Vintage Lockinge headlines fantastic Newbury card, while Doomben 10000 also excites
Group One contest in Britain includes a trio of horses who will mix it at the top table this season
Top-class trio Dancing Gemini, Rosallion and Notable Speech will lock horns in a thrilling Group One Lockinge Stakes (1,600m) at Newbury on Saturday.
The Roger Teal-trained Dancing Gemini finished second in last year's Group One Poule d'Essai des Poulains (1,600m) at Longchamp and was far from disgraced when sixth in the Epsom Derby (2,000m) on his next start.
Top-level success has continued to elude the Camelot galloper, but he has returned this season in career-best form, winning the Listed Doncaster Mile and Group Two Bet365 Mile at Sandown in two appearances this season.
He is thriving at the distance and Teal has procured the services of one of the world's best jockeys in Ryan Moore to try and help him finally get over the hump and bag his maiden Group One.
🚀 Very smooth from Dancing Gemini to plunder the @bet365 Mile pic.twitter.com/qBYpyV8pqz — Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 25, 2025
There is further intrigue, however, with the return of Richard Hannon's Rosallion, who has been absent since winning the Group One St James's Palace Stakes (1,600m) at Royal Ascot last June.
That was his third top-level win and led Hannon to speculate that he was the best horse he had ever trained prior to the galloper being ruled out of last season with a respiratory infection.
He is the class act of the race on paper but shares the top rating with a horse he clashed with twice last year – Group One 2,000 Guineas (1,600m) hero Notable Speech in the Godolphin blue.
Notable Speech won the day when they locked horns at Newmarket but Rosallion levelled the score at Royal Ascot, with round three set to be another fascinating clash.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 ⭐️⭐️⭐️@Godolphin's unbeaten colt wins the Qipco 2000 Guineas @NewmarketRace on his first start on turf 😱
City Of Troy well beaten .... pic.twitter.com/4PfiLp4WI5 — Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 4, 2024
Meanwhile, the Group One Ladbrokes Doomben 10000 (1,200m) headlines a brilliant card in Queensland, with Overpass among the leading chances.
Trained by Bjorn Baker, Overpass won the Group One Winterbottom Stakes (1,200m) last November and maintained his good form in two runs in April, including a second in the Group One T J Smith Stakes (1,200m).
One of his biggest dangers will be Group One William Reid Stakes (1,200m) winner Schwarz, who will be ridden by Hong Kong Derby-winning rider Craig Williams in place of regular jockey Blake Shinn.
Williams has won the past two runnings of the race on Giga Kick and Bella Nipotina and connections will hope Williams can weave his magic again before Schwarz is retired after the HK$7.33 million showpiece.
Schwarz was utterly brilliant in the William Reid Stakes, finding the lead from the outset & pounding his opposition into the turf 💫
Where to next for @JohnOSheaRacing's Group 1 winning son of Zoustar? pic.twitter.com/nL1ia4tgb5 — Racing.com (@Racing) March 22, 2025
Benedetta is another threat for trainer Jason Warren, who is hoping to avenge the William Reid Stakes defeat at the hands of Schwarz.
'Schwarz had the track in his favour at Moonee Valley [in the William Reid Stakes], it was a terrible track that day,' Warren said. 'Hopefully, he's not getting that advantage this week.
'We're going to Doomben with fresh legs, which will definitely help. She's in great form and she hasn't had an overly taxing preparation so far.'
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