Opera Ballo upset Field Of Gold to capture the bet365 Mile
- Turf Diario
- Apr 25
- 2 min read
With a bold ride by William Buick, the Charlie Appleby trainee made all the running and now sets his sights on France
ESHER, England (Special to Turf Diario).- In a high-octane contest at Sandown Park Racecourse, Opera Ballo sprang the surprise with an authoritative victory in the bet365 Mile (G2-1600m, turf), defeating none other than Field Of Gold (Kingman), one of the leading names in the field.
The Charlie Appleby trainee, already a G1 winner in Dubai earlier this season, found success through an aggressive approach. Under an inspired ride from William Buick, the bay seized the lead from the break and never allowed his rivals into the race, even while carrying a penalty for his previous top-level success.
“When he’s broken like that before, I’ve thought about taking him back, but today the plan was always to let him roll. He’s won well and was very comfortable in front,” Buick explained. He added: “We’ve always held him in high regard and he has a big season ahead. He showed he’s ready to compete again at the top level.”
Behind him, the gray Field Of Gold—winner of last year’s Irish 2000 Guineas (G1) and the St James’s Palace Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot—made a solid seasonal return, staying on to finish second, while Zeus Olympios (Night of Thunder) completed the podium.
For Appleby, the result came as no surprise: “This horse has always had an engine. William and I agreed that the best approach was to let him use his speed from the gates, because he’s electric early.”
As for what comes next, the trainer has already mapped out a plan: the immediate target is likely the Prix d’Ispahan (G1)—now the Prix Aga Khan IV—where he would return to the highest level over a slightly longer trip, around 1800 meters.
“The plan was always to go from here straight to France. We know he can stay that distance, as he showed in the Jebel Hatta (G1) at Meydan. The Lockinge Stakes (G1) at Newbury is an option, but we have other horses for that race,” Appleby concluded.
With this victory, Opera Ballo not only confirmed his upward trajectory but also placed himself firmly among Europe’s elite milers.
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