Charming Thought half-brother set to make debut at Kempton

Hold Sway, a Dubawi half-brother to Group 1 scorer Charming Thought, is one of seven newcomers declared for the 13-runner mile maiden at Kempton on Wednesday (7.45).

Trained by Charlie Appleby, Charming Thought raced at two and four. He was unraced at three due to injury.

The son of Oasis Dream showed his best ability as a juvenile, winning a maiden at Lingfield and novice stakes at Leicester, before touching off Ivawood by a nose in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket.

The pair are out of the Indian Ridge mare Annabelle's Charm, whose granddam is the blue-hen mare Flamenco Wave, who won the Moyglare Stud Stakes and went on to produce the Group 1 winners Aristotle, Ballingarry and Starborough.

Of the other newcomers, Entangling, a Fastnet Rock brother to the Grade 2-placed Diamond Fields, looks to have a chance based on pedigree. He is out of the Listed-placed Shamardal mare Question Times, a half-sister to Cheveley Park Stakes second Sunday Times.

Wonderfillo is also of interest, as the Teofilo colt is the second foal out of the Invincible Spirit mare Wonderfilly, winner of the Listed Prix Saraca at Maisons-Laffitte. Wonderfillo sold for 95,000gns to Blandford Bloodstock at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

Both Hold Sway and Wonderfillo hold entries for the Derby in June.

Zoffany Bay realised 42,000gns at the same sale when sold by Camas Park Stud. He is by Zoffany out of the Alysheba mare Trois Graces and is a three-parts brother to Listed scorer Abbeyside and a half-brother to another Listed winner in Flat Spin.

Busy time for past winners of Mares' Hurdle

The David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham has been in existence since 2008, and while Quevega dominated the race for most of that time, winning six times between 2009 and 2014, it was Whiteoak who won the very first running.

Whiteoak Stroller, who is Whiteoak's second foal, looks set to make her debut in the concluding bumper at Catterick on Wednesday (5.20).

Donald McCain trains the four-year-old daughter of Shirocco.

She faces a tough ask on debut, coming up against dual bumper winner Shearling, a half-sister to the French Listed winner Harlem, out of Casual, a half-sister to another Listed winner in Rich Coast.

Apart from winning at the festival, Whiteoak was also successful in a Listed mares' hurdle at Kempton, and was second in three other Group 2 hurdles including the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton.

Her previous foal, Little Acorn, finished fourth in a novice hurdle at Taunton last month. Little Acorn was bought by Harry Fry for €105,000 as a three-year-old store at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale in 2014.

5.20 Catterick

7.45 Kempton