Bill Esdaile

ROYAL Ascot 2026 comes to a close with the longest race of the week, the Queen Alexandra Stakes (6.10pm), run over two-miles-five-and-a-half furlongs.It goes without saying that you need a stamina laden contender to have a chance in this so it’s perhaps not surprising that this race has been dominated by jumps trainers in recent [...]

FRIDAY’s Royal Ascot card kicks off with the Group Three Albany Stakes (2.30pm), with 25 two-year-old fillies going to post.Whilst the ones at the top have leading chances, I fancy JOLIVETTE for Andrew Balding and Juddmonte.She made a winning start at Newmarket, granted only by a neck, but she always looked in control that day [...]

THIS YEAR’S Royal Ascot meeting comes to a close with Saturday’s seven-race card, where the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (3.40pm) is the feature contest.Australia are doubly represented here with Joliestar and Overpass, the latter backing up from his valiant third in the King Charles III on Tuesday.I respect these two, but given [...]

ACROSS the water, there’s Classic action as the Irish Derby (4.35pm) takes centre stage at the Curragh on Sunday.The field has narrowed to just 11 runners following the confirmation stage, but it still looks a deep renewal with several of the protagonists from the Epsom equivalent backing up.One of those is Benvenuto Cellini, who was [...]

AFTER five days of Royal Ascot last week, you might be forgiven for needing a breather from racing, but as always in this game the next big meeting is here in a flash.This Saturday we look north for Newcastle’s headline Flat meeting of the year, which features the Northumberland Plate (3.15pm).This competitive staying handicap, traditionally [...]

THIS Saturday’s Group One Coral Eclipse (3.35pm) from Sandown provides the first chance of the season to see how the three-year-olds measure up against their elders.Aidan O’Brien has won four of the last five renewals of this mile-and-a-quarter contest and currently accounts for four of the eight entries at this stage, while his son’s Joseph [...]

PRIOR to the feature Coral Eclipse, Saturday’s Sandown card kicks off with a Group Three contest over the flying five furlongs, the Coral Charge (1.50pm).The stiff, uphill finish presents a unique task for these sprinters and with quick ground forecast, the action will likely develop over towards the far rail.There could well be a few [...]

PRIOR to a jam-packed Super Saturday, we also have Group One action from Newmarket’s July Course on Friday, with the Falmouth Stakes (3.35pm) headlining the bill.The mile contest gives us the first opportunity to see how this year’s Classic generation match up with the older fillies at the top level.The English and Irish Guineas winners, [...]

GLORIOUS Goodwood is on the horizon, with the five days of action from West Sussex looking competitive as ever.A handful of the feature races are priced up ante-post, including the Stewards’ Cup cavalry charge over six furlongs.With 84 runners entered at present, it’s not the easiest of contests to assess but there is a price [...]

WHILE this Saturday brings a slightly more low-key racing programme than of late, there’s still plenty of competitive action to look forward to.Newbury’s Group Three Hackwood Stakes (3.02pm) is a race that has a good ante-post shape to it, with the market leaders looking vulnerable in my eyes.Marvelman and Kind Of Blue set the standard [...]