This £3,000 filly could be on her way to earning mega money for syndicate owners

Trawlerman in great position to benefit from Kyprios retirement

After Kyprios’s sudden retirement and Courage Mon Ami’s latest setback, the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot is guaranteed to have a new name on its roll of honour and Trawlerman solidified his claims with a dominant victory at Sandown on Thursday.

He was the last horse to beat Kyprios, having taken his scalp in the Long Distance Cup in 2023, but came up short against him in the same race and in the Gold Cup last season.

Trawlerman now has another short-priced Ballydoyle stayer to get past in the shape of new favourite Illinois, but there was a lot to like about his win in the Henry II Stakes. 

Trawlerman ran out an easy winner of the Group 3 Henry II StakesCredit: Getty Images

The seven-year-old bounced back from a below-par effort at Meydan on Dubai World Cup night to match his career-best Racing Post Rating of 120 with a five-length defeat of Coltrane.

William Buick, in a superb run of form having been a big part of Ed Walker’s recent successes, never looked in any danger and you have to imagine John and Thady Gosden will have saved plenty to improve upon before Trawlerman's royal appointment this month.

Anthelia could turn into major money-spinner

Among Sandown’s other highlights on Brigadier Gerard night was a surprise 25-1 win in the National Stakes for Anthelia, who has already paid connections back six-fold having cost a mere £6,000 last August.

Jockey Lewis Edmunds cleverly took the gap up the inside vacated by runner-up First Legion and the proximity of the rail was a positive in the finish, but don’t confuse that and her odds with this being a fluke.

Trainer Rod Millman had not hidden his admiration for Anthelia and said afterwards that “we haven't had one finish at the top of our gallops like her for a long time”.

Royal Ascot is likely to be avoided but Millman and owners Middleham Park must be eyeing Newbury’s £250,000 Super Sprint in July as a mid-term aim.

Her value sales price would ensure a low weight in the sales-restricted contest and Millman knows what it takes to win it, having triumphed in 2019 with the even cheaper Bettys Hope. She cost just £3,000.

Rising star Doughty setting early pace in apprentice title race

Last year's apprentice jockeys' championship went right to the wire and the 2025 race could be similarly engrossing after two rising stars of the weighing room both lost their claim at Brighton on Tuesday. 

Joe Leavy, who lost out on the title to Sean Dylan Bowen last year, ended a two-week wait for his 95th career winner before Jack Doughty joined him.

The 17-year-old Doughty rode his first winner only 18 months ago but has had a rapid rise and one winner from one ride on Sandown’s Thursday card was a terrific advertisement of his qualities in front of a big audience.

Jack Doughty is only 17 but has already lost his claim and is eyeing the apprentice championshipCredit: Alex Davidson (Getty Images)

Doughty looked capable of challenging Leavy and Bowen last season before a 20-day whip ban stopped him in his tracks. He will be determined not to repeat such mistakes and has 11 winners under his belt in the championship, four clear of Leavy in the early weeks of the season.

While Leavy has some pretty strong competition for rides at his boss Richard Hannon's yard, Doughty is getting the pick of rides for the in-form Tony Carroll, whose 56 winners in 2025 is a tally bettered only by Andrew Balding. That will make his life a lot easier and expect to hear much more about Doughty this summer and beyond, claim or not.

Read more from The Last Word:

Cook Review: A kind draw set up Classic glory for Camille Pissarro but the best-laid Ballydoyle plans still nearly went awry 

Ante-Post Angles: It has been a fine week for Ed Walker - and his stable star looks an interesting bet for the Arc at 33-1 

RPRs: John of Gaunt form looks up to scratch - and an improving filly should be competitive when stepped up in grade  

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