May 23 / 14.58 Haydock

14.58

Soft

William Hill Sandy Lane Stakes (Group 2)

  • Prize money: £93571.5
  • 0m 6f 0y
  • Class 1
  • 7 runners
ITV
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William Hill Sandy Lane Stakes (Group 2)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

9/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.75
  • Place: £1.50

Form: 1113-0 D

Last run: 20 days

W: 8st 13lb

3 yo Filly

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Top 6f 2yo, completing a notable hat-trick with wins in Group 3 at Royal Ascot, Group 2 at Newmarket (July) and Group 1 at Deauville (all good/good to firm); seemed fine at 7f (ran on after meeting trouble) when third in the Moyglare at the Curragh (yielding) on her final start but shaped like a non-stayer when stepped up to 1m for 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on reappearance; remains open to progress back at 6f; leading claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

8

(3)

23rd May 2026

Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

14:58 Haydock

Venetian Sun

8st 13lb

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

Top 6f 2yo, completing a notable hat-trick with wins in Group 3 at Royal Ascot, Group 2 at Newmarket (July) and Group 1 at Deauville (all good/good to firm); seemed fine at 7f (ran on after meeting trouble) when third in the Moyglare at the Curragh (yielding) on her final start but shaped like a non-stayer when stepped up to 1m for 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on reappearance; remains open to progress back at 6f; leading claims.

9/4

11th

19

(1)

3rd May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 0f 0y

Class 1

15:35 Newmarket

Venetian Sun

9st 2lb

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

Absent since finishing third to Precise in the Moyglare Stud Stakes when upped to 7f at the Curragh, losing her unbeaten record but far from disgraced and sticking on in a manner that suggests she'll stay 1m this year; 4-4 previously and completed a notable 6f hat-trick with wins in Group 3 at Royal Ascot, Group 2 at Newmarket (July) and Group 1 at Deauville; may well rate higher still and add to an already impressive tally; pleased her trainer in a racecourse gallop last month; highly respected.

9/2

7

(1)

14th Sep 2025

Yielding

0m 7f 0y

14:40 Curragh

Venetian Sun

9st 2lb

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

A revelation since a debut success at Carlisle, climbing the Pattern level at a rapid rate; landed the Group 3 Albany Stakes and the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes (beating the subsequent Lowther winner Royal Fixation); gamely resisted the Coventry winner Gstaad in the Prix Morny; tough and talented, hard to be sure she will stay 7f at this stage.

13/8

5/2

  • Place: £1.60

Form: 1115-3 CD

Last run: 22 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Raced at 6f; won three times last year, notably a York Listed race (good; also won on good to soft); improved again when coming with a strong late run (started slowly) for 0.5l third to Coppull in Ascot Group 3 (good to firm) on reappearance three weeks ago; probably capable of better again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

4

(4)

23rd May 2026

Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

14:58 Haydock

Division

9st 2lb

J: Cieren Fallon

T: William Haggas

Raced at 6f; won three times last year, notably a York Listed race (good; also won on good to soft); improved again when coming with a strong late run (started slowly) for 0.5l third to Coppull in Ascot Group 3 (good to firm) on reappearance three weeks ago; probably capable of better again.

5/2

3rd

6

(1)

1st May 2026

Good To Firm

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

15:10 Ascot

Division

9st 3lb

J: James Doyle

T: William Haggas

Promise on good to firm on debut; won his next three starts, two novice events and a York Listed race, before pulling his chance away over C&D on Champions Day; improvement required now upped to a Group 3 but he's in excellent hands and still has some potential.

12/1

5th

2

(9)

18th Oct 2025

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 2

13:30 Ascot

Division

9st 7lb

J: James Doyle

T: William Haggas

Form figures of 2111, all over 6f, reflect that he's progressing well; bagged Listed honours at York (good) last Saturday, making a smooth transition from novice level; commands respect.

9/2

12/1

Form: 1041-8 D

Last run: 20 days

W: 8st 13lb

3 yo Filly

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Proved a useful sprinter last season, notably winning over 5f at Glorious Goodwood in the summer and over 6f at Newmarket (good-ground Listed contest) final outing; finished in front of Venetian Sun when creditable eighth in the 1,000 Guineas on her reappearance; while she shouldn't be inconvenienced by the drop back to 6f it remains to be seen whether she can confirm that superiority over Karl Burke's filly at the shorter distance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

7

(7)

23rd May 2026

Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

14:58 Haydock

Spicy Marg

8st 13lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Michael Bell

Proved a useful sprinter last season, notably winning over 5f at Glorious Goodwood in the summer and over 6f at Newmarket (good-ground Listed contest) final outing; finished in front of Venetian Sun when creditable eighth in the 1,000 Guineas on her reappearance; while she shouldn't be inconvenienced by the drop back to 6f it remains to be seen whether she can confirm that superiority over Karl Burke's filly at the shorter distance.

12/1

8th

12

(18)

3rd May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 0f 0y

Class 1

15:35 Newmarket

Spicy Marg

9st 2lb

J: Tom Marquand

T: Michael Bell

Proved a useful sprinter last season, notably winning over 5f at Glorious Goodwood in the summer and over 6f at Newmarket (beat Azleet in good-ground Listed contest) final outing; not an obvious 1,000 Guineas player, with doubts over the new trip and the deeper waters (she's a stone below the standard required).

40/1

15

(8)

31st Oct 2025

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

14:12 Newmarket

Spicy Marg

9st 2lb

J: Hector Crouch

T: Michael Bell

Won at this track (5f, good to firm) on debut in May and was also successful in a conditions event at Glorious Goodwood; found things tough in the Nunthorpe in August but she really kicked on again with her eyecatching fourth in a Group 3 here (5f, good) three weeks ago; was strong at the finish in that race and she sets the standard on this step back up in trip.

7/2

OUR TIP

7/1

Form: 4222-6 D

Last run: 22 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Runner-up twice in Group 1 company as a juvenile, including in the Middle Park at Newmarket with Coppull narrowly behind in third; however, he made an underwhelming start to his 3yo career when only sixth to Coppull (Division third) in 6f Ascot Group 3 on reappearance 22 days ago; possible he simply needed the run but arrives with a point to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

2

(1)

23rd May 2026

Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

14:58 Haydock

Brussels

9st 2lb

J: Sean Levey

T: A P O’Brien

Runner-up twice in Group 1 company as a juvenile, including in the Middle Park at Newmarket with Coppull narrowly behind in third; however, he made an underwhelming start to his 3yo career when only sixth to Coppull (Division third) in 6f Ascot Group 3 on reappearance 22 days ago; possible he simply needed the run but arrives with a point to prove.

7/1

6th

3

(6)

1st May 2026

Good To Firm

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

15:10 Ascot

Brussels

9st 3lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O’Brien

Won a 6f maiden at the Curragh on debut before a string of good efforts in defeat in good races, notably second-place finishes in the Middle Park (0.75l behind Wise Approach and 5lb better off) and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint; should be in the shake-up.

7/2

4

(7)

10th Oct 2025

Good

0m 5f 0y

Class 1

13:15 Newmarket

Brussels

9st 3lb

J: Christophe Soumillon

T: A P O’Brien

Ballydoyle colt who is 0-4 since debut win but ran very well, with tongue-tie fitted, in the Middle Park at Newmarket (6f, good to firm; close second) most recently; leading player if that form is backed up; drops in trip.

11/10

10/1

Form: 4114-7 D

Last run: 21 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 104

Form & Verdict
AW Group 3 winner last September and bettered that form when 2.75l fourth to Wise Approach (Brussels second, Coppull third) in Group 1 Middle Park at Newmarket (6f, good to firm) later that month; late headway for seventh of 14 in 5f Group 3 back at Newmarket on reappearance; likely to benefit from the return to 6f but whether he's quite good enough remains to be seen.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

5

(2)

23rd May 2026

Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

14:58 Haydock

Five Ways

9st 2lb

J: Jason Watson

T: Andrew Balding

AW Group 3 winner last September and bettered that form when 2.75l fourth to Wise Approach (Brussels second, Coppull third) in Group 1 Middle Park at Newmarket (6f, good to firm) later that month; late headway for seventh of 14 in 5f Group 3 back at Newmarket on reappearance; likely to benefit from the return to 6f but whether he's quite good enough remains to be seen.

10/1

7th

14

(7)

2nd May 2026

Good

0m 5f 0y

Class 1

14:55 Newmarket

Five Ways

9st 3lb

J: Jason Watson

T: Andrew Balding

All races at 6f, improving on front-running novice (good to firm) and AW Group 3 wins when beaten less than 3l in the Group 1 Middle Park on this course in September; from a yard that's much respected with sprinters but this still asks a lot on the drop to 5f.

25/1

4th

4

(2)

27th Sep 2025

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

15:00 Newmarket

Five Ways

9st 2lb

J: Jason Watson

T: Andrew Balding

Substandard winner of the Sirenia Stakes at Kempton (6f, AW; Group 3) where he made all and held on by only a neck, taking form figures to 411; however, he's an improving sort and plausibly hasn't reached his ceiling yet; gained his turf success on good to firm.

12/1

10/1

Form: 19226- D BF

Last run: 245 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Raced at 6f; smart 2yo, notably second in the Gimcrack at York; below par tackling going softer than good for the first when sixth in the Mill Reef at Newbury on final start, which is a bit of a concern should the ground here remain on the soft side; on a positive note, his yard has won this twice since 2019, including with Inisherin in these silks two years ago.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

6

(5)

23rd May 2026

Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

14:58 Haydock

Rock On Thunder

9st 2lb

J: Kevin Stott

T: Kevin Ryan

Raced at 6f; smart 2yo, notably second in the Gimcrack at York; below par tackling going softer than good for the first when sixth in the Mill Reef at Newbury on final start, which is a bit of a concern should the ground here remain on the soft side; on a positive note, his yard has won this twice since 2019, including with Inisherin in these silks two years ago.

10/1

4

(2)

20th Sep 2025

Good To Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

15:15 Newbury

Rock On Thunder

9st 3lb

J: Kevin Stott

T: Kevin Ryan

Campaigned exclusively over 6f on good/firmer; has shown very notable form the last twice, beating all bar the smart favourite in C&D Listed event then clear second in the Gimcrack at York; leading form claims.

3/1

7

(7)

22nd Aug 2025

Good To Firm

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

15:00 York

Rock On Thunder

9st 2lb

J: Kevin Stott

T: Kevin Ryan

Has something to find with Do Or Do Not on Coventry running and proved no match for the winner in Listed grade at Newbury since; however, a bigger effort is still possible and his trainer has a good Gimcrack record (four wins).

15/2

Form: 22-168

Last run: 7 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Non-runners

Coppull

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £5.80
Straight Forecast £5.03
Tricast £10.54
Trifecta £15.20

Selections

POSTDATA:

Division

SPOTLIGHT:

Venetian Sun

TOPSPEED:

Coppull

D Express:

Rock On Thunder

Telegraph:

Spicy Marg

NEWMARKET:

Division

The Times:

Division

The Guardian:

Division

Daily Record:

Division

RP RATINGS:

Venetian Sun

The Sun:

Venetian Sun

The Star:

Venetian Sun

LAMBOURN:

Coppull

Daily Mail:

Coppull

Daily Mirror:

Coppull