September 23 / 15.15 Newbury

15.15

Heavy

Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes (Group 2)

  • Prize money: £58014.33
  • 0m 6f 0y
  • Class 1
  • 6 runners
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Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes (Group 2)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

OUR TIP

5/1 (Won)

  • Win: £2.75
  • Place: £1.60

Form: 2213 D BF

Last run: 14 days

W: 9st 3lb

2 yo Colt

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Raced only at 6f; a nicely bred and improving colt whose form stacks up well; easily took advantage of a good opportunity at Newmarket (good) on third outing, then ran well (close third, half a length behind Seven Questions) when favourite for Kempton AW Group 3; strong contender back on turf.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

(12)

6th Sep 2025

Soft

0m 7f 0y

Class 2

14:40 Ascot

Array

9st 11lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: Andrew Balding

Won the Group 2 Mill Reef on heavy as a juvenile but missed all of his 3yo campaign and has yet to convince that he's the same force this season, latterly finishing well behind in the International here; however, there's always a chance the first-time visor might trigger something and he'll go on the ground; wouldn't put a line through him.

25/1

3

(2)

26th Jul 2025

Good

0m 7f 0y

Class 2

15:00 Ascot

Array

9st 9lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

Useful 2yo over 6f in 2023, winning the Mill Reef on heavy ground; missed last season but has shown signs of retaining ability, including over 7f, this year; switches to a handicap for the first time and could go well, albeit needs a career-best performance to defy his mark.

14/1

5/2

  • Place: £1.70

Form: 21 D

Last run: 38 days

W: 9st 3lb

2 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Twice-raced colt who is open to any amount of further progress; close second over C&D (good to soft) then went one better with an impressive wide-margin win at Salisbury (6f, good); bought by Wathnan Racing since; trainer won a notable 2yo race last month with similar type; interesting prospect.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11th

1

(11)

9th Oct 2025

Heavy

0m 6f 0y

Class 4

15:25 Ayr

Mister Sketch

10st 0lb

J: Jack Nicholls

T: Hamad Al Jehani

Hasn't fulfilled the promise of his 2023 2yo campaign but he was a close third off this mark at Salisbury four weeks ago (6f, heavy) and will be bang there if repeating that form.

5/1

1

(1)

12th Sep 2025

Good To Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 4

17:45 Salisbury

Mister Sketch

9st 11lb

J: Saleh Faraj Al-Otaibi

T: Hamad Al Jehani

Won a 2yo novice over C&D in 2023 when with Eve Johnson Houghton; mixed results since and ran very moderately on his return to Britain in a 6f handicap at Ripon.

12/1

11th

1

(8)

4th Aug 2025

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 3

15:40 Ripon

Mister Sketch

9st 13lb

J: Faleh Bughenaim

T: Hamad Al Jehani

Runaway win in a 2yo novice at Salisbury (6f, good) for Eve Johnson Houghton in 2023; mixed results in eight runs since but he was a front-running third in a conditions race in Qatar (7f) in May; on dangerous mark now back in Britain and he's not ruled out on this return to sprinting.

12/1

3rd
7 (8)

7/2

Form: 211132 D

Last run: 14 days

W: 9st 3lb

2 yo

OR: 101

Form & Verdict
Acts on soft ground; consistent and steadily progressive gelding whose form figures read 4211132; ran well in Ripon Listed contest (neck behind Matters Most) and Kempton AW Group 3 (half a length in front of Array) the last twice; holds solid claims and looks sure to be involved.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Form: 41869

Last run: 53 days

W: 9st 3lb

2 yo Colt

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
Stablemate of Array; recorded a soft-ground win (5f) in the spring; behind Haatem in major 2yo races since but wasn't disgraced in the Coventry (6f) and the 7f trip may partly excuse his Superlative and Vintage efforts; not fully exposed at sprint distances.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

8

(5)

23rd Sep 2023

Heavy

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

15:15 Newbury

Spanish Phoenix

9st 3lb

J: James Doyle

T: Andrew Balding

Stablemate of Array; recorded a soft-ground win (5f) in the spring; behind Haatem in major 2yo races since but wasn't disgraced in the Coventry (6f) and the 7f trip may partly excuse his Superlative and Vintage efforts; not fully exposed at sprint distances.

25/1

9th

7

(6)

1st Aug 2023

Good To Soft

0m 7f 0y

Class 1

15:25 Goodwood

Spanish Phoenix

9st 3lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

Beat just two rivals at Leicester in April (5f, soft); ran quite well in the Coventry but has more than 2l to find with Haatem on that form and he was beaten appreciably further by that rival when not getting home over 7f in the Group 2 Superlative; clearly up against it unless he can find a surge of improvement from somewhere.

14/1

6th

10

(8)

15th Jul 2023

Good To Firm

0m 7f 0y

Class 1

15:25 Newmarket (July)

Spanish Phoenix

9st 3lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: Andrew Balding

took keen hold, led up the centre

12/1

9/2

Form: 135219

Last run: 29 days

W: 9st 6lb

2 yo Colt

OR: 104

Form & Verdict
Yet to race on soft/heavy; form dipped sharply in the Gimcrack at York (dropped back to 6f) last month; has otherwise been a solid performer at up to 7f and may well bounce back; Vintage winner at Goodwood the time before, beating subsequent Champagne scorer Iberian; major player on ratings.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

16th

9

(2)

16th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

1m 1f 212y

Class 1

17:35 Ascot

Haatem

9st 5lb

J: James Doyle

T: Richard Hannon

Landed a second win at this meeting when seeing off Galen, King's Gambit and Enfjaar in this race on good to firm 12 months ago; below-par seventh on 1m2f Goodwood reappearance 25 days ago but this has presumably been the target again; the mount of James Doyle from the three Wathnan runners.

11/2

7th

6

(3)

22nd May 2026

Soft

1m 1f 197y

Class 1

16:17 Goodwood

Haatem

9st 3lb

J: Sean Levey

T: Richard Hannon

Has form on all types of ground; smart performer whose strong CV includes wins in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood as a 2yo and two Royal Ascot contests, more recently last year's Wolferton (1m2f Listed); best figures give him a major chance at the weights.

7/2

6th

3

(5)

9th Aug 2025

Good

1m 2f 100y

Class 1

15:00 Haydock

Haatem

9st 7lb

J: James Doyle

T: Richard Hannon

Gave a typically tenacious display to win 16-runner Listed race at Royal Ascot in June on his first crack at 1m2f; respectable, running-on third back over 1m for Group 2 there four weeks ago, so it looks as if about 1m2f is indeed his trip these days and he looks set for a bold show.

3/1

Form: 31512 D

Last run: 26 days

W: 9st 3lb

2 yo Colt

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Debut promise came on soft ground at this venue; largely progressive form includes wins over 5f/6f at novice/nursery level; good second to shorter-priced stablemate in Ripon Listed event (6f, good; neck ahead of Seven Questions) most recently; could go well again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

(9)

27th Jul 2024

Good

0m 6f 17y

Class 2

16:05 Chester

Matters Most

9st 9lb

J: Hector Crouch

T: Ralph Beckett

Two wins as a juvenile; slow start did for him at Royal Ascot but competitive in his two runs either side of that (at 6f), pushing a subsequent improver close at Windsor and only wilting late on when the ground was soft at Pontefract; good chance, other than stall 9 not being ideal.

4/1

3rd

5

(1)

9th Jul 2024

Good To Firm

0m 6f 0y

Class 2

15:40 Pontefract

Matters Most

9st 3lb

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Ralph Beckett

Always behind at Royal Ascot (5f) last time; solid second at Windsor (6f, good to firm; form has substance) earlier in June; that reappearance effort gives him a fighting chance.

5/1

22th

10

(6)

21st Jun 2024

Good To Firm

0m 5f 0y

Class 2

18:15 Ascot

Matters Most

9st 4lb

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Ralph Beckett

Came up just short in Listed race at Ripon after winning a Windsor nursery (6f, good) last July; gelded prior to his reappearance 18 days ago when he again ran well at Windsor, finding one too strong but clear of the third; has the early speed to deal with the return to 5f; apart from a couple of blips on heavy ground, his profile is one of steady improvement; there could well be more to come from him.

33/1

Non-runners

Roman Emperor, Red Zone Hero

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £6.90
Straight Forecast £6.28
Tricast £21.74
Trifecta £23.70

Selections

The Times:

Mister Sketch

POSTDATA:

Seven Questions

TOPSPEED:

Matters Most

SPOTLIGHT:

Array

RP RATINGS:

Haatem

The Guardian:

Mister Sketch

Daily Mail:

Mister Sketch

D Express:

Mister Sketch

Daily Mirror:

Mister Sketch

The Sun:

Mister Sketch

The Star:

Mister Sketch

Daily Record:

Seven Questions

Telegraph:

Matters Most