Under the cool guidance of Adam Farragher, Villalobos stamped his authority on the mile handicap at Kempton Park, galloping home with a decisive one and a half-length victory. For Simon Hodgson, the Hampshire trainer behind this triumph, it marked the end of a five-month drought, his first win since August at Salisbury. Villalobos, the gallant gelding, made every stride count, sending cheers through the Sunbury course with his commanding performance at odds of 25-1.
Villalobos’s win was a milestone not just for Hodgson, but also for jockey Adam Farragher, heralding his first win of 2025 following the successes of his 2024 campaign. Meanwhile, trainer Simon Dow enjoyed a remarkable day, orchestrating an astonishing 275-1 double with Apple’s Angel and Arctician in the final two races.
Apple’s Angel began the winning trend for Dow, delivering a resolute performance under Josephine Gordon to fend off a late surge from Foro Romano and secure victory by a neck. Just thirty minutes later, Dow celebrated anew as Artician, despite hanging left a furlong out, showcased tenacity to clinch the win with jockey Paddy Bradley at the helm. The seven-year-old horse, evidently at home on the all-weather surface, revels in the seven-furlong distance, boasting five wins, including three at Kempton itself.
Charlie Wallis also broke his barren spell as Brunel Charm emerged victorious in the opening division of the 6f handicap, marking his first win since August. Not to be outdone, Ralph Beckett’s four-year-old filly, Amazonian, made her long-awaited debut, asserting herself with a head victory in the 1m 3f novice. A prized yearling, acquired for 350,000 guineas in 2022, Amazonian showed her grit, locking horns with the favored Almosh’her before Hector Crouch deftly piloted her to nose past at the finish.
Richard Spencer, seeking his first win of the new year, finally saw success when Shallow secured top honors in the opening race. Although the four-year-old had struggled to match her previous form, this performance suggested a return to prominence as she edged out Pure Angel by a short head.
A noteworthy performance came from Middleham trainer Charlie Johnson, whose decision to send Blue Lace south paid dividends in the 1m 2f maiden fillies stakes. Breaking her maiden on the fourth attempt, the horse was expertly guided by David Probert, maintaining a strong pace throughout and overcoming a slight drift to win by one and a quarter lengths.
Another victor, Court Drive, relished a grade drop and, under the skilled guidance of Hayley Turner, surged to prominence in the 6f handicap. Always poised, Court Drive made her move over 1f out, sprinting clear and finishing four lengths ahead of Man On A Mission.
George Bass, a promising young claimer, celebrated his first win of 2025 with Lambourne’s Distant Rumble, sealing a convincing one and a half length victory over Sabrimento in the 6f London Sprint Series Qualifier, a testament to both jockey and trainer Roger Teal’s prowess.
