Godolphin's Eternal Hope Subdues Lingfield Oaks Trial Rivals

Godolphin's Eternal Hope (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}–Voice Of Truth {Ire}, by Dubawi {Ire}) does not possess a ticket for next month's G1 Oaks, but qualifies to be one of the first in line for the supplementary stage after a stylish victory in Saturday's Listed Fitzdares Oaks Trial at Lingfield.

She had yet to make a start on the turf and continued that trend after the day's stakes contests were switched to the track's synthetic surface. The homebred chestnut, untested as a juvenile, followed up a Feb. 13 debut third tackling an extended nine furlongs at Wolverhampton with a Feb. 25 breakthrough over 10 furlongs at Chelmsford in her only other start.

Eternal Hope was steadied to stalk the pace in fourth through halfway in this stakes bow. Inching closer with three furlongs remaining, the 9-4 second choice made headway under pressure off the home turn to challenge passing the furlong marker and was driven out from there to subdue Ballydoyle's 6-5 favourite Be Happy (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) by an ultimately comfortable 1 3/4 lengths.

It was a day of breakthroughs for Charlie Appleby, who took his first renewal of a contest won by just one subsequent Oaks winner, Anapurna (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in 2019, this century. “She had experience on the synthetics and travelled round there well,” he said. “She picked up well and saw it out well, so I was really pleased with that. What sort of strength of depth was in there, we will have to wait and see. In terms of supplementing her for an Oaks, we didn't run her in the [Listed] Pretty Polly at Newmarket because of the ground, so that would have to be something we keep an eye on. The likelihood is we will look more towards the [G2] Ribblesdale [at Royal Ascot] with her, but I'm not saying we won't supplement. We will be keeping an eye on the Oaks picture.”

Eternal Hope is the second of four foals and lone winner from two runners produced by a winning half-sister to MG1SW sire Rio De La Plata (Rahy), G1SW sire El Expresivo (Arg) (Candy Stripes) and GSP sire Epsilon (Arg) (Acceptable). She is full to a yearling filly and a half to the unraced 2-year-old filly Word's Out (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}).

Saturday, Lingfield, Britain
FITZDARES OAKS TRIAL FILLIES' S.-Listed, £45,000, Lingfield, 5-13, 3yo, f, 12f (AWT), 2:30.89, st.
1–ETERNAL HOPE (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Teofilo (Ire)
1st Dam: Voice Of Truth (Ire), by Dubawi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Express Way (Arg), by Ahmad (Arg)
3rd Dam: Escaline, by Hawk II (Brz)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £25,866. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $40,821.
2–Be Happy (Ire), 128, f, 3, Camelot (GB)–Frequential (GB), by Dansili (GB). (340,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Westerberg; B-Lynch Bages Ltd & Longfield Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £9,815.
3–Ferrari Queen (Ire), 128, f, 3, Decorated Knight (GB)–Katch Me Katie (GB), by Danehill. (€18,000 Ylg '21 GOFOR). O-Jaber Abdullah; B-Irish National Stud (IRE); T-Charlie Johnston. £4,910.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3/4, NO. Odds: 2.25, 1.20, 16.00.
Also Ran: Ghara (GB), Bright Diamond (Ire), Sunset Point (GB), Climate Friendly (GB), Perfect Prophet (GB), Fox Flame (GB).

Oaks Trial Fillies' Stakes (Listed)
2.410 m – 45.000 GBP – for 3yo mares
Lingfield

Eternal Hope (IRE)
(Teofilo -Voice Of Truth , by Dubawi)
J : William Buick
T: Charlie Appleby
O : Godolphinpic.twitter.com/exCjN8OTJH

— (@WorldRacing1) May 13, 2023