FORMER Oxford United youth team star Dexter Blackstock is hoping to score at Royal Ascot today with Newbury winner First Prophet.

The ex-Nottingham Forest and QPR striker made a dream start to becoming a racehorse owner when the two-year-old colt romped home on his debut in a seven-furlong novice stakes under James Doyle last Friday.

Now Blackstock, for whom United received a reported £275,000 in compensation from Southampton in 2003 after he signed before playing a U’s first-team game, has his fingers crossed the son of New Bay can follow up in the Chesham Stakes.

He co-owns First Prophet with trainer Charlie Fellowes, a big Forest fan, which saw the duo team up after they were introduced by Joe Soiza, who also has horses with the Newmarket handler and whose company, UK Meds, sponsor the East Midlands club.

Blackstock, 34, retired from football three years ago and now runs medical technology firm MediConnect, which has been providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to NHS frontline staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

He has been going out to deliver the equipment personally along with Blackburn Rovers midfielder Bradley Johnson, who was also involved in the initiative.