Ecureuil Secret is away and clear at Epsom

Epsom Friday reports, reaction and free video replays

By David Ord

Horse Racing

Fri June 06, 2025 · 2d ago

A review of the action and free video replays from day one of the Betfred Derby Festival at Epsom.

Secret out for Fahey team

Ecureuil Secret (25/1) ran out a four lengths winner of the Betfred Nifty50 Handicap for Richard Fahey and Oisin Orr.

Making his seasonal reappearance, the four-year-old travelled sweetly on the heels of the front-running Mutaawid before going to the front with a quarter-of-a-mile to run.

Nothing was able to land a blow from that point, Akecheta faring best of the rest in second.

The winning trainer said: “I was delighted with that. He’s done it really well and I’d imagine it will be the Wolferton at Royal Ascot now. I wanted to get a run into him before that and he’s won very well.”

Well-backed Formal lands Surrey Stakes

Formal ran out an impressive winner of the opening Nyetimber Surrey Stakes.

Tipped by both Matt Brocklebank at 7/1 on Thursday afternoon, Andrew Balding’s charge went off the well-backed 9/4 t-favourite and never looked in danger of defeat.

Going to the front two-and-a-half furlongs out under Oisin Murphy, the daughter of Dubawi was soon clear and in complete control from that point.

Saqqara Sands emerged from the pack to chase her home but was still a length-and-a-half lengths adrift at the line.

The winning rider said: "They've done a great job with her. She had a good juvenile career for Sir Michael Stoute. She's a homebred of Cheveley Park's. I won a Group One on her mother Veracious. Andrew's done a great job because I wasn't sure the track would suit her but she was like a motorbike there; dominant and in such good form so thanks to everyone at home.

"I'm delighted, that was a good performance. It's genuine good-to-soft, it's a little bit blustery, a tailwind down the hill, blows you around a bit in the straight."

Formal scorches home under Oisin Murphy

Balding added: “I thought she ran well in the Fred Darling, but it was a funny race and she got impeded at a vital stage and didn’t give her true running. It made our decision easy and we skipped any idea of a Guineas and rebooted, and this became the obvious choice. It’s a relief to see her win like that.

“She had been quite keen early doors at home and her work is very good at home, but we thought now she had the first run under her belt we would take the hood off. She travelled really strongly but didn’t over-race.

“I think we'll probably wait for something like the Oak Tree [Goodwood, 30 July]. I don’t think we want to be squeezing races into her and that looks the right spot for her. After that we know she goes well on slow ground, so we would have the whole autumn ahead of us. She looked quite good there, but we will take it step by step.”

Godolphin colt lands the Woodcote

Maximised was cut to 6/1 from 16/1 for the Coventry Stakes by Paddy Power after winning the
Betfred British EBF Woodcote Stakes.

William Buick was always travelling comfortably aboard Charlie Appleby's charge who went to the front ing the two furlong marker.

The 6/5 favourite went on to win by a length-and-a-half from Havana Hurricane (9/2) who ran a big race in second having missed the break.

"He did really well, very smooth sort of horse. We were very happy with this track for him, he dealt with it very well. The horse on his outside came very quick so I had to ask for an effort a little bit earlier than I expected but he stuck it out well," said Bucik.

"He's a lovely straightforward horse and I think there's a lot more to come from him. I think he'll go on, he'll improve plenty; he's improved from his first run at Haydock.We'll see what the plan is going forward but he's a horse I really like."

Maximized wins the Woodcote

Appleby added: "We won this with Pinatubo, who went on to the Chesham, but Maximized obviously can’t go there [he’s by Mehmas, so not qualified]. I think he’s a ‘now’ horse, but the Ascot picture is building now with respect to a few of these two-year-olds now, with Military Code maybe going for the Coventry and Wise Approach maybe going for the Norfolk or the Windsor Castle. I don’t think this horse would be able to drop back, so if he did go to Ascot it would be for the Coventry, but I’d have thought the July Stakes might be a nice race for him.

“I’ve always felt our two-year-old colts have been a strong team this year from early doors, and they’ve shown us that naturally. If you are not seeing it early doors you are probably trying to make it up slightly.”

Epsom Friday reports, reaction and free video replays

Secret out for Fahey team

Well-backed Formal lands Surrey Stakes

Godolphin colt lands the Woodcote

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