May 03 / 15.15 Ascot

15.15

Soft

Longines Sagaro Stakes (Group 3) (A Gold Cup Trial)

  • Prize money: £45368
  • 1m 7f 209y
  • Class 1
  • 6 runners
SKY
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Longines Sagaro Stakes (Group 3) (A Gold Cup Trial)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

9/4 (Won)

  • Win: £3.75
  • Place: £1.70

Form: 14212- C

Last run: 200 days

W: 9st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Progressive stayer; won last year's Ascot Stakes (2m4f handicap); very closely matched with Trueshan on Group 2 form at Doncaster (won by a neck) and over C&D (head second) the last twice; acts on good to soft ground (below par sole attempt on soft); major contender on reappearance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

(3)

12th Sep 2025

Good To Soft

2m 1f 197y

Class 1

15:00 Doncaster

Coltrane

9st 7lb

J: P J McDonald

T: Andrew Balding

Stalwart of the staying scene, including with a win in this race in 2022 and a creditable fourth in 2024; both were on good to soft (beaten nearly 4l by Sweet William last year) and there was a lesser show on soft ground in the 2023 renewal; not quite as good as he was and he was dropped to a Listed race when winning ten weeks ago when last seen; major place contender if the ground isn't soft.

12/1

3

(5)

4th Jul 2025

Good

2m 0f 50y

Class 1

16:45 Sandown

Coltrane

9st 2lb

J: William Buick

T: Andrew Balding

Four-time Group winner; well held in the Gold Cup most recently; two attempts over C&D comprise a success in this contest in 2022 and respectable second in Group 3 on penultimate start; solid chance back down in class.

9/2

5th

1

(6)

19th Jun 2025

Good To Firm

2m 3f 210y

Class 1

16:20 Ascot

Coltrane

9st 4lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

Stalwart of the top staying races who was at his best in 2023 but not far off it on two occasions in 2024, in a very mixed campaign; runner-up in two four-runner races this season, with latest start better than the first but he was still no match for Trawlerman; second and fifth in the last two Gold Cups and others will have to underperform if he's to win it.

33/1

16/1

  • Place: £4.90

Form: 1141-1 D

Last run: 25 days

W: 9st 4lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Very productive (at up to 2m2f) in Scotland and the north of England for over two years, most recently winning a useful handicap at Musselburgh (1m6f, good to soft); evidently still improving but goes into deeper waters now sent down south for first Group attempt.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

4

24th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 51y

Class 2

15:03 Kelso

Wise Eagle

11st 1lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Adam Nicol

Looked better than ever when third in the Morebattle Hurdle here in February and posted a good third on the Flat at Musselburgh last month; must enter calculations in refitted cheekpieces.

3/1

3rd

1

(11)

4th Apr 2026

Good

1m 5f 216y

Class 3

15:05 Musselburgh

Wise Eagle

9st 9lb

J: Billy Garritty

T: Adam Nicol

Won this prize in 2023 and had a fruitful Flat/hurdles campaign last winter before his close fourth in this; while he did not make an impact in either of his Flat runs this winter, latest hurdles form was his best in that sphere; 8lb lower than the 2025 renewal and a case can certainly be made.

13/2

3rd

10

28th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 51y

Class 2

14:55 Kelso

Wise Eagle

11st 3lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Adam Nicol

Runner-up here (2m, soft) last February and back on song when third at Musselburgh (1m7f, good to soft) four weeks ago; he's lightly raced over hurdles and is on an attractive mark judged on his very useful Flat form, but he needs to raise his game if he's to take this.

12/1

Form: 2161-5 C

Last run: 39 days

W: 9st 3lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Unexposed stayer who has low mileage; good sixth in the 2022 St Leger then won Listed event here (1m6f, good) later in September; creditable fifth in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan (2m, good; Group 2) on reappearance; remains open to further improvement and looks interesting back on home soil.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

6

(1)

3rd May 2023

Soft

1m 7f 209y

Class 1

15:15 Ascot

El Habeeb

9st 3lb

J: Andrea Atzeni

T: Kevin Philippart De Foy

took keen hold, prominent, lost position 4f out, ridden and outpaced 2f out, rallied inside final furlong, kept on well

8/1

1st

3

(6)

30th Sep 2022

Good

1m 6f 34y

Class 1

15:45 Ascot

El Habeeb

9st 3lb

J: Andrea Atzeni

T: Kevin Philippart De Foy

prominent, went second 8f out, ridden to lead but faced sustained challenge from over 1f out, kept on well

8/1

6th

2

(8)

11th Sep 2022

Good To Soft

1m 6f 115y

Class 1

15:55 Doncaster

El Habeeb

9st 3lb

J: P J McDonald

T: Kevin Philippart De Foy

towards rear, pushed along 4f out, ridden and hung left under 3f out, switched right over 1f out, stayed on inside final furlong, never on terms

150/1

OUR TIP

5/4

Form: 1321-2 CD BF

Last run: 21 days

W: 9st 9lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 121

Form & Verdict
Right up there in the top tier of the staying division, especially when the ground is slow; narrowly beat Coltrane over C&D last October for a third win in the British Champions Long Distance Cup (3-3 at Ascot); that is flanked by odds-on defeats at the hands of Coltrane and Rajinsky, so he's not bombproof these days; however, strongly respected on peak figures.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

(7)

29th Jul 2025

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 1

15:05 Goodwood

Trueshan

9st 12lb

J: Hollie Doyle

T: Alan King

Needs good ground or softer; grand stayer who has been first, third and fourth on his three appearances in the Goodwood Cup; not disgraced on return in France this May and he got seriously involved every time last season after his first run, but he's a 9yo now and it would be rolling back the years to see him top of the pile today.

40/1

2nd

5

(2)

13th Sep 2024

Good

2m 1f 197y

Class 1

15:35 Doncaster

Trueshan

9st 7lb

J: Hollie Doyle

T: Alan King

Tricky to settle; beaten a neck by Coltrane in this race in 2022 but he went one better against Sweet William in it in 2023; as in those races, he's usually been kept to ground softer than good, but he was allowed to take his chance on good going on last two starts, hammering his rivals in a Listed race at Sandown but finishing just over 4l adrift of Sweet William and Gregory in the Goodwood Cup last time; a staying star of previous campaigns but on this season's evidence he needs a bit extra.

4/1

Form: 0961-5 D

Last run: 67 days

W: 9st 4lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Stablemate of Coltrane; ideally suited by good/firmer; ended last season with a Listed win at Newmarket (2m) then ran creditably in Group 3 handicap at Riyadh (1m7f) in February; faces a stiffer task in this field.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

6

(6)

25th Aug 2023

Good To Firm

2m 0f 56y

Class 1

14:25 York

Nate The Great

9st 5lb

J: Harry Davies

T: Andrew Balding

Best efforts on good or firmer; reproduced his best this season on the three occasions he's had his ground, including latest start when about 9l fifth to Courage Mon Ami and Coltrane in the Gold Cup; that also shows he has a bit to find on form, though, and he came last in this race last year.

33/1

5th

5

(4)

22nd Jun 2023

Good

2m 3f 210y

Class 1

16:20 Ascot

Nate The Great

9st 4lb

J: Harry Davies

T: Andrew Balding

Best efforts on good or firmer; ran at Royal Ascot as 2yo, 3yo, 4yo and 6yo, underperforming in the 2m5f Queen Alexandra on last two occasions and he has a major question to answer beyond 2m; hit career-best form elsewhere last term and reproduced it on the two occasions he's had his ground this season, but he's up against it at this level.

66/1

2nd

2

(1)

25th May 2023

Good

2m 0f 50y

Class 1

19:12 Sandown

Nate The Great

9st 4lb

J: William Buick

T: Andrew Balding

led, headed and raced in second after 2f

5/2

11/2

Form: 3419-1 CD

Last run: 21 days

W: 9st 4lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Good staying handicapper over the years; bagged Listed honours at Nottingham (1m6f, soft) last month, making all to beat Trueshan by half a length; now 2lb worse off with that rival, who has much better peak form; however, hard to dismiss on the back of that career-best performance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

1

(6)

20th Nov 2024

Standard To Slow

1m 7f 218y

Class 2

19:30 Kempton (AW)

Rajinsky

10st 2lb

J: Joe Leavy

T: Hugo Palmer

Beat Trueshan when landing Nottingham Listed contest last April but little to shout about of late; failed to beat a rival in two runs since returning from 405 days off in September; Polytrack debut (has won on Tapeta).

14/1

6th

1

(6)

20th Nov 2024

Standard To Slow

1m 7f 218y

Class 2

19:30 Kempton (AW)

Rajinsky

10st 2lb

J: Joe Leavy

T: Hugo Palmer

Beat Trueshan when landing Nottingham Listed contest last April but little to shout about of late; failed to beat a rival in two runs since returning from 405 days off in September; Polytrack debut (has won on Tapeta).

14/1

4th

2

(1)

21st Oct 2024

Soft

2m 2f 2y

Class 2

16:15 Pontefract

Rajinsky

9st 6lb

J: Callum Rodriguez

T: Hugo Palmer

led at slow pace, headed 2f out, weakened and eased final furlong

15/2

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £38.30
Straight Forecast £41.00
Trifecta £157.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Trueshan

NEWMARKET:

El Habeeb

TOPSPEED:

Coltrane

The Times:

El Habeeb

Telegraph:

El Habeeb

Daily Mail:

Coltrane

The Sun:

Coltrane

RP Ratings:

Trueshan

POSTDATA:

Trueshan

The Guardian:

Trueshan

D Express:

Trueshan

Daily Mirror:

Trueshan

The Star:

Trueshan

Daily Record:

Trueshan