Saturday 4th July 2026
Welcome aboard to this week’s Saturday blog, and we get things underway on Coral Eclipse Day with the 1.50 at Sandown, and this is the Group 3 Coral Charge over five furlongs. I think that ASFOORA can get back to winning ways here for Henry Dwyer, who’s the mount of Oisin Murphy. She’s a three-time Group 1 winner in Europe, and ran much better last time out in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, finishing seventh and two lengths behind the winner. These are calmer waters, and she should make her presence felt within this grade.
The second race of the day for us will be the 2.05 at Newmarket, and this is a Class 2 handicap over a mile and six furlongs. Dylan Cunha’s ARC OLE OLE can resume his progress here under Luke Morris. He won back-to-back handicaps at Doncaster and York in his first two outings of this campaign, before running very well in an ultra-competitive Heritage Handicap at Royal Ascot, finishing fifth of nineteen. The extra couple of furlongs here will likely bring out further improvement, and he should have a big say at the business end of things. Morris partnered him to success at Doncaster back in March.
It’s back over to Sandown now for the 2.25, and this is the Coral Challenge, another Class 2 handicap, this time contested over a mile. This is a highly competitive affair; however, I’ve come down on TRIBAL CHIEF for the team of David Menuisier and Saffie Osbourne. His last success came off just three pounds lower than his current mark, with that win coming at Goodwood last summer, and he’s run well in both starts this season off his current mark. He finished a length and a half third of twenty-one in the Lincoln at Doncaster on his penultimate start, before filling that same position in the twenty-eight-runner Victoria Cup at Ascot last time out in May. If he runs to that level again here, it could be enough to see him over the line, and he looks rock solid on the back of those two runs.
Our fourth race of the day is the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks, which takes place over a mile and four furlongs at 2.40 at Newmarket. It’s hard to see past the Sir Mark Prescott-trained TIFFANY (nb) here, who currently heads the betting under Luke Morris. She’s clear on official ratings by a fairly considerable margin, and if she runs up to her current mark, she should prove very tough to beat. She has a string of placed efforts to her name, with four of the last five of those coming within Group 1 company. She should also take a big step forward following her seasonal reappearance at Chantilly last time out, where she also finished second, and a bold showing is likely.
We head into Listed action at 3.00, with the Coral Distaff at Sandown for the fillies over a mile. John & Thady Gosden are known for their success with fillies, and I think that they could take this with another potentially useful sort in the form of SACRED GROUND, who’s the mount of Ryan Moore. She was a winner on debut at Yarmouth last autumn, before finishing second in three consecutive Listed events, including when just half a length behind Esna at Newbury on her penultimate start. She could only manage fourth at Goodwood last time out; however, she was still beaten by only half a length by eventual winner Venetia. I’m firmly of the belief that she’ll land a race of this nature sooner rather than later, and the drop back down to a mile could be the key to that here.
The penultimate race I’ll be taking a look at this week will be the 3.15 at Newmarket, and this is another highly-competitive handicap in the form of the Old Newton Cup, a Class 2 affair over a mile and four furlongs. I’ve come down on the Andrew Balding-trained PLAGE DE HAVRE here, who’s the mount of Callum Hutchinson. His last success came in this race twelve months ago when it was held at Haydock, winning very impressively on that occasion by four lengths. He’s ten pounds higher on this occasion; however, he ran with credit at York last time when third behind Klassleader, who’s the current short-priced favourite for this contest. He’s got just over five lengths to make up with that rival; however, he’s much better at the weights now, and I think he could well get closer, and he’s a much bigger price, currently trading at around the 8/1 mark.
Signing us off for the day will be the feature race at Sandown at 3.35, the Group 1 Coral Eclipse over a mile and two furlongs. Aidan O’Brien has once again stamped his authority on top-level affairs so far this term, and I think that this will be another that goes back with Ballydoyle, as they look to have a fantastic chance with CONSTIUTION RIVER (nap), who’s the mount of Ryan Moore. He’s a highly exciting three-year-old who comes into the contest having won his last four starts, with his most recent success coming in Group 1 company when winning the French Derby. He gets the weight allowance off his elders here, and that should make him very tough to beat. He’s looking like another potential superstar for the yard.
