Today on Sky Sports Racing: Charlie Appleby and James Doyle chasing more Saturday success in Victoria Cup | Racing News

Charlie Appleby goes in search of more big Saturday success this weekend with two runners in the tote Victoria Cup (4:05) at Ascot, live on Sky Sports Racing.

The Godolphin handler sends One Ruler – ridden by dual-Guineas winner James Doyle – and Path Of Thunder to the big-field handicap over seven furlongs (4:05), with exciting apprentice Harry Davies taking the ride on the latter.

Dark Shift currently heads the market for Charlie Hills and Andrea Atzeni, having won on his last two starts at the track – the four-year-old sneaks in towards the bottom of the weights off just 8st 8lb.

Other likely contenders include Fresh (James Fanshawe), Chiefofchiefs (Charlie Fellowes) and Magical Morning (John & Thady Gosden), to be ridden by Frankie Dettori.

Also on the Ascot card, Al Aasy looks to be the headline act in the Listed Buckhounds Stakes (2:20), but will need to get back on track after a couple of below-par displays at the end of last season.

Classic credentials on the line at Lingfield

Over at Lingfield, it’s Classic hopes wherever you look with the SBK Derby and Oaks Trials (2:40 and 3:15) that could unearth some Epsom contenders.

The aforementioned Charlie Appleby has the favourite in the Derby Trial with Walk Of Stars, who is currently a 10/1 shot for the Cazoo Derby but will surely shorten up with an impressive success on Saturday.

Appleby also runs unbeaten Natural World, while the red-hot Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien combo run United Nations in the race.

Moore and O’Brien have the favourite in the Oaks Trial, with Emily Dickinson stepping up in grade after landing a Naas maiden just under two weeks ago.

Two unbeaten prospects head the opposition, with Belt Buckle (John & Thady Gosden) and Rogue Milennium (Tom Clover) looking like potential improvers, both with Royal Ascot entries.

Asmussen out to break Kentucky Derby duck

Steve Asmussen might be the winning-most trainer in North America, but the Hall of Famer has yet to add the prestigious Kentucky Derby title to his haul, despite sending out 23 previous runners in the race.

His 24th hopeful might just be the one to break the duck as favourite Epicenter bids to follow up on victory in the Louisiana Derby in March, live on Sky Sports Racing at 11.57pm.

Tim Yakteen looks to have two of the main dangers in the famous $1.89m Run for the Roses with Santa Anita Derby front two Taiba and Messier, while Zandon will need to overturn the form with Epicenter from February’s Risen Star Stakes, but followed up that effort by claiming the Grade One Blue Grass at Keeneland last month.

Watch every race from Ascot, Lingfield, Hexham and Churchill Downs live on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 535) on Saturday May 7.