Immersive hopes to regain winning thread in G1 Coaching Club American Oaks

Reigning Champion Two-Year-Old Filly Immersive looks to avenge a first career defeat on her return to G1 company in the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga in US on Saturday.

The Nyquist filly emerged with plenty of credit when going down by a neck to Take Charge Milady in the Monomoy Girl Stakes at Churchill Downs in mid-June, in which the Godolphin homebred was making her first start of the season following a layoff with bone bruising.

In an outstanding juvenile campaign for Brad Cox, Immersive dominated her division with four imposing wins, including a hat-trick of G1 victories in the Spinaway Stakes, Darley Alcibiades Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Michael Banahan, Director of Bloodstock, Godolphin USA, said: “Immersive has trained like the champion she is since her extended spell off in the winter. Her comeback prep race was everything we could have asked for, except for losing her undefeated record.

“She had a bullet workout last Saturday, indicating her readiness for her first major goal of the season here. She didn’t get an ideal draw down on the rail, but she dealt with the same issue last year in the Spinaway.

“Hopefully, La Cara doesn’t get an easy uncontested lead, like she has in both her G1 wins, and is kept honest in front. Brad is very happy with Immersive’s condition. We expect her to run very well and hopefully get back on the winning trail.”

Nash bids to secure a first Graded Stakes win in the G2 Alfred G Vanderbilt Handicap on the same card, with the Medaglia d’Oro colt having found his calling as a hold-up sprinter.

Runner-up to Preakness winner Seize The Grey in last year’s G2 Pat Day Mile, Nash is two wins from three starts in allowance optional claimers since dropping to six furlongs earlier this season.

Michael Banahan added: “Nash is coming into the G2 Vanderbilt in great shape and had a very good breeze last Saturday at his homebase of Churchill Downs. Last year, we were hoping that he would make it down the Derby trail, but that didn’t work out and trying to figure out his preferred distance was somewhat trial and error. He appears to have found his home as a come-from-behind sprinter.

“He received one of the highest 2025 speed figures winning his last race, so now is the time to find out if he can replicate that in Graded company. This is a tough race and would probably be much the same field if it were a G1.

“We are hopeful of a good performance and, if he runs back to his last race, he should be very competitive, although he must seal the deal against Graded opposition.”

Rain key to Ancient Wisdom’s Newbury chances: Ancient Wisdom looks set for a return to Listed company in the Steventon Stakes at Newbury in UK on Saturday providing the forecast rain arrives at the Berkshire course.

The son of Dubawi finished third on his sole previous Listed appearance in Ascot’s Pat Eddery Stakes in July, 2023, with his nine subsequent starts all coming in Group races including victory in the same season’s G1 Futurity Trophy.

Ancient Wisdom failed to act on quicker ground at Newbury on his four-year-old return but bounced back to form with a half-length second in the G3 Gordon Richards Stakes.

He was pitched back into G1 company for the Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs on his latest outing, in which he faded to fifth.

Trainer Charlie Appleby said: “Ancient Wisdom has been gelded since his run in the Coronation Cup, and we feel that a mile and a quarter is probably his optimum trip these days. He wants plenty of cut underneath and would be an unlikely runner unless it’s genuine good to soft ground.”

Meanwhile, Consistent four-year-old Casapueblo produced another valiant effort as he went down by half a length to Mont de Soleil in the G3 Grand Prix de Vichy in France.

Returning to the provinces having finished second in a Toulouse Listed race in April, the Andre Fabre-trained son of Le Havre was held up in sixth of the seven runners by Cristian Demuro for most of the 10-furlong highlight of Vichy’s season.

Tito Mo Cen made the early running before Cambronne snuck up the inside rail to hit the front after two and a half furlongs. Cambronne continued to save ground entering the straight, with Tito Mo Cen leading the rest of the field down the centre of the course.

Casapueblo tracked Mont de Soleil as the eventual winner swooped to take up the running over a furlong out and the Godolphin runner saw out the trip well, edging out Woodchuck for second in the closing strides.