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Royal Ascot 2026 - Day 5 preview

And so, we move onto the final day. Still just in front after a great Tuesday, can I hang on? 14.30 NORFOLK STAKES Agamennon - improved sharply at his second start, beating a couple of decent juveniles who have both since won. Trainer rates this one highly but jockey Oisin Murphy is having a terrible week, 0/16 before Friday's card, unusual for him. Drawn inside rail but expecting the bias to have levelled out or even switched over by then. Carry The Flag - second to Coventry winner Great Barrier Reef last time, beat Sun Goddess (fav for Albany) the previous start. Beaten by Star Prospect on debut. Sets the standard. Drawn the middle, can switch to either side if necessary. Flight Signal - won nicely on debut at Bath a month ago, 3.25L ahead of Jaan Ki Tukri who ran far better than his odds of 125/1 in the Coventry on Tuesday. Bath might be considered as a low-tier track but several trainers like using it to educate their youngsters, a bit like Chester. The constant turning keep...
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Royal Ascot 2026 - Day 4 Preview

Back to earth on Thursday although at least we got our money back on Aix Le Chapelle. More time to do a four races today, although I'll take a pass on the handicaps - they take hours to do properly! 14.30 ALBANY STAKES Dark Issue - debuted impressively at Goodwood, winning by a soft five lengths, has to be in the mix although low draw a negative. Hidden Gift - was slow out of the gates on debut but flew home late to narrowly miss at Ripon a fortnight ago. Big odds but drawn the right side, has JMac aboard, you could do a lot worse. Jolivette - won a Newmarket novice a fortnight ago without being knocked around but the proximity of the third horse is a concern, it was beaten a long way in the Windsor Castle on Wednesday. Half-sister to Jonquil. King's Prize - won at Nottingham on debut but seemed more labouring than anything. Has had seven weeks off to further her racing education. Kochella - Aussie owned and trained filly who ran once for Lemos de Souza who was minding the...
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Royal Ascot 2026 - Day 3 preview

 A bit briefer today, too many events on this week to keep up! 14.30 CHESHAM STAKES Aix La Chapelle - looked a nice type winning on debut only a fortnight ago, defeating an odds-on stablemate and a well-tried Amo Racing colt who had also finished behind Great Barrier Reef and Confucius. Regally bred, hard to beat. Nola Soul - won nicely at Leopardstown a month ago, beating a couple of decent benchmarks from the Aidan & Joseph O'Brien stables. I liked the way he put his mind to the task when asked, only needed a couple of taps with the persuader and then the engine revved right up. That was on debut, he's also by Justify like the favourite, expect continued improvement. On Just Terms - a debutant by Justify, that's a bold move coming straight here. But look into the ownership and you see that a bunch of Aussies are involved. And the name is a reference to the classic Aussie film, The Castle . Probably just here to have a runner and hope for the best, but he was bought...
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Royal Ascot 2026 - Day 2 Preview

A great first day, may the momentum continue! 14.30 QUEEN MARY Alta Regina - debuted with a dominant win at Lingfield in quick time. The race report said she ran a bit green but I thought that was more reacting to other horses not running straight. Drawn the grandstand rail with James McDonald aboard, big ticks. Armor Supreme - won nicely on debut at Goodwood, enough to inspire Valor Racing to buy into her. Then was nosed out on the line in the Marygate at York, always a decent guide. Also drawn high, Rossa Ryan aboard and he's in great form, winning four races on Sunday and Monday. A chance at odds in a really tough race. Bint Archange - impressive winner here six weeks ago but with average rating figures. Stable have a high opinion of her, but needs to step up considerably to figure. Celtic Dispute - first of the American fillies. Kicked off her career with a second on the dirt then found the line first on her turf debut. Not a pure speed machine, sat behind the lead for that...
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Royal Ascot 2026 - Day 1 preview

It's time for Royal Ascot again and it might just be a Goldilocks week on the weather front - not too hot, not too cold - perfect. Should be a high-class week but with a plethora of other events on, unfortunately I won't get there this year. Ah well, will have to cheer on the Aussies from home! 14.30 QUEEN ANNE STAKES  Cicero's Gift - fluked the QE II Stakes on Champions Day here last year at 100/1, beating the ill-fated Lion In Winter and the over-rated Field of Gold amongst others. Oh and Docklands who needs all the planets in alignment. Whilst he was massive odds, he'd at least been running in weaker races. There's no form at all to recommend him this time, beaten 7L in the Bet365 Mile and the Lockinge. Pass.  Damysus - entered in all the big mile to 1m2f races in Britain and Ireland this season, the Wathnan guys think they have a proper horse here. But so far, he's a G3 and Listed winner, barely beating Cicero's Gift in the G1 Lockinge a month ago when...
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Derby preview 2026

Onto the big one which sadly looks like it will be blighted by inclement weather scattered throughout the day. Hopefully we have a track surface where it's not a mad race to the grandstand rail as soon as they hit the straight. The forecast has quite a bit of predicted rain - will the outside get chopped up so much jockeys will return to the inside? It will also be mighty windy with nasty gusts of up to 50mph. A good day for watching on TV... It could get a bit damp on those open-topped buses. A strong run in the Oaks yesterday from A La Prochaine, if only she'd not gotten so worked up on the way to the gates. The winner though was mighty impressive. THE BETFRED DERBY Epsom £2,000,000 Group 1 for 3yo Colts & Fillies, no Geldings 1m4f 1600 local, Sat 0100 AEST 1. Action - regally-bred Coolmore colt, 3/4 brother to last year's winner Lambourn, who has one win from six career starts. Since winning his maiden, he's been thrown against the good'uns, running a close t...
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Oaks Preview

It's Classic weekend and it kicks off on Friday with the Oaks at Epsom. I won't ramble on about my usual reservations about the venue, you've heard it all before, or can look back in previous posts. June is a funny time for me, the domain renewal notice comes through and every year it's a question of do I continue or not, after starting this thing 18 years ago! Obviously, there's at least one more year of it... Oaks & Derby crowds have been nothing short of dismal in recent years but the Jockey Club to their credit have finally done something about it. The proof will be the pudding, hopefully the weather is half-decent so the public shows up, even if it is in the cheap seats in the middle! Will we ever see an Epsom crowd like this again? Aidan O'Brien has won eight of the last 14 editions of the race (11 overall), that's a handy starting point. John Gosden, now partnered with his son Thady on the licence, has won four including the greats Enable and Tagh...
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Cheltenham 2026 - Friday preview

So close to a bonanza yesterday, had two horses that looked home for all money going up the Hill and then…tears. We saddle up one more time! TRIUMPH HURDLE Apolon De Charnie - unseen since being purchased out of France. Ran last at only start in France, then 6L second (at 50/1) to Proactif, one of the market leaders here. The rules have changed to stop hurdling debutants running, could this be Willie's latest way to play with the rules? Berto Ramirez - millions, owners here for the party. Fantasy World - decent Flat rating, similar to Saratoga on Tuesday, but has disappointed at two runs over hurdles - beaten 15L both times in weaker company. Nope. Forty Fifty - another one playing Mullins bingo. Ran fourth behind Macho Man at Auteuil on debut. Probably favourite that day based on the stable. Who knows how good he is? Indian River - has won all three over hurdles on northern tracks, but that form wouldn't even be good enough to run a place in the Fred Winter (a weaker, handicap...
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