The voice of racing men since 1998

Thursday, 14 May 2026

2026 Flat Issue 3 - The winners keep coming

Headlines

Jan Brueghel lands Ormonde Stakes.
Maltese Cross lands Derby Trial
Necklace proves a Diamond Pick
James J Braddoclk lands Derby Trial

Report

We Start at Chester last Thursday where in the 1m 5f group 3 Jan Brueghel (Bob) went to post, In touch with leaders, dropped to rear after 3f, headway over 2f out, led over 1f out, ridden and ran on final 110yds, winning by 2 ½ l. He gets 33.16 points.

At Lingfield on Saturday in the 1m 3f listed stakes Maltese Cross (Cliff), went to post, In touch with leaders, headway 3f out, led 2f out, sustained duel and went clear with runner-up from over 1f out, ran on well, just did enough, winning by a neck. He gets 36.5 points.

On Sunday at Longchamp in the 1m  Poule d'Essai Des Pouliches (Group 1) (Fillies) Diamond Necklace (Bob), took her chance, Midfield on inner, headway to lead over 1f out, soon clear, ridden out, winning by 3l. She gets 53.6 points.

At Leopardstown in the 1m 2f group 3 James J Braddock (Cliff) took his chance, Raced in fourth, went third but pushed along over 2f out, outpaced over 1f out, 3 lengths down inside final furlong, ridden and ran on well to lead post, winning by a short head. He gets 50 points.

The John Torpey Memorial Trophy
                 May    Total
Cliff          205.6        205.6
Bob           168.93    168.93
Cod             150.34    150.34
Neil            90.1         90.1
Steve         82.17     82.17
Peej           65.12        65.12
Martin      28.68        28.68

Stats Per String
           Runs        Wins
Martin      4                1
Bob           8         4
Cliff           7            4
Neil          7              2
Peej          7             2
Cod           6            3
Steve          4               2

The Weeks Losers
Bay City Roller, Kings Gambit, Schrodinger’s Cat, Maho Bay, Gilded Prize, Puerto Rico, Pierre Bonnard, Binharheer, American Affair

Weekend Runners

Friday 

York
2,20 Synchronicity
3.30 Lover Girl
4.05 French Master
4.40 Schrodinger’s Cat
5.15 Portcullis

Newmarket
1.57 Portcullis

Leopardstown
7.22 Scandinavia

Saturday 

Newbury
1.25 Kalpana, French Master
2.35 Damysus, Zeus Olympics, Noteable Speech, Opera Ballo, The Lion In Winter, Gladius
3.45 Objector
4.20 Addison Grey, 
5.00 Mezcala
5.40 Objector

Navan
4.42 Cape Cod

Sunday 

Hamilton
5.15 Montezuma
6.15 Montezuma

Naas
1.55 Port Ferdinand
2.56 Great Barrier Reef
4.56 Charles Darwin

News
George Boughey has revealed his 2,000 Guineas star Bow Echo will skip the Irish 2,000 Guineas and head to the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot next.

Diamond Necklace was cut across the board for the Betfred Oaks, with the sponsors making her 5-1 second-favourite behind stablemate Amelia Earhart, though it’s hard to escape the conclusion there are a couple of extra points on top because the Coolmore partners may be tempted to return to France for the Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly on June 14. O’Brien and the owners will have that discussion in the days to come, but confirmed she will go up in trip for one of the two middle-distance Classics rather than stay at a mile.

Aidan O'Brien's impressive Chester heroine Amelia Earhart and Precise look poised for a tilt at Betfred Oaks glory with stablemate Diamond Necklace likely to return to France for the Prix de Diane after she put up a scintillating display in the French 1,000 Guineas last weekend.

Triple Group 1 winner Ombudsman is set to warm up for Royal Ascot at either Sandown or the Curragh before he bids for back-to-back wins in the Prince of Wales's Stakes. John and Thady Gosden are considering another crack at Sandown's Group 3 Star Sports Brigadier Gerard Stakes with their five-year-old, who finished second to Almaqam in the 1m2f contest last year under a 3lb penalty.

The Commonwealth Cup favourite Charles Darwin will warm up for Royal Ascot at Naas on Sunday in the Group 3 Goffs Lacken Stakes, while the market leaders for the Coventry and Albany Stakes could also feature on what promises to be a highly informative Royal Ascot Trials day at the track. Charles Darwin is 5-1 with Ladbrokes for the Commonwealth Cup following his stylish winning reappearance at Navan last month and Aidan O’Brien expects him to make a giant leap forward from that comeback success on Sunday, where a field of 12 have been entered at the five-day stage.

Few horses have created as much of an impression on their debut this season as Great Barrier Reef, who won a Curragh maiden ultra-impressively by six lengths, and he is already favourite for the Coventry Stakes on the back of that and no bigger than 3-1 with any firm. The next rung up the ladder on the way there could arrive in the sprint won by Charles Darwin last year, which has attracted a dozen entries


First Course Winner Bonus is available at 
In the UK - Brighton, Cartmel, Perth, Stratford, Worcester

In Ireland - Ballinrobe, Galway, Roscommon, Sligo, Bellewstown, Layto

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