Stakes winners Equilateral and Kylian meet for a third time this winter in the five-furlong Weekly £5 Free Bet With BetUK Handicap at Wolverhampton on Saturday.
It is honours even so far, with Kylian scoring at Newcastle in November and Equilateral reversing the form last month as the duo fought out the finish at Southwell.
Equilateral winning at Southwell in December (Pic – Tony Knapton)
Equilateral was registering a ninth career success, with his biggest wins coming in the Listed Scarbrough Stakes at Doncaster in 2019 and the Gr2 Meydan Sprint in 2021.
His trainer Charlie Hills said: “It was nice for Equilateral to gain a bit of confidence from his last win and I have been very happy with him since then. I think a turning five at Wolverhampton will suit him as he travels nicely.
“It is great that he is still performing at this level at the age of 10. He is very close to our hearts, given how long he has been with us. He is a lovely horse to have around the place and seems to be really enjoying his work at the moment.
“After this, he will be aimed towards All-Weather Championships Finals Day. The sprint final is over an extra furlong, but he ran over six at Kempton a couple of starts ago and I thought he got the trip well.”
A Listed-winning juvenile for Karl Burke, Kylian has found a new lease of life for Archie Watson, following up his Southwell second with a class two triumph at Lingfield Park on December 31.
The lineup includes another in-form runner in Michaela’s Boy, who is chasing a hat-trick for Robert Cowell after wins at Wolverhampton and Lingfield Park.
Richard Fahey’s Brooklyn Nine Nine reverts to five furlongs, having been successful over this trip on his penultimate start at Southwell.
The Mick Appleby-trained Bedford Flyer has clashed with all of these rivals so far this season, most recently taking fourth behind Michaela’s Boy at Lingfield Park.
Newcastle’s card on Saturday is headed by the BetMGM: It’s Showtime Handicap over seven furlongs, in which course and distance scorer Brewing tops the weights for William Haggas.
Society Man lines up for Charlie Johnston following an eye-catching second on his UK debut at Wolverhampton, his first start since leaving Fabrice Chappet.
John & Sean Quinn are doubly represented, with the returning Tropez Power and Empirestateofmind.
Course winners Zip (Richard Fahey), Daring Legend (Mick Appleby) and Enola Grey (Gemma Tutty) complete the field.
