Lincoln meeting live on Sky Sports: Amo Racing arm Dominic Ffrench Davis with Brocklesby contender Valadero | Racing News

Trainer Dominic Ffrench Davis is hoping to provide Amo Racing with back-to-back winners of the season-opening Brocklesby Stakes at Doncaster having teamed up with the powerhouse owners at his Lambourn base.

The purple and white colours of Amo – founded and run by football agent Kia Joorabchian – have become synonymous with exciting and speedy juveniles, none more so than last year’s Brocklesby star Persian Force.

This year the team had three entered in Saturday’s sprint contest, all trained by Ffrench Davis: Kalik, Cuban Thunder and Valadero.

The early betting markets suggested Kalik had been the preferred choice of the trio, but with soft ground conditions expected it is Valadero who got the nod.

Speaking to Sky Sports Racing after declarations on Thursday, Ffrench Davis said: “We’re running Valadero. He’s a Starspangledbanner colt and a nice type of horse who has worked well on the turf when the ground in Lambourn has been pretty soft.

“All three horses will be capable of winning races this season and ones with a bit of a future.

“We thought this fella would want seven furlongs initially but the five furlongs at Doncaster in the current conditions will take some getting.

“We were quite keen on running Kalik, who is possibly sharper, but his bloods weren’t 100 per cent so we’ve erred on the side of caution.

“There will be plenty of time for him – it’s a long season. All three that we entered were showing plenty and are nice forward types who will want more than five furlongs eventually.”

Explaining the origins of his link-up with Amo, who have had big-race successes with the likes of Ralph Beckett, George Boughey, Richard Hannon and David Loughnane, Ffrench Davis added: “They approached me several months ago and took the yard next to me here where Jo Tuite had been training. It all just made sense as I’m right next door.

“It’s great for me. We’ve always tried our hand to have Royal Ascot winners but when you’re playing at a lower level with less money to spend, you have to be incredibly lucky to find a two-year-old capable of going to Ascot.

“When you have the chequebook that Amo has, you’re picking from the top of the crop.

“They won the Brocklesby last year and I’m sure Kia is very keen to try and win it again. Let’s hope we’ll give it a good shot.”

Another promising Amo youngster set to star at Doncaster this weekend is Maxi King, who joined Ffrench Davis from the David Loughnane yard this year.

He takes his place in the Pertemps Network Maiden Stakes over a mile and two furlongs as he looks to get off the mark at the sixth attempt.

“We like him and he’s probably the most experienced horse in the race and handled soft ground well,” Ffrench Davis said.

“We think he’ll stay a mile and a quarter so the others will have to be pretty decent to beat him as we think he could run to a mark of about 80.

“Whatever beats him will be pretty decent.”

Watch every race from the Lincoln meeting at Doncaster live on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday April 1.