Eternal Hope burns brightly for Appleby and Buick at Lingfield

Progressive filly will need adding to the Oaks if connections decide to target Epsom.

Charlie Appleby won the Fitzdares Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes for the first time as Eternal Hope put her name into the Betfred Oaks picture at Lingfield.

Always well placed by William Buick tracking the pace set by stablemate Sunset Point and the 6-5 favourite Be Happy, she was in the perfect spot to strike rounding the turn for home and showed a likeable turn of foot to outgun the Aidan O’Brien-trained market leader in the straight.

Although Coral introduced the filly into the Oaks market at 16-1, the daughter of Teofilo would need supplementing into the line-up for Epsom’s June 2 showpiece.

But although her next move will become clearer in time, what is not in doubt is her class and she impressed her rider.

“She’s a lovely filly who started her career late and can only improve as that was just her third run,” said Buick of the 9-4 scorer.

“She’s not in at Epsom, but I’m sure they’ll have a good think about supplementing her.”

Alex Merriam, Appleby’s assistant, added: “She picked up well and did it nicely. It would have been lovely to put her on turf, but she’s suited by a sound surface.

“This race looked competitive without being red hot, so let’s see if it stops raining.

“We will take a look at what the ground is like closer to the time (of the Oaks).”

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