Dancing Gemini scores Sandown success
Roger Teal will consider top-level targets at home and abroad for Dancing Gemini after he continued his flying start to the season with an assured victory in the bet365 Mile at Sandown.
The Lambourn handler's stable star disappointed as a leading fancy for last year's Derby, but rounded off his three-year-old campaign with a creditable fourth-placed finish in the QEII at Ascot and made an impressive reappearance in the Doncaster Mile four weeks ago.
He was a 5-2 favourite to follow up at Group Two level and having travelled powerfully throughout in the hands of Rossa Ryan, the Camelot colt quickly clicked into gear once given his head to pull a length and three-quarters clear of a top-class filly in Tamfana.
Dancing Gemini justifies favouritism, landing a confident victory in the Group 2 @bet365 Mile for Rossa Ryan and Roger Teal
@RogerTealRacing pic.twitter.com/thA8cbtXeq
— Sandown Park (@Sandownpark) April 25, 2025
Teal said: "I always knew he could perform like that and that is why we were pitching him in all the Group races last year.
"I've got to get back and watch it properly as I spent most of my time jumping up and down – I'm not a very good race watcher!
"Unfortunately last year with the wet ground, we never got the chance to show our best. Everyone keeps labelling him a soft-ground horse, but he is not a soft-ground horse and I've always said that.
"There are a lot of nice horses in behind who will improve for that today. I have so much respect for the opposition and Mr (Andre) Fabre's horse (Alcantor, finished fourth) was fit and ready and he's no mug. He was third behind us when we were second in the French Guineas.
"I didn't want to see Haatem declared (finished fifth) and I think he's a serious horse and I think will come on for that, but our lad has got it done.
"There's the Lockinge, but the Prix d'Ispahan is another opportunity and we've got to get him a Group One.
"We'll have to see how the dust settles, I have always had the Lockinge in mind for him and we've got to consider France as well.
"No Group One will be easy, but we'll go where we feel is best for the horse."
Al Aasy came from last to first to claim top honours in the bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes.
The William Haggas-trained veteran was a 15-2 shot for his seasonal reappearance as he went in search of a seventh Group Three success and a 10th career victory overall.
Dropped out last for much of the 10-furlong contest by Jim Crowley, Al Aasy began to edge closer racing inside the final two furlongs before quickening up smartly to beat the front-running Ancient Wisdom by half a length.
Maureen Haggas, assistant to her husband, said: "I think Jim has got the hang of him now and gave him a beautiful ride. He just waited and waited and the mile-and-a-quarter pace suited him well.
"I was worried he might be a bit fresh today as he has been quite fresh at home, but he was immaculate through the race and Jim just waited and gave him a beautiful ride – it was perfect.
"We knew he was in good form and he's looked great all winter and if you could have a yard full of horses like Al Aasy and Hamish, then you would be laughing."
Swagman provided Aidan O'Brien with a rare victory in the bet365 Classic Trial.
While the master of Ballydoyle tends to make a habit of winning Derby trials at Leopardstown, Lingfield and York, he had only won this Group Three once before with Imperial Monarch in 2012.
Andrew Balding's Windlord set out to make all under Oisin Murphy but Ryan Moore did not let him get too far in front of the winner.
As Windlord began to hang just over a furlong out, Moore brought Swagman with a strong-looking run on his outside.
Damysus began to make ground up from the rear and Windlord kept on battling, but Swagman (9-2) held off Windlord by three-quarters of a length.
The winner was paying a compliment to Jessica Harrington's Hotazhell, who had Swagman behind him twice last year.
"We were delighted with him. He's a horse that has done well since last year, we always thought a mile and a quarter would suit him well," said O'Brien.
"We thought he would come forward plenty from the run too, so we're delighted with that.
"He started growing on us last year, that was why he hadn't run since July, he just kept on growing and he's turned out a much bigger horse this year than last year.
"The French Derby is a definite possible. At this stage, we are just trying to get them all started really and see where they all fit in."
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