Cicero’s Gift hunting another Group One surprise in Lockinge Last season’s shock QEII winner Cicero’s Gift is out to spring another Group One surprise in the Boyle Sports Lockinge Stakes at Newbury. The Charlie Hills-trained six-year-old enjoyed his best season so far in 2025, highlighted by his 100-1 top-level success on British Champions Day at Ascot. After blowing away any cobwebs with a fourth-place finish in Sandown’s bet365 Mile last month, Cicero’s Gift is poised for another big-race tilt on Saturday, provided conditions are deemed suitable. Hills said: “We were happy with his first run, we thought he ran well and he worked very well on Tuesday morning too, so I am delighted with him. “We will have to watch the weather as he likes some give in the ground so the decision will be made on Thursday morning, but we are very happy with him and the aim is to be there on Saturday.” Dancing Gemini was beaten just a neck by Lead Artist in last year’s Lockinge and is poised to return to Newbury having finished last of six in the bet365 Mile. Trainer Roger Teal will be hoping his stable star can bounce back to form, saying: “All looks good with him, Rossa (Ryan) rode him in some work on Tuesday morning and was very pleased with how he felt, so it’s all systems go. “He won’t be bothered at all if there is a shower or two between now and Saturday, in fact it might help him out if anything, so he’s set to go.”
