'He was very, very good' - Callum Shepherd impressed after Ambiente Friendly storms to success and is now 10-1 for the Derby

Derby trials come in two forms, the majority are in name only while a select few offer real clues. Lingfield’s cambered bend, racing’s sugar-free variant of Epsom’s Tattenham Corner, lends itself to being the latter and in Ambiente Friendly the William Hill Derby Trial might have another horse to enhance its impressive recent record.

Twice in the last five runnings the Derby winner has come from this race – Anthony Van Dyck did the double in 2019 and Adayar was second here before winning at Epsom in 2021. If there was a Derby winner this year it can surely only be the winner as he was a class apart, some four and a half lengths clear of his eight rivals who were led home by the ‘right horse’ in the form of 6-4 favourite Illinois.

When an 8-1 shot wins a Derby Trial, with the jockey spending most of the final furlong looking around in disbelief for non-existent dangers, it is easy to conclude the race probably was not all that. But that is to ignore two key factors.

First, the clock, which was stopped within a hare’s breadth of the track record and almost two seconds faster than standard. That could be argued away as a reflection of the quick ground, but coupled with the second, more persuasive factor – namely the way those connected to Ambiente Friendly spoke about him afterwards, it starts to paint a compelling picture that this was a performance as good as it looked.

Bookmakers certainly took note, cutting him to 10-1 for the Epsom Classic in three weeks' time.

Asked if the performance felt as good as it looked big-race partner Callum Shepherd said: “It did, it did.”

He added: “It’s a track that has its idiosyncrasies, sometimes you can get away on the front end on quicker ground, but there didn’t seem too much fluke about that – he was very, very good.

“I wouldn’t have thought if I was fortunate enough to be in front in a Derby trial I’d be looking around, but that was the supreme feel he gave me. He relaxed so well and then picked up from the bend.”

Asked if they possessed the Derby winner Tom Fanshawe, assistant trainer to his father James, smiled and said: “Fingers crossed, that’s the plan. He really did travel into it well, so come early June we’ll have our top hats ready.”

Fanshawe was keen to praise owners the Gredleys, who hatched the plan over the winter to convert the tearaway Autumn Stakes third into a mile-and-a-half horse. He added: “He’s enhanced his claims a lot today and has obviously loved the ground. It’s the first time he’s been on quick ground and he’s really enjoyed the step up in trip.

“Tim Gredley said all winter he’d like him to stay, despite him being quite a forward-going two-year-old. He looked more speed than stamina, but Tim’s plan was always to get him to stay and luckily it’s come to fruition.”

Praise, too, must go to Shepherd, who was riding a ninth Listed winner but only broke his Group-level duck in the Palace House a week ago – although he did win a local Grade 1 on Isle Of Jura in Bahrain back in February. He knows exactly how important Ambiente Friendly could be for his career – particularly if he makes him a Derby winner on June 1.

“It’s the position I’ve been hoping to find myself in for a long time,” he said. “This winter seemed like a bit of a turning point to take the next step. So far it’s been the same on these shores and I just want to get it right when it matters and so far we’re doing that.”

So far, so good, and Ambiente Friendly might just be very good.

Betfred Derby (4.30 Epsom, June 1)
Coral: 4 Arabian Crown, City Of Troy, 8 Ancient Wisdom, Henry Longfellow, 10 Ambiente Friendly, 12 Diego Velazquez, 16 Capulet, 20 Los Angeles, 25 bar

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