August 07 / 14.20 Leicester

14.20

Good To Firm

Longines Irish Champions Weekend 10th-11th September EBF Novice Stakes (GBB) (IRE Incentive Race)

  • Prize money: £4860
  • 0m 7f 0y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
RTV
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Longines Irish Champions Weekend 10th-11th September EBF Novice Stakes (GBB) (IRE Incentive Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

1st
6 (1)
Valdai

16/1 (Won)

  • Win: £23.00
  • Place: £7.40

Form: 6

Last run: 79 days

W: 9st 7lb

2 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
First foal of unraced half-sister to Group-placed 1m2f-1m6f winner Weekender, from fine family; 11-1 and blinkered when beaten 15l at Bath (5f, good) in May; gelded soon afterwards; very early days but no form claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

6

(1)

7th Aug 2022

Good To Firm

0m 7f 0y

Class 4

14:20 Leicester

Valdai

9st 7lb

J: John Fahy

T: Clive Cox

made all, shaken up 2f out, ridden and faced strong challenge over 1f out, kept on well

16/1

9/4

  • Place: £1.50

Form: 42

Last run: 29 days

W: 9st 7lb

2 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Promising fourth at Salisbury (6f) and improved when second of 14 in another novice at Ascot (7f) four weeks ago, both on good to firm; should not be far away.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

6

(8)

13th Apr 2026

Standard

1m 0f 5y

Class 6

20:00 Newcastle (AW)

Berkshire Phantom

9st 6lb

J: Oisin McSweeney

T: Fionn McSharry

His heyday was two winters back but he still won last July (1m1f on turf) and is often thereabouts, including on Tapeta; not totally ruled out despite the 106-day absence.

10/1

4th

1

(5)

18th Sep 2025

Good

1m 2f 5y

Class 6

15:52 Pontefract

Berkshire Phantom

9st 12lb

J: Shane Gray

T: Fionn McSharry

Landed a sixth success when winning a 12-runner handicap at Redcar (1m1f, good to soft) in July; kept at in when fourth at Newcastle (1m2f, AW) under a penalty six days later and excuses both starts since; very much respected.

7/2

3rd

4

(9)

2nd Sep 2025

Standard

1m 4f 51y

Class 6

20:15 Wolverhampton (AW)

Berkshire Phantom

9st 6lb

J: Billy Loughnane

T: Fionn McSharry

Has won three times over 7f here; best run this year when winning over 1m1f at Redcar three runs back; stamina to prove on first run at 1m4f (can pull hard).

4/1

OUR TIP

Form:

Last run:

W: 9st 7lb

2 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Fourth foal; half-brother to winners Evening Sun (GB/US 7f-8.5f including Grade 3; RPR 94) and Flarepath (7f AW 2yo; 85); dam 1m4f AW winner (85) out of 1m2f-winning half-sister to US 1m2f/1m3f Grade 1 winner Senure; trainer had an impressive winning 2yo newcomer (13-2) at Sandown 17 days ago.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

(5)

21st Jul 2023

Good To Soft

1m 3f 15y

Class 1

19:40 Hamilton

Circle Of Fire

9st 7lb

J: Richard Kingscote

T: Sir Michael Stoute

1m winner as a 2yo (good to firm); he has run to a fair level in his three starts this season but he's untested on slower than good and he has something to find with Chesspiece on their Royal Ascot run.

7/2

4th

3

(5)

21st Jun 2023

Good

1m 6f 34y

Class 1

17:35 Ascot

Circle Of Fire

9st 2lb

J: Richard Kingscote

T: Sir Michael Stoute

Won at Salisbury (1m, good to firm) last September on second start and reappeared with good Listed second at Newmarket (1m2f, good); no match for the first two when third in Lingfield Derby Trial (1m4f, AW) last month, but is in excellent hands to progress and today's extra distance could help.

6/1

3rd

1

(7)

13th May 2023

Standard

1m 4f 0y

Class 1

15:35 Lingfield (AW)

Circle Of Fire

9st 2lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: Sir Michael Stoute

Big-race entries; upped to 1m when justifying favouritism in novice at Salisbury (good to firm) in September, asserting in good style; second of seven in last week's Listed Newmarket Stakes (1m2f, good) was another sizeable step forward and his dam was a 1m4f AW winner; more to come.

4/1

4th
3 (3)
Gozo

10/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 9st 7lb

2 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
11,500euros foal, 54,000euros yearling, 105,000gns 2yo; seventh foal; half-brother to three winners including Alpha Hedge (Hong Kong 1m; RPR 91) and Comino (6f-7f including 2yo; 90); dam unplaced at 6f (43), half-sister to 7f Listed winner Tombelaine out of French/US 1m Listed winner; yard is much better known for its older horses.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

24th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 51y

Class 4

17:22 Kelso

Gozo

10st 2lb

J: William Maggs

T: Andrew Hamilton

A fair hurdles winner (also fair on Flat) for Ben Brookhouse; pulled up on his first two runs for current yard at Catterick and here this year though and he also came in last of eight on the Flat for R Mike Smith three weeks ago; very hard to warm to.

33/1

8th

2

(3)

3rd May 2026

Good

1m 3f 15y

Class 5

17:35 Hamilton

Gozo

9st 9lb

J: Jamie Gormley

T: R Mike Smith

Well handicapped on Flat form for Ben Brookhouse in early part of 2025, but pulled up in two handicap hurdles when owner-trained this year; now in the care of Mike Smith for Flat return; others have much less to prove.

20/1

8

20th Apr 2026

Good

2m 2f 25y

Class 5

16:00 Kelso

Gozo

10st 13lb

J: Conor Rabbitt

T: Andrew Hamilton

Fair Flat racer who won a juvenile event on hurdling debut in 2023 but was not seen again over jumps until pulled up in Catterick handicap on stable debut in January; current ability in this sphere remains hard to gauge.

16/1

Form: 22

Last run: 12 days

W: 9st 7lb

2 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Runner-up in a novice at Haydock (6f, good to firm) and maiden at Glorious Goodwood (6f, good) 11 days later; the latter probably sets the standard in this contest and he shaped as if he would stay 7f.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

10

(12)

16th May 2026

Good

0m 6f 2y

Class 4

18:38 Doncaster

Supreme King

9st 0lb

J: Ryan Kavanagh

T: David Evans

C&D winner two years ago who tends to stick to the AW these days; back up in the weights following a hat-trick in the winter and needs to bounce back from a lesser effort when last seen five weeks ago.

10/1

5th

5

(1)

10th Apr 2026

Standard

0m 6f 20y

Class 4

18:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

Supreme King

9st 6lb

J: Ryan Kavanagh

T: David Evans

0-8 here but completed a 6f hat-trick when scoring at Kempton (Polytrack; also won on Tapeta) in February; repeatedly denied a run when unlucky fifth next time and latest third (Hunky Dory fifth) was a solid effort a fortnight ago; considered.

5/1

3rd

6

(3)

26th Mar 2026

Standard

0m 6f 0y

Class 4

18:00 Chelmsford (AW)

Supreme King

9st 7lb

J: Ryan Kavanagh

T: David Evans

Unlucky fifth, getting no sort of run, in the Kempton event won by Lazzar when bidding for a 6f four-timer; treated as still in form and still well handicapped (mark is unchanged); remains of interest at this level.

5/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 9st 7lb

2 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Sixth foal; half-brother to 1m2f-1m4f winner Ply (RPR 100) and the 1m4f/2m Flat (RPR 91) and 2m5f/3m hurdle winner Polish; dam 1m2f-1m4f winner (including Listed; 106) out of 1m2f Group 2 winner; stablemate of Supreme King, who has leading form claims, so the market should give big clues.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

4

(6)

13th May 2026

Good

1m 3f 188y

Class 2

14:20 York

Kings Code

9st 8lb

J: P J McDonald

T: David Evans

Second at this meeting in 2024 but only eighth in this race last year; had an excellent autumn on AW and won again in January, but he's struggled to make an impact in recent AW starts and his record is a lot stronger at up to 1m3f than at about 1m4f.

33/1

14th

3

(1)

3rd Apr 2026

Standard

1m 2f 42y

Class 2

16:10 Newcastle (AW)

Kings Code

9st 8lb

J: Saffie Osborne

T: David Evans

He's never won off a mark this high and he needs to produce more than he's managed at Kempton and Lingfield on his last three starts; however, before those he won a 13-runner handicap over C&D with something to spare and the return to Newcastle could be in his favour; not ruled out each-way.

20/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £65.70
Straight Forecast £71.52
Trifecta £282.30

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Supreme King

TOPSPEED:

Berkshire Phantom

NEWMARKET:

Circle Of Fire

RP Ratings:

Supreme King

The Times:

Supreme King

Telegraph:

Supreme King

Daily Mail:

Supreme King

The Sun:

Supreme King

Daily Record:

Supreme King

POSTDATA:

Berkshire Phantom

Daily Express:

Berkshire Phantom

The Star:

Berkshire Phantom

Daily Mirror:

Circle Of Fire