Charlie Fellowes is hoping Vadream can get back on track in the It’s Time To Turn To talkSPORT EBF Fillies’ Conditions Stakes (2.48pm) at Lingfield Park on Saturday, February 18, a Fast-Track Qualifier for the £150,000 All-Weather Fillies’ & Mares’ Championships.
A G3 winner over six furlongs, Vadream was below par on her return from a break as she finished ninth behind Annaf in the Listed BetUK Kachy Stakes at Lingfield Park two weeks ago.
The five-year-old makes her first appearance over seven furlongs since the 2021 campaign, when her efforts over the distance included a third-placed finish in the G3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Fellowes said: “Everything that could have gone wrong for Vadream last time did go wrong. Having been drawn well, she ended up in a shocking position through no fault of her own and then ran a bit fresh.
“It is interesting because the form of the Kachy Stakes is working out quite nicely. The first three in the handicap at Newcastle on Tuesday night all ran in it, so it wasn’t the weakest Listed race in the world.
“That should have blown the cobwebs away and she always takes a run or two to get into the swing of things. This looks a nice race for her and seven furlongs around Lingfield will be ideal.”
Aramis Grey heads the opposition for Rae Guest after chasing home two of the stars of this season’s All-Weather Championships. The six-year-old was second to Manaafith in a Fast-Track Qualifier at Southwell on January 1, with that filly going on to win the Listed Tandridge Stakes, and last time out filled the same position behind Annaf in a conditions race at Kempton Park.
Amber Island, winner of the All-Weather Vase Fillies’ Handicap over the course and distance on Good Friday, lines up for David Loughnane, while the George Boughey-trained River Pride completes the field.
Fellowes is represented in the other class two contests on the card, with Power Of Darkness making his debut for the stable in the Spreadex Sports Live UK Racing Streaming Handicap (3.23pm) and Pirate King lining up in the BetUK’s Acca Club £5 Free Bet Handicap (3.58pm).
Power Of Darkness won five of his 21 starts for previous handler Marcus Tregoning, headlined by a victory at the 2019 Shergar Cup, while Pirate King is chasing his fifth career victory over the 12-furlong course and distance.
Fellowes said: “Power Of Darkness is a newcomer to the yard and we are still learning about him. He has shown lots of speed at home and also in his past races, so I don’t think seven furlongs will be a problem. He is eight years old and I won’t be reinventing the wheel as such, but he is in great order and I will be really interested to see how he runs from a decent draw in stall two.
“Pirate King has had a really up and down winter. He has not been the most straightforward to train this time around but for the first time I have had a completely clear run. I have been able to work him as I like and I don’t think I could have him in any better condition coming into this race. If that is the case, he looks well handicapped off 89 as it was not long ago that he was running off marks in the low hundreds.”