under both codes is around 20 per cent.

Punters and bookies alike have swiftly learned to treat any runner from the yard with immense respect, and Owen has, in many respects, only just begun.“To win the Chester Cup is fantastic,” he said.“We’ve hit the crossbar a few times coming here, but it’s nice to have a winner here and we’ve won the big one.”Davies, meanwhile, advertised his talent once again with a perfectly-judged ride on East India Dock, having briefly led in the opening strides before settling close behind the pace in a perfect position to strike as the field straightened for home.“I’m very lucky to get the rides in this race I have and every time I have ridden in it, I don’t think I’ve had a bad ride,” he said afterwards.

“He got a good draw which always helps round here, and he jumped good, I was able to hold my pitch and then he was gutsy.”Having come up just short at Cheltenham, East India Dock will now be aimed towards Royal Ascot, where the Ascot Stakes Handicap is the likely target.James Owen, the trainer of East India Dock, is a rapidly-rising force both over jumps and on the Flat, having started out in racing as a champion trainer of Pure-Bred Arabians.He has just enjoyed the biggest success of his career to date, both in terms of prize money – £86k – and also the profile of the Chester Cup as one of the toughest races to win all year.“This is our biggest win, we’ve had Group wins and things like this but this is a really prestigious race, the one that everyone comes here for, so to win it is fantastic.

“I’ve got a lot of support from a lot of good owners.We’ve now trained 100 Flat winners and 100 jumps winners and we’ve been going two-and-a-half years, so we’re getting there.”I asked him if he thinks he’ll ever want or need to choose between the Flat or the jumps.“I want to remain dual-purpose,” Owen said.“Obviously we’ll switch to have more Flat horses during the summer, and always have a winter team for the all-weather along with the jumpers.

My greatest love is jumping and a lot of horses like switching between codes.”But does he ever get a day off? “This is a day off,” he said with a broad smile, before heading off to pick up his prize.1.EAST INDIA DOCK 9-4 FAV, 2.Caballo De Mar 11-2, 3.

Zoffee 14-1.Callum Shepherd did all he could on Caballo De Mar and timed his run to perfection, but he just had no answer to the late surge that Harry Davies – who was on last year’s winner, Zoffee – coaxed from East India Dock.Going down the back, still Leinster in front, Caballo de Mar going well alongside … here’s Caballo De Mar with his challenge down the middle of the track, he’s a length up but here’s East India Dock wider still, and East India Dock has quickened up impressively to win!Leinster still leads but taking quite a hold, he may need to settle better to get home … Caballo De Mar still close in second with Zoffee, turning back for home the first time … Divine Comedy and East India Dock fourth and fifth … Emiyn and Hot Fuss mid-division … still closely packed going back out for the final circuit..Level break, they’re charging six-wide across the straight looking for position … Leinster and Ryan Moore get the lead, Caballo De Mar close up with Zoffee …Off and running in the Chester Cup!They are at the post for the Chester Cup, and starting to go into the stalls … a minute or so to the off …CHESTER CUP VERDICTThis is one of the toughest Flat handicaps of the year and any punter’s shortlist is likely to extend to at least half-a-dozen runners, but in the end, having flirted with Zoffee and East India Dock among several others, I decided that sometimes the obvious option is the one to take and plumped for Caballo De Mar.

He’s currently a 5-1 chance, behind East India Dock at 100-30 and Leinster on 7-2.CHESTER CUP CONTENDER: ZoffeeLast year’s winner is back for another crack, along with the runner-up, Emiyn.CHESTER CUP CONTENDER: Hot FussLike East India Dock, his last run was at Cheltenham, but in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle where he was a very creditable fourth.CHESTER CUP CONTENDER: Caballo De MarMuch improved on the all-weather over the winter, he arrives at Chester looking for a six-timer and remains on a very decent mark if he can translate that improvement back to turf.His last win on grass was on a mark of just 64, but he was off 85 when winning his latest start at Southwell by four lengths and carries a 3lb penalty today.

CHESTER CUP CONTENDER: East India Dock James Owen’s runner was last seen finishing a close third in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.His last outing on the Flat, meanwhile, was in the Mallard Handicap at Doncaster in September.CHESTER CUP CONTENDER: Leinster One of Joseph O’Brien’s two runners and a potential favourite, he’s lightly-raced with just four runs in the book and took a big-field handicap at the Curragh in March with something to spare.Another winning favourite and it was pretty straightforward for Oisin Murphy once he pulled The Foxes out and pointed him towards the line.He cruised around, broke and relaxed and did everything you’d want him to do.

1,THE FOXES 13-8 FAV, 2,Cairo 40-1,Bolster leads six out … Certain Lad goes well on his outside as they start to turn in … into the straight, Bolster kicks, Certain Lad next and here comes The Foxes down the middle of the track … Murphy has a furlong of track to work with … he’s making ground easily and hits the front … and stays on to win cosily,The Foxes straight into the lead … Certain Lad was slow to stride … Bolster moves up to take the lead from The Foxes with a circuit to run … Cairo is second, The Foxes against the rail going out into the back …Off and running for the Huxley Stakes …They are at the post for the Huxley Stakes, and The Foxes has eased slightly to 13-8