Delphinia came from an unpromising position to snatch victory in a listed race at Lingfield on Thursday.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained daughter of Galileo was sent off the 4/6 favourite for the one-mile-five-furlong contest, after finishing runner-up in Group 1 races on her last two starts. On her most recent start she pushed Star Catcher close on Champions Day at Ascot.

However, victory seemed unlikely today when she entered the straight in mid-pack, after being stuck in traffic just before the turn for home. She had plenty to do even a furlong out, but once she hit top gear Delphinia quickly reeled in the opposition under Seamie Heffernan.

Hitting the front with the winning post looming, she scored by three-quarters of a length from Hameem, with Nkosikazi a head away in third.

It was a key triumph for Delphinia as her only previous win had come in a maiden at Galway 12 months ago. The victory helps O'Brien close the gap on John Gosden at the top of the British trainers' table. Gosden leads by approximately £120,000 but O'Brien is rated the 1/3 favourite by some bookmakers to be in front by the end of the calendar year.

Prior to today, O'Brien's previous winner on the all-weather track at Lingfield came courtesy of Castle Gandolfo in the Listed International Trial Stakes on April 6th, 2002. However, O'Brien regularly plunders the Derby and Oaks trials run on Lingfield's turf track in the spring.

“Delphinia’s class got me out of trouble. I got back (in the field) and then I got wide, but the race did not get going and we were racing downhill,” said Heffernan. “I wanted to wait until I had a clean shot before getting stuck into her. She was by far the best horse in the race and all I had to have was a little bit of confidence. She got me out of trouble in the end.”

BALLYDOYLE DOUBLE

The same combination clicked with King Of Athens (15/8 favourite), who lost his maiden tag at the fifth attempt by making all the running in a novice stakes on the card.

Heffernan had the War Front colt smartly out of the stalls from his rail draw and was always travelling comfortably.

The O’Brien-trained juvenile kept up to the gallop to easily dismiss the 6/4 favourite Lexington Rebel by five lengths.

“King Of Athens is a smart horse. He ran very well in the Coventry so it was not a surprise that he won, and he won well. Hopefully, he can improve,” said Heffernan.

However, John Gosden also had a smart winner on the card in the shape of Scentasia (10/1), who showed her rivals a clean pair of heels in the straight to run out a commanding winner of the Listed Fleur De Lys Fillies’ Stakes.

The winner produced a fine turn of foot which saw her land the spoils by two lengths from Chaleur, in the hands of David Egan.

“It’s great for Mr Gosden – this is my second winner for him – and good for Sheikh Juma and connections. She is a nice filly,” said Egan.

“I had a good run round. I was a bit wide from the wide draw and I didn’t want to bully her early on. They said that she will get 10 furlongs next year, so I was happy just to let her roll along before the bend. I think I got her going earlier than the rest of them did and she kept going to the line.

“You can definitely tell the difference with the surface. I feel that a lot of the fibres are still sitting on top, which makes it ride a bit slower than usual and it probably helped Scentasia.

“I got her going early and a lot of horses wouldn’t have picked up as well kicking off the bend. I think I got first run on a slow-riding track.”

FAMILY SUCCESS

Egan was completing a double after winning in Queen Elizabeth’s colours for the first time aboard Cranberry (15/8 favourite) in the median auction stakes.

Trained by the rider's uncle, Richard Hughes, the daughter of Toronado burst clear from the home turn to score by three and a half lengths on her second career start.

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