Will the Listed Fillies' Trial at Newbury throw up another Group 1 performer?

This trial never gets an ITV Racing slot on Lockinge day and surely deserves a running order promotion as at least one Group 1 winner has emerged from the previous five runnings.

In 2018 it was the brilliant Sea Of Class and second home Athena. 2019 third Star Catcher won three Group 1s later that season. Aristia (third in 2021) landed the Prix Jean Romanet the following campaign, while Nashwa and Warm Heat (2022 and 2023 winners) have enjoyed outstanding careers at the highest level.

However, whether we see an eleventh hour Oaks candidate is another matter as a 13-day gap between the two races is closer than preferable. Ejaabiyah and Meribella are the only fillies with the Epsom entry and perhaps this will have a greater bearing on races like the Ribbesdale and Irish Oaks.

That pair are among four once-raced winners who are representing top yards. Visually, the Roger Varian-trained Ejaabiyah produced the most striking performance at Kempton in November when beating two subsequent winners in a slowly run mile novice. Her dam was a sprinter, so it will be interesting to see how she fares in a truly run race over 1m2f.

Meribella had three future winners behind her when victorious at Newmarket last August for Ralph Beckett, while the Ascot success of Diamond Rain, Charlie Appleby's contender, came only 17 days ago and is untested.

Diamond Rain has an Irish Oaks engagement and Siyola's only future target is the Ribblesdale. The daughter of Siyouni's form is working out superbly and she must merit top spot in the betting.

Siyola defied her inexperience to account for better-fancied stablemate Beeley (also engaged in the Ribblesdale) and Wednesday's Musidora heroine Secret Satire in good style on her debut. The Gosdens landed that Sandown novice with unlucky Oaks runner-up Emily Upjohn, although evidently a different path is being plotted for Siyola.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

What they say

Charlie Appleby, trainer of Diamond Rain
William Buick was very impressed with her at Ascot and the run has certainly brought her on. This is a step up in class and should give us a steer on what kind of filly we are dealing with for the summer.

Roger Varian, trainer of Ejaabiyah
We've always liked her and she's pleased us in her work this spring. It's her first run of the year and it looks a neat race. There are some nice fillies in there and this will tell us where we are going forward for the rest of the year.

Karl Burke, trainer of Local Arms
She'll love the ground, that's why she's going there. We're trying to pinch some black type, which is all-important for fillies.

John Gosden, joint-trainer of Siyola
There are some good fillies in there including the filly who won at Ascot [Diamond Rain] and she has been in good form at home since on the round gallop and elsewhere. We see her more as a Ribblesdale type at this stage.
Reporting by David Milnes

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