Friday’s racing round-up includes news of a winner in the Aga Khan colours…
Candelari's victory in the 2700m Prix du Rond Point des Aigles at Chantilly was simultaneously poignant and impressive, being the first winner in the famous green and red silks since the passing of the HH Aga Khan earlier this month. The imposing gelded son of Frankel made quick late headway courtesy of a sharp turn of foot to put an eight-length margin between himself and second place.
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Corbetts Cross' chances of running in Saturday's Grade 1 Ascot Chase are weather dependent, trainer Emmet Mullins has suggested. With a current going description of good to soft, good in places reported at the Berkshire track on Friday morning, conditions are set to quicken up with no rain forecast overnight. Given the fact that last year's National Hunt Chase winner recorded his seventeen-length Cheltenham triumph on heavy ground, connections have been forced to weigh up whether the eight-year-old will take place. Corbetts Cross is currently 9/4 with the Betfair Sportsbook to land the £100,000 contest, vying for favouritism at the top of the market with Pic D'orhy, who receives a 7/4 appraisal with the same firm.
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Southwell's feature seven-furlong handicap went the way of Apiarist on Friday, who saw off well-backed favourite Royal Zabeel by a neck. Trained by Kevin Ryan and partnered by Rab Havlin, the four-year-old stayed on strongly under a well-timed ride to emerge the narrow victor. The gelded son of Night Of Thunder landed the £100,000 EBF Final at York as a two-year-old, and more big-pot handicaps could be on the horizon going forward.
Assistant trainer Adam Ryan alluded to the first big handicap of the flat season as a potential target, saying in his post-race remarks to Sky Sports Racing: "This opens up options moving forward for him. The Lincoln could be the starting place for his turf season and those big handicaps are run at a good gallop, so they should suit him."
