By Tom Frary
Upping her game on her 3-year-old bow, Victorious Racing's Duty First (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) spreadeagled some choice opposition in Saturday's G3 Dubai Duty Free Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury. Always travelling with gusto near the front end, the Archie Watson-trained 33-1 shot opened up under Hollie Doyle from two out to take the seven-furlong 1,000 Guineas trial by 3 1/4 lengths from the 40-1 fellow outsider Hey Boo (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}). There was another length back to Time For Sandals (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}) in third. The winner, who was second in the G3 Prestige Stakes and third in the G2 Rockfel Stakes last term, does not hold an entry in the Newmarket Classic at present but her trainer is keen to have a crack.
“We always thought a lot of her and we knew she'd do very well from two to three, as she was a big yearling,” Watson said. “Obviously, it's a surprise that she took apart a race like that but she had been in great order this Spring. The reason she came here was there were three extra days before the Italian Guineas, but that won't be happening now! I'll speak to the owners, but I'd imagine we'll supplement her for the English Guineas.”
A 33/1 winner of the Fred Darling at @NewburyRacing!
Duty First blows the field away with an impressive performance for @HollieDoyle1 and @Archie_Watson! pic.twitter.com/6vm6oj2G9C
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 12, 2025
Saturday, Newbury, Britain
DUBAI DUTY FREE STAKES (FRED DARLING STAKES)-G3, £85,000, Newbury, 4-12, 3yo, f, 7fT, 1:23.95, gd.
1–DUTY FIRST (GB), 128, f, 3, by Showcasing (GB)
1st Dam: Dream Dana (Ire), by Dream Ahead
2nd Dam: Lidanna (GB), by Nicholas
3rd Dam: Shapely Test, by Elocutionist
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (58,000gns Wlg '22 TADEWE; 370,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT). O-Victorious Racing; B-Plantation Stud (GB); T-Archie Watson; J-Hollie Doyle. £48,204. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-1, $106,046. *1/2 to Army Ethos (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}), GSP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Hey Boo (GB), 128, f, 3, Iffraaj (GB)–Tricksy Spirit (GB), by Lethal Force (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Jonathan Mitchell (GB); T-Jack Channon. £18,275.
3–Time For Sandals (Ire), 128, f, 3, Sands of Mali (Fr)–Days of Summer (Ire), by Bachelor Duke. (€35,000 Ylg '23 TATIRY). O-D Bevan & Mrs D Bevan; B-Ballyhane (IRE); T-Harry Eustace. £9,146.
Margins: 3 1/4, 1, 1 1/4. Odds: 33.00, 40.00, 14.00.
Also Ran: Betty Clover (GB), Maw Lam (Ire), Enola Holmes (Ire), Simmering (GB), Formal (GB), Ellaria Sand (GB), Bright Times Ahead (Ire), Mountain Breeze (Ire), California Dreamer (GB), British Blue (GB), Greydreambeliever (Ire), Heavens Gate (Ire). Scratched: Nardra (Ire).
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