February 26 / 19.30 Kempton (AW)

19.30

Standard To Slow

“European Road To The Kentucky Derby” Conditions Stakes (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £30924
  • 1m 0f 0y
  • Class 3
  • 6 runners
RTV
View Course
“European Road To The Kentucky Derby” Conditions Stakes (GBB Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat AW

Surface: Polytrack

Weather: Showers

8/13 (Won)

  • Win: £2.10
  • Place: £1.10

Form: 1 CD

Last run: 28 days

W: 9st 7lb

3 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
600,000euros yearling; 4-9 favourite, quickened to win C&D maiden by 8.5l on debut last month; same connections' Notable Speech made a successful debut in that maiden before winning this, and later the 2,000 Guineas, last year (their Highland Avenue won the same maiden and this race in 2021; they also won the maiden with subsequent top-level winner Measured Time); this is a deeper race, but he has obvious potential.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

(2)

24th Apr 2026

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 1

15:00 Sandown

Opera Ballo

9st 8lb

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

Progressive colt who readily bagged Group 1 honours at Meydan (1m1f, good) three months ago, taking record to 6-8; however, appears to need further improvement to defy 5lb penalty and was no match for Zeus Olympios in last domestic outing.

8/1

2nd

5

(6)

26th Sep 2025

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 1

15:00 Newmarket

Opera Ballo

9st 2lb

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

Pulled too hard and flopped in the Craven but firmly back on track with a hood fitted since, winning Listed events over this trip at Sandown (good) and on the July course (good to firm); particularly impressive in the latter event and he holds a Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes entry; sets a fine standard to aim at.

8/11

14/1

  • Place: £8.60

Form: 3151- C

Last run: 133 days

W: 9st 7lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 94

Form & Verdict
Useful 2yo including when winning 7f novice here when last seen in October; has to do more but still has potential and his dam won over 1m3f here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

14th

3

(4)

19th Jun 2025

Good To Firm

1m 0f 0y

Class 2

17:00 Ascot

Hott Shott

9st 7lb

J: Finley Marsh

T: Richard Hughes

Won twice at two and his defeats came in races won by top-notchers; has also kept good company this season, running well on the AW before failing to fire around Chester in the 1m2f Listed Dee Stakes; while that wasn't the ideal preparation for a Britannia, he'd be no forlorn hope if back on song.

100/1

6th

4

(3)

8th May 2025

Good

1m 2f 70y

Class 1

14:35 Chester

Hott Shott

9st 2lb

J: Billy Loughnane

T: Richard Hughes

towards rear, headway over 2f out, weakened over 1f out

10/1

6th

4

(3)

8th May 2025

Good

1m 2f 70y

Class 1

14:35 Chester

Hott Shott

9st 2lb

J: Billy Loughnane

T: Richard Hughes

towards rear, headway over 2f out, weakened over 1f out

10/1

9/2

Form: 1- D

Last run: 74 days

W: 9st 7lb

3 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Closely related to the smart Almaqam; 8-15 favourite when quickening to win 1m Southwell novice in December on debut; he's another promising colt to take seriously; one of only two horses his trainer has entered in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

6

(6)

24th May 2026

Good To Yielding

1m 2f 110y

15:55 Curragh

Saddadd

9st 5lb

J: Ray Dawson

T: Roger Varian

Rose through the ranks last season, winning back-to-back handicaps at Newbury (1m2f, good to firm) and Sandown (1m2f, soft); took the next step forward when landing Group 3 honours at Sandown (1m2f, good) on seasonal return (a race commonly won by high-class performers); enters the big league now but further improvement is by no means ruled out for a four-year-old having just his eighth start.

6/1

1st

4

(5)

24th Apr 2026

Good

1m 1f 209y

Class 1

14:25 Sandown

Saddadd

9st 2lb

J: Ray Dawson

T: Roger Varian

Beaten favourite in Listed race at Goodwood on last appearance but was far from disgraced, especially as he could have done with a stronger pace; progressive otherwise and landed a notable handicap at Newbury (good to firm) prior to following up over C&D (soft); remains of major interest.

4/1

Form: 3-1 CD

Last run: 28 days

W: 9st 7lb

3 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Confirmed promise shown in one 2yo start when odds-on winner of C&D maiden on last month's reappearance; that form is working out strongly; take seriously.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

10

(14)

21st Jun 2025

Good To Firm

1m 1f 212y

Class 2

17:35 Ascot

Quai De Bethune

9st 2lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

Came up well short in two valuable conditions stakes races on AW (having won a maiden) but the London Gold Cup at Newbury (1m2f, good to firm) five weeks ago was a step forward, rather outpaced by the winner 2f out but keeping on well to go down by under 2l; up 2lb but more to offer.

9/1

3rd

5

(8)

17th May 2025

Good

1m 2f 0y

Class 2

14:00 Newbury

Quai De Bethune

9st 3lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

Showed promise over 7f in sole turf run (debut); ties in with Saddadd on penultimate AW effort (1m) but that rival has less to prove in this scenario; pedigree suggests he's not guaranteed to improve for this new trip on handicap debut.

16/1

14/1

Form: 031-11 CD

Last run: 25 days

W: 9st 7lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 88

Form & Verdict
Has won his last three starts, two of them over C&D, but he's up from Class 4 handicap company; this is tougher.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

1

(6)

11th Sep 2025

Good To Soft

1m 2f 43y

Class 2

15:35 Doncaster

Molveno

9st 9lb

J: Marco Ghiani

T: Marco Botti

Both turf starts on good; left his useful 1m form behind when landing the Italian Derby over 1m3f at Capannelle in June; that was a smart effort but he'll need an even bigger performance to defy a mark of 105 on his first outing since.

11/1

2nd

6

(3)

2nd May 2025

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 3

14:55 Newmarket

Molveno

9st 6lb

J: Marco Ghiani

T: Marco Botti

Campaigned exclusively on AW; completed a winter hat-trick but last two efforts have seemingly exposed his limitations; enough to prove in this grade on turf debut.

20/1

2nd

6

(3)

2nd May 2025

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 3

14:55 Newmarket

Molveno

9st 6lb

J: Marco Ghiani

T: Marco Botti

prominent, ridden and led narrowly 2f out, headed and no extra towards finish

20/1

OUR TIP

Form: 23212- D BF

Last run: 137 days

W: 9st 7lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 90

Form & Verdict
Closely related to same connections' Group 1 sprinter Blue Point; useful 7f-1m turf form last year; likely still has more to give but has been gelded and seems to lack the potential of the same stable's Opera Ballo, who is first string on jockey bookings.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11th

8

(7)

11th Jul 2025

Good To Firm

0m 7f 0y

Class 3

16:45 Newmarket (July)

Olympus Point

9st 8lb

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

Gelded prior to sole run this year (AW); two handicap attempts represent his best form, namely a win and good second on the other track here (soft) last autumn; may still have more to offer.

11/2

6th

3

(2)

26th Feb 2025

Standard To Slow

1m 0f 0y

Class 3

19:30 Kempton (AW)

Olympus Point

9st 7lb

J: James Doyle

T: Charlie Appleby

Closely related to same connections' Group 1 sprinter Blue Point; useful 7f-1m turf form last year; likely still has more to give but has been gelded and seems to lack the potential of the same stable's Opera Ballo, who is first string on jockey bookings.

12/1

2nd

4

(5)

12th Oct 2024

Good To Soft

0m 7f 0y

Class 3

16:15 Newmarket

Olympus Point

9st 8lb

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

Readily justified favouritism in similar event here (1m, soft; off 9lb lower) last month, taking record to 2321; the type to improve further in handicaps and should be as effective back at 7f; commands respect.

11/4

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £27.70
Straight Forecast £32.39
Trifecta £82.30

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Opera Ballo

TOPSPEED:

Molveno

Telegraph:

Saddadd

RP RATINGS:

Quai De Bethune

POSTDATA:

Opera Ballo

NEWMARKET:

Opera Ballo

The Times:

Opera Ballo

The Guardian:

Opera Ballo

Daily Mail:

Opera Ballo

D Express:

Opera Ballo

Daily Mirror:

Opera Ballo

The Sun:

Opera Ballo

The Star:

Opera Ballo

Daily Record:

Opera Ballo