Latest horse racing news from UK, Ireland, and around the world.
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Click on course names to view our course guides. Click on race times to access that racecard. Times highlighted in yellow are free races of the day.
| Carlisle |
Good |
14:00 | 14:30 | 15:00 | 15:30 | 16:05 | 16:37 | 17:07 | 17:37 |
| Brighton |
Good |
14:15 | 14:45 | 15:15 | 15:50 | 16:20 | 16:52 | 17:22 | |
| Roscommon |
Yielding |
16:12 | 16:45 | 17:15 | 17:45 | 18:15 | 18:45 | 19:15 | |
| Windsor |
Good |
16:30 | 17:00 | 17:30 | 18:00 | 18:30 | 19:00 | 19:30 |
Ollie Sangster was thrilled to see Shuwari reward the patience of her connections with victory in the Prix de la Cochere at ParisLongchamp.
The New Bay filly enjoyed an excellent juvenile campaign a couple of years ago, beating the subsequent triple Group One winner Fallen Angel in the Star Stakes at Sandown before filling the runner-up spot in both the Rockfel Stakes and the Fillies’ Mile.
Shuwari missed the entirety of the 2024 season and after finishing sixth on her long-awaited return to action at Kempton in March, she was not seen again until placing third in Haydock’s Dick Hern Stakes three weeks ago.
But ridden confidently at the rear of the field by Mickael Barzalona on her first appearance in France, Sangster’s charge moved menacingly into contention halfway up the home straight and picked up well in the closing stages of the one-mile contest to edge out Zabeel Light in a driving finish.
Sangster said: “She was obviously a high-class two-year-old who has had her issues since then and I’m very happy for my dad Ben and the whole team at Ballylinch (part-owners) as they have been very patient all along and let us keep trying.
“We were happy with her going into Haydock, but we were very much using that as a comeback run and a springboard for the rest of the season. This was on more suitable ground today, we were cautious about the draw (stall 12), but Mickael gave her a nice, cool ride and I think she performed very well in the circumstances.
“I think she’ll improve again for today and we look forward to getting her back and hopefully having a successful autumn. She’s not in a few of those big autumn Group Ones as they close very early in the year and obviously we’ve had our issues so we were reluctant to make many entries.
“We’ll get her back home and see how she comes out of it and try to go back up to Group company, anyway.”
Afjan is in line for a shot at Group One glory on Arc weekend after narrowly denying Irish raider Havana Anna victory in the Group Three Prix d’Arenberg.
Havana Anna was a warm order to complete her hat-trick for Donnacha O’Brien following back-to-back wins at Naas, most recently impressing in the Listed Marwell Stakes in July.
Ridden by Gavin Ryan, the Havana Grey filly took over the lead from Archie Watson’s Shine On Me approaching the last of five furlongs, but Henri Devin’s Afjan also finished off strongly in the hands of Christophe Soumillon.
The pair passed the winning post almost as one, but the judge confirmed the Al Shaqab Racing-owned Afjan the winner by a nose and the juvenile could now take on his elders in the Prix de l’Abbaye.
Rupert Pritchard-Gordon, Al Shaqab’s French racing consultant, said: “That was brilliant, particularly with him being a homebred colt.
“It’s great that he’s confirmed the promise he showed when winning on his debut. Henri Devin has always had a lot of confidence in the horse and after he finished second in the Prix de Cabourg over six furlongs at Deauville the other day, Christophe felt he had so much natural speed that the very obvious race was today’s.
“It’s very possible he’ll run in the Prix de l’Abbaye, I think – we’ll roll the dice. He’s got a lot of speed and he’ll carry 54 kilos.
“We’re not there yet, but that would be the plan I think as we’ve got very little to lose. He’ll have the weight in his favour and he’s now proved his effectiveness over that quick five furlongs, so why not?”
Espoir Avenir claimed a shock victory in the other Group Three on the card, the Prix Gerald de Geoffre.
Hotheaded was a short-priced favourite to claim a third win from four starts for Andre Fabre, but he folded after being rushed to the front following a slow start and it was Christophe Ferland’s Espoir Avenir who picked up the pieces, with Joseph O’Brien’s Emit beating Hotheaded to the runner-up spot.
Grand Marques could make the leap to Group One company on Irish Champions Weekend after a front-running success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Abergwaun Stakes at Tipperary.
Group Three-placed last year as a juvenile, Fozzy Stack’s charge had fallen short when tried in a grade higher this term but dropped back to Listed level, she was in the front rank throughout in the hands of Seamie Heffernan.
Erosandpsyche proved her main rival in the last of the five furlongs, but Grand Marques had a little extra in reserve and eventually ran out a half-length winner as an 8-1 shot.
Stack is now looking towards the Bar One Racing Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh on September 14.
He said: “She had the right draw (stall 14) today and was able to get to the stands’ side rail, which was a big help. Nothing really bothered her in front and he (Heffernan) was able to sit until a furlong and a half down.
“If they all did what she did, a Listed winner and Group Three-placed, we’d be all right and today’s race was a win-and-you’re-in for the Flying Five Stakes. We have nothing to lose and all those sprinters seem to be beating each other this year.”
Endorsement (evens favourite) built on a debut second by claiming the Camas Park Irish EBF Maiden for Aidan O’Brien and Wayne Lordan.
The Wootton Bassett colt, who hails from the family of Group One winner Johannes Vermeer, briefly looked as though he might have to settle for the runner-up prize again as Limestone made a good battle of it, but Endorsement found the required extra and was pulling away again as he crossed the line a length and three-quarters to the good.
Stablemate Christmas Day finished fifth on his racecourse bow after making the early running.
O’Brien’s representative Chris Armstrong said: “It looked to be a lovely maiden and some of them were coming in with good runs previously. Both our horses had good runs so it was a difficult decision for Wayne to make and he said he had a messy trip the whole way, as he was wide.
“In fairness once he got him straightened up and balanced, his last furlong was his best part and he really hit the line well.
“He will now go into all those nice staying races towards the backend, although the Beresford might come too soon. He is still babyish, so will come on mentally and physically and could run next in the Zetland Stakes in Newmarket, and maybe then on to the Group Ones in France.”
The Ballydoyle team doubled up with Mississippi River (6-4 favourite) in the Glenvale Stud Race, edging out Bravais by a head.
Armstrong added: “He is in a handicap at Leopardstown (Sovereign Path Handicap, Champions Weekend), where he would carry a winner’s penalty, so we’ll see how he comes out of it. He has good form around Leopardstown and it is a good pot.”
Princess Child just got the better of Queen Of Thunder in a thrilling finish to the Coolmore Stud No Nay Never Fairy Bridge Stakes at Tipperary.
Trained by Joseph O’Brien and ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle, Princess Child was sent off a 3-1 shot for the Group Three prize as a five-time runner-up at Listed level and winner of the Ahonoora Handicap at the Galway Festival at the start of the month.
Settled in mid division, McMonagle managed to avoid the worst of the trouble as the field tightened up turning into the straight, with Mataariki swinging across the track to the nearside rail and appearing to impede Chantez and 11-4 favourite Fingerpaint in particular.
Switched to challenge down the middle, Princess Child reeled in Queen Of Thunder who had set sail for home, eventually edging a short head in front on the line, with Fingerpaint making late gains to be beaten a further three and a half lengths in third.
O’Brien said: “If any horse every deserved to win a stakes race it was her, although you don’t always get what you deserve. She met a bit of trouble in running but hit the line strong and while it was a head-bobber, she had previously come out the wrong side of a few tight finishes in her career.
“We had been campaigning her aggressively to try to win a stakes race and while she has a load of black type, to win a Group race is great. I’d say it will be a career-best on the figures and I thought she won the hard way.
“She is a Group winner now so it is job done, although we might look to win another one now.”
The stewards inquired into Mataariki’s move across the track, with her rider Declan McDonogh banned for seven days after being found to have ridden carelessly.
Long-term absentee Isle Of Jura has had his comeback date put back slightly, but trainer George Scott remains delighted with his progress.
A Royal Ascot winner in the Hardwicke Stakes last summer having already won the Bahrain Triple Crown, he is likely to be a flag bearer for his connections, the new amalgamation Victorious Forever.
Isle Of Jura was being aimed at the September Stakes on September 6, but that race will come too soon.
“We’ve bumped him back a bit. There’s a Listed race at Newmarket (Godolphin Stakes, September 26) or a race at Goodwood (Foundation Stakes, September 24), but I couldn’t be more pleased with his progress,” said Scott.
“His issue hasn’t raised its head whatsoever and he’s using one of those races, hopefully, as a stepping stone to the Bahrain International at the beginning of November. I’m very excited about him.”
Another heading to Bahrain eventually is prolific winner and Chester Cup and Royal Ascot second Caballo De Mar.
“He goes to Haydock next Saturday for the Old Borough Cup,” said Scott.
“He’s a funny horse at home, he wouldn’t beat the lowest-rated horse in the yard on the gallops but he’s got a really good record on the track.
“He was bought by Victorious with the winter season in Bahrain in mind and then hopefully look at Dubai.”
Bay City Roller was an unbeaten juvenile for the team winning the Champagne Stakes last year but has had his opportunities limited this term due to unsuitable going, while he was slow to start when most recently seen in the York Stakes.
“The season has been so frustrating for Bay City Roller and I really do believe he’s a top-class horse, he just needs a pattern of races to get into the season,” said Scott.
“We missed the break at York by six lengths, which was a shame as we blotted our copybook. We wouldn’t have beaten the first two but we’d have beaten the other two three-year-olds and everyone would have been very positive about him. He just needs a bit of cut.”
The Strikin Viking secured his first success since his racecourse debut as he blazed a trail in the Group Three Casino Baden-Baden Goldene Peitsche in Germany.
The three-year-old – named in honour of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland – made a splash when first appearing on the track at York in June 2024, making all for a comfortable maiden success before being beaten just half a length by subsequent Classic winner Henri Matisse when upped to Group Two company in the Railway Stakes.
Following that run, Wathnan Racing bought the son of Inns Of Court from Middleham Park Racing for an undisclosed sum and switched him from Kevin Ryan to Hamad Al Jehani – but after an initial second in the Richmond Stakes, The Strikin Viking was beaten in two further juvenile runs before being gelded over the winter.
Down the field on his first two starts this term, The Strikin Viking was only a neck off victory at Chester last time and he built on that with a determined effort over six furlongs at Baden-Baden.
Racing prominently for Faleh Bughanaim, The Strikin Viking kept finding for pressure to hold off the challenge of War Bride by three-quarters of a length, with fellow British raiders Kylian and Arabie finishing fourth and eighth respectively.
Wathnan’s racing adviser Richard Brown said: “It was absolutely fantastic, delighted. It’s Wathnan’s first winner in Germany and how apt that it should be achieved by a Qatari trainer and a Qatari jockey.
“All credit to Hamad and his team as he hasn’t been straightforward. Things didn’t go to plan last year at Goodwood (in the Richmond) and we sort of lost him a bit after that, but everyone has been very patient with him, we’ve obviously gelded him now and all credit to them for getting him back.
“He ran very well at Chester last time and it was a good performance today. I’m just delighted for Hamad and his team and Faleh as well, who I thought gave him a very good ride.
“Today was the plan, so we’ll enjoy that and wait until Hamad and Faleh get back and have a debrief with them. I’ll talk to all the team and see if we can come up with a plan.”
Connections are considering the options with the exciting Zanthos after the prospect of soft ground scuppered a tilt at the Solario Stakes.
The €1million breeze-up buy lit up the July course with a dazzling display on debut, with trainers Simon and Ed Crisford open to taking on the colts in the Sandown Group Three.
However, put off by forecast rain and keen to ensure the daughter of Sioux Nation banks further experience on a sound surface, they will now consider a new route to high-ranking events at the end of the season.
Zanthos holds an entry for both the Rockfel Stakes (September 26) and Fillies’ Mile (October 10) on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile, with the youngster’s team now weighing up a Leicester novice event on September 9 or Doncaster’s Betfred May Hill Stakes two days later as potential stepping stones.
Chris Wall, racing manager for owners Victorious Forever, said: “The plan was to run in the Solario, but we ducked out of that with the forecast and possibility of soft ground which it looked like being.
“The target is the Rockfel and it’s just how we get there as we feel she needs to have another run for experience and it’s then a question of where we do that.
“We could go for the May Hill over a mile which I suppose if she ran well in that, we could then bin the Rockfel idea and head straight to the Fillies’ Mile. Or there is also a fillies’ novice race at Leicester the same week.
“As much as anything, and obviously her well-being at the time is also paramount, but wherever she goes could be dictated a little bit by the ground as she’s a good-actioned filly. I’m not saying she won’t cope with slowish ground but she wouldn’t want very soft ground.
“We’re all looking forward to her next run and it’s disappointing we couldn’t go to the Solario as it would have let us know where we stood and we could confidently make plans for the autumn, but we can’t help the weather and we take that on the chin and move on.”
Adrian Murray has outlined plans for some of his stable stars, with Arizona Blaze set to be freshened up after Nunthorpe disappointment for a crack at the Prix de l’Abbaye, while Group One hero Power Blue is also being saved for a trans-Atlantic mission to the Breeders’ Cup later in the year.
Arizona Blaze was sent off the 9-2 favourite for York’s Group One sprint but struggled to make an impression in finishing 11th, some six lengths adrift of Australian-trained winner Asfoora.
With stablemate Bucanero Fuerte pencilled in to represent Murray and owners Amo Racing in the Curragh’s Flying Five Stakes, Arizona Blue will make the journey to France in early October.
That could pave the way for further travel and another visit to the Breeders’ Cup having gone close in the Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar last November.
Murray said: “We were a little bit disappointed with Arizona Blaze, he was slow out the stalls and got on the back foot and just never got into it, he wasn’t able to travel in his comfort zone.
“He’s come out of the race great though and we’re looking at going to Longchamp now for the sprint on Arc weekend. Bucanero Fuerte is going to go for the Flying Five, so we’ll freshen Arizona Blaze up and hopefully look at France.
“The ground could have been a little quick for him at York as well, so if there’s a bit of dig in the ground in France it could be to his advantage.
“He will probably go for the Breeders’ Cup as well towards the back end.”
Oh. My. Goodness …. 😱
1-4 favourite True Love is outgunned by 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞 in the @keeneland Phoenix Stakes @curraghrace
What a day for @amoracingltd, @AMurrayRacing and @DavidEgan99 🟣🟣 pic.twitter.com/6tviaSISyO
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 9, 2025
Also with a trip to California on his agenda is Phoenix Stakes scorer Power Blue, who will now swerve stepping up in distance for the National Stakes to head Stateside in top form, where his intended target is still to be decided.
“We took him out of the National Stakes and he’s had a tough enough campaign, so we’re just going to freshen him up and look at the Breeders’ Cup for him as well,” continued Murray.
“We haven’t really decided which race yet, but he probably will be going up in trip.”
Murray has also welcomed last year’s Irish Oaks winner You Got To Me to his Rathowen base, with the headline-making 4.8million guineas buy switched from trainer Ralph Beckett by Amo supremo Kia Joorabchian.
Seen just the once this season when disappointing at Epsom in the Coronation Cup, there are no immediate plans, but her new handler is hoping the change of scenery inspires a revival.
“It’s great to have her and she’s on a little bit of a break to freshen her up,” said Murray.
“She has an entry in the Arc, but we would have to wait and see and she will tell us where we are at with her.
“At the moment she’s enjoying her break and we’ll just be hoping that the change of scenery will bring her back to something like her best.”
Frankie Dettori steered British raider Wimbledon Hawkeye to a thrilling victory in the DK Horse Nashville Derby on Saturday.
Although James Owen’s charge had not managed to get his head in front since landing last season’s Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket, he has run creditably defeat on a number of occasions this term, filling the runner-up spot in the Craven, the Princess of Wales’s Stakes and Gordon Stakes.
Wimbledon Hawkeye, owned by Dettori’s former neighbours the Gredley Family, headed Stateside as a leading contender for Saturday’s $2million feature at Kentucky Downs and after rocketing to the front early in the home straight, the Kameko colt knuckled down to see off the persistent challenge of Burnham Square by a head.
WHAT A RACE! 😲
It's a successful American raid for the @JPOwenRacing team as Wimbledon Hawkeye and @FrankieDettori get the better of Burnham Square in an epic finish to the Grade Three Nashville Derby Invitational Stakes at @KYDownsRacing… 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/iNMtAMqEpY
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 30, 2025
Dettori told TwinSpires Racing: “We know he’s proven on grass and proven on the distance, so when we got to the top of the hill I thought ‘come and catch me if you can’.
“Brian (Hernandez Jr, riding Burnham Square) came to me with a wet sail and I thought he was going to pass me, but in fairness Wimbledon Hawkeye put his head down and battled for me. I wasn’t sure at the line, but we got there first.
“The only thing I was afraid of was he’s danced every dance this year – he’s run a Guineas trial, the Guineas (finished fifth), Derby trials and Royal Ascot. He ran at Goodwood on deep ground, it’s a long journey for a three-year-old and sometimes we ask horses too much, but the team have done a great job.
“He was bucking and kicking like a yearling and he showed that he was full of energy, well done to the team.”
Quoted on www.bloodhorse.com, Owen added: “The horse is improving. He’s not the biggest, but he’s getting stronger all the time, and he’s a very consistent horse.
“I’m privileged to train him. I haven’t been training long. It’s my third season training and to win this prize is unreal.”
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Click on course names to view our course guides. Click on race times to access that racecard. Times highlighted in yellow are free races of the day.
| Brighton |
Good |
13:52 | 14:22 | 14:52 | 15:22 | 15:52 | 16:22 | 16:52 | |
| Worcester |
Good |
14:10 | 14:40 | 15:10 | 15:40 | 16:10 | 16:40 | 17:10 | 17:40 |
| Tipperary |
Good |
14:30 | 15:00 | 15:30 | 16:00 | 16:30 | 17:00 | 17:30 |
Ralph Beckett’s Skellet can surely be marked up after her third-place finish in the Atalanta Stakes at Sandown.
The Kingman filly was having just her second run of the season, having disappointed at Epsom when favourite for a Group Three at the Derby meeting.
She clipped heels and almost came down in the early stages before staying on powerfully behind two highly progressive fillies and will be winning soon herself, possibly over further than the mile she faced here.
Joseph O’Brien has some lofty targets in mind for Queen Of Hawaii having watched her impress in the Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes at the Curragh.
Beaten on her debut, she looked good when winning her maiden at Leopardstown last month and was sent off at 100-30 against the favourite Sugar Island, from his father Aidan’s Ballydoyle stable.
The way the Kingman filly swept by Moments Of Joy, the Ballydoyle second string, suggests she is worthy of bigger targets.
Coral were impressed enough to give her a 25-1 quote for the 1000 Guineas and go 20-1 for the Oaks.
“She won her maiden well. She was very well bought by Philip Antonacci at Goffs,” said O’Brien.
“We thought she was a smart filly and you kind of come here to find out. She looks very smart and you’d have to be excited about her.
“She went through the line strong and Dylan (Browne McMonagle) said that she always feels like there is more in the locker.
“I’d imagine that she’ll either go for the Goffs Million or Fillies’ Mile in Newmarket. We could also look at the Moyglare.
“When she won her maiden at a mile we were looking at coming back to seven and having a look at the Goffs Million.
“We’ll see how she pulls up and discuss it with Philip and see. She’ll be heading for a Group One if it’s not the Million.”
Dermot Weld proved he is still a force to be reckoned with in major handicaps by producing Jagged Edge (22-1) to win the Paddy Power Supporting Cancer Trials Ireland Irish Cambridgeshire.
Having just the fourth run in his life and racing from 2lb out of the handicap, Weld employed apprentice Wayne Hassett to take a valuable 3lb off his back.
Handy throughout, Hassett managed to get his mount up right on the line to deny Genuine Article, who had also been up there all the way for Seamie Heffernan.
Weld said: “I’m delighted with this horse. He’s a big horse and he loves to be fresh. He won for us in Cork and looked like he was going to go on and he just lost his way a little bit. We left him alone and he’s come back nicely.”
There were several fundraising activities during the day in aid of cancer trials, the disease which took Weld’s former stable jockey Pat Smullen so cruelly.
He went on to say: “It’s great to see over a million being raised for pancreatic cancer. It’s such a wonderful achievement and I want to praise Frances Crowley (Smullen’s widow) for everything that she does, the whole team and everyone that contributes.
“It’s such an amazing achievement to be able to raise that kind of money and please God they keep raising more in years to come.”
Tom Clover ended his long wait for a Sandown winner when God Of War relished the soft ground to strike in the Download The BetMGM App Handicap.
Ridden the last twice by Rossa Ryan, it was his after-race advice that paid dividends with David Egan the beneficiary in the saddle aboard the 11-1 shot as he registered a half-length success.
“It’s a monkey off our back to get the first Sandown winner, we’ve been stood over there in the placed spots a lot of times,” said the trainer’s wife, Jackie Clover.
“Rossa has ridden him the last twice and kept saying seven furlongs on easy ground and David has reaped the rewards.
“We’ve always thought quite a lot of this horse and things haven’t always gone to plan, but hopefully now he can get a bit of confidence and he can go on and do what we hoped he would do.”
The Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes was won by 1000 Guineas runner-up Flight last year and Alan King will be dreaming Deedaydiva has some big days ahead after obliging favourite-backers at 2-1.
Third behind Simon and Ed Crisford’s top-class prospect Zanthos at Newmarket on debut, the daughter of Churchill took the required step forward to confirm her handler’s lofty opinion with a bloodless two-length success in the hands of Hector Crouch.
“For mine to run so well first time at Newmarket, we were delighted, and she has been a very straightforward filly with a great mind on her,” said King.
“She came out of Newmarket lovely and has done it well today.
“I always thought she wanted a wee bit of dig, but she’s very straightforward and I’m very pleased with her.
“I’ve never had a two-year-old filly this good so I’ll have to go home and have a think about things. I do think she is pretty smart and we’ll enjoy today and have a look at the options. We think she is good.”
Red Letter relished the step up in trip to run out a cosy winner of the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes at the Curragh.
Trained by Ger Lyons, the Juddmonte-owned three-year-old began her season in the 1000 Guineas having not been too far away in the Fillies’ Mile last year.
While she finished seventh in the Newmarket Classic, she was less than three lengths behind Desert Flower, although she was a beaten even-money favourite on her next start down in Listed company.
Lyons kept her to that level at Killarney last time out when she looked ready for further and so it proved in this nine-furlong Group Three contest.
The Frankel filly looked to have conceded first run to John and Thady Gosden’s Sand Gazelle, but when Gary Carroll pulled the 6-5 favourite out she powered home.
The winning margin was a length and a half and she looks ready to step back up in class.
“That was lovely. As I said to Barry (Mahon, Juddmonte racing manager) she’s crying out for that trip but is probably only ready for it now,” said Lyons.
“You can see it in her physically, she’s only filling her frame.
“We’ll have a look at the Blandford. The ground is very important, she needs ease in the ground.
“We have a lovely horse to look forward to next year. We’ve just had to be so patient with her. You can see the size of her there, she was angular, and she should only be starting now.
“Hopefully she’ll fulfil all of her potential in the next 12 months. She’s a filly to look forward to.
“We’re looking forward to the end of this year, which is Champions Weekend – which is very important to us.
“Obviously the family have their say on her, but we’ve been training her with all of this in mind, the back end and next year. It looks like she’s going to fulfil her potential and thank us for being patient.
“I think she can get a mile and a half no problem.”
A Bit Of Spirit continued Clive Cox’s good recent run when coming out on top in a tremendous four-way finish to the BetMGM Solario Stakes at Sandown.
The most experienced runner in the field having had four previous starts, Rossa Ryan set out to put that experience to good use by heading to the front in the Group Three affair.
He looked something of a sitting duck two furlongs out, as Royal Ascot winner Humidity, Brian Meehan’s Oceans Four and eventually Pacific Avenue, who was off the bridle a long way from home, made it a four-way go, each of them briefly looking the likely winner at some stage.
A Bit Of Spirit gets the nod in a thrilling finish to the @BetMGM Solario Stakes pic.twitter.com/jWad5bCeko
— Adam Morgan (@Adam_Morgs) August 30, 2025
Pacific Avenue was first to fold and finished a clear fourth, albeit beaten less than half a length, while Oceans Four was leaning into Humidity by now, but was marginally in front of him. A Bit Of Spirit battled back, however, and crucially had his head down where it mattered.
A photo was called, and it was Cox – who won a valuable prize at York last week with Song Of The Clyde – who heard his horse called the winner. Oceans Four crossed the line in second and the Andrew Balding-trained Humidity in third, but those placings were reversed by the stewards
Cox said: “He’s got remarkable courage and really digs deep. He’s so tough, I think he was beaten for a minute and has got back up and I’m so proud.
🤌 Brilliant finish to the Solario
It's A Bit Of Spirit captures the G3 @BetMGMUK Solario Stakes @Sandownpark pic.twitter.com/ocsjRhKzsb
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 30, 2025
“We had no idea if he would cope with condition this easy and certainly we haven’t seen any ground like this all summer, but he’s all heart and so tough and I’m very pleased.
“He’s done nothing but improve with confidence and with that confidence he has displayed more ability, but the fighting quality has been there from the get go.
“Even on his first start he showed those qualities and even though he was quite green at that stage he’s got more battle-hardened now and is displaying more and more courage.
“Rossa was great there and he had all confidence he would handle the ground and it was proved rightly that was the case. I’m thrilled he’s taken this step today.”
A Bit Of Spirit holds a plethora of entries for top two-year-old contests in the latter stages of the season and Cox is now keen to continue aiming high.
He added: “I’m pleased to enjoy today and I think he’s a tough, hardy two-year-old so we can keep pushing with that in mind.
“Now we know he handles the ground we can plot accordingly and he’s got all the options wide open.
“He’s well entered and he’s in the Royal Lodge, but I’m not sure if we would prefer to stay at seven furlongs and he’s in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in France and all those races. I’m just thrilled we can discuss all the options and hopefully make the right decisions.
“From next year’s point of view, we probably stepped up to a mile early enough at Salisbury but the fact he can go on soft ground gives me confidence we can keep going this year and hopefully he may develop further next year.
“I’m delighted for the owners (Paul and Clare Rooney) who have been big supporters and it’s nice for them to have a horse like this for the big stage. It’s a joy to train nice horses for nice people and a privilege to make a living out of a passion really.”
