July 26 / 13.10 Ascot

13.10

Good

British EBF Crocker Bulteel ‘Confined’ Maiden Stakes (Not Run More Than Once) (Colts & Geldings)

  • Prize money: £27000
  • 0m 6f 0y
  • Class 2
  • 7 runners
SKY
View Course
British EBF Crocker Bulteel ‘Confined’ Maiden Stakes (Not Run More Than Once) (Colts & Geldings)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

7/2 (Won)

  • Win: £2.63
  • Place: £1.25

Form: 8

Last run: 71 days

W: 9st 2lb

2 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Son of Lope De Vega from a family his connections know well; only eighth of 18 at Newbury (6f, good; 9-2) on debut but that race has already thrown up stacks of winners; returns to the fray having been gelded, and he could take a major step forward.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

7

(3)

22nd Aug 2026

Good To Firm

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

15:19 Newmarket (July)

Words Of Truth

9st 3lb

J: Connor Planas

T: Charlie Appleby

Won 6f Group 2 as a 2yo (good to soft) and scored in this grade at Sandown (5f, good) in June, after a break; carries 3lb penalty in stronger race today but could still have untapped potential back over this longer trip; shortlisted.

9/4

1st

1

(7)

13th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

0m 5f 10y

Class 1

14:42 Sandown

Words Of Truth

9st 9lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Charlie Appleby

Very useful 6f gelding whose last two performances suggest he's perhaps ready for this drop to 5f; may yet tap back into the progress that culminated in Mill Reef success at Newbury (good to soft); leading player, even with 5lb penalty, on return from another layoff.

2/1

9/4

  • Place: £1.30

Form: 2

Last run: 44 days

W: 9st 2lb

2 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
180,000euros yearling by Acclamation; shaped well when 2l second of eight on debut at Newbury (6.5f, good; 8-1) six weeks ago, no extra after challenging 2f out; big player with that experience behind him.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

27th

24

(13)

18th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

1m 0f 0y

Class 2

16:50 Ascot

New Monarch

8st 11lb

J: David Probert

T: Andrew Balding

Doesn't appear to have made any striking progress as a 3yo and he was beaten fair and square on handicap debut at Goodwood last time in a race contested by others in here who didn't get the rub of the green that day; looks vulnerable.

50/1

6th

7

(9)

23rd May 2026

Good To Soft

0m 7f 0y

Class 2

13:25 Goodwood

New Monarch

8st 13lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: Andrew Balding

Eased once beaten upped to 1m on Good Friday when bidding for an AW double; consistent sort otherwise, including on turf last year, and may rebound; however, balance of form suggests he's no certainty to defy his mark on handicap debut.

16/1

7th

4

(2)

3rd Apr 2026

Standard

1m 0f 5y

Class 1

13:15 Newcastle (AW)

New Monarch

9st 4lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

Progressive in defeat on turf across his four 2yo starts and he reappeared with a novice win at Kempton (7f, Polytrack) 16 days ago, when odds-on; further improvement is necessary if he's to follow up today, but that can't be ruled out and there's every chance 1m will be fine; yard in good form.

4/1

7/2

  • Place: £2.25

Form: 6

Last run: 60 days

W: 9st 2lb

2 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Weak in the market and never dangerous when 7l sixth of 13 at Leicester (6f, good; 16-1) two months ago, passing a few late on; that form is working out well and this well-bred colt could make significant progress.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

4

(6)

11th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

1m 0f 0y

Class 2

14:52 Newmarket (July)

Wechaad

9st 5lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: Roger Varian

Overwhelmed rivals on handicap debut at Doncaster (7f, good to soft) last September and even better in defeat in a Group 3 at Newbury after; looked sure to improve upon a useful return at Goodwood (7f, good) in May when upped to 1m in the Britannia at Royal Ascot but he could never gather momentum after getting hampered 2f out; remains one to be interested in.

4/1

7th

11

(27)

18th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

1m 0f 0y

Class 2

16:50 Ascot

Wechaad

9st 1lb

J: Ray Dawson

T: Roger Varian

Bundles of promise last season even before winning easily on his handicap debut and finishing third in the Group 3 Horris Hill when soft ground might not have been to his liking; his reappearance offered lots of hope for the future, finishing fourth of 17 at Goodwood (7f, good) behind horses with kinder draws and nothing was finishing stronger than this colt; running style and pedigree shouts improvement over this longer trip; he might be the one.

9/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 9st 2lb

2 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
£60,000 yearling by Night Of Thunder; dam 1m winner (RPR 74), closely related to 7f Group 3 winner Hot Snap, half-sister to winners Midday (1m2f-1m4f Group 1) and Sun Maiden (1m2f Group 3), out of half-sister to Oaks winner Reams Of Verse; likely to be suited by longer distances in due course but still of some interest on debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

13

(4)

7th May 2026

Good

0m 7f 127y

Class 2

15:40 Chester

King Of Thunder

8st 5lb

J: Ray Dawson

T: Hugo Palmer

Local runner who is 1-1 at handicap level and may well show further progress; gelded prior to that Haydock success (7f, good to soft; held on narrowly) in October; should be well primed for this reappearance assignment, given the location, and warrants major respect.

8/1

OUR TIP

Form:

Last run:

W: 9st 2lb

2 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
420,000gns yearling; Dark Angel half-brother to Listed-placed 7f 2yo winner Anna Swan (RPR 90); dam Group-placed 7f-1m2f winner (including 2yo; 106), sister to German/UAE 1m6f Group 3 winner Ispolini, is granddaughter of Fillies' Mile winner Playful Act; big-money purchase with a useful pedigree; connections had a winning 2yo newcomer at Haydock last Saturday.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

(3)

22nd Oct 2025

Good

0m 7f 0y

Class 4

17:18 Newmarket

Dark Shore

9st 1lb

J: William Buick

T: Jane Chapple-Hyam

Maiden form stacks up nicely; seemingly outstayed over 1m, albeit wasn't disgraced, when favourite for Newmarket event (good) on handicap debut; gelded since; interesting back down in distance.

7/2

5

(5)

25th Sep 2025

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 4

14:25 Newmarket

Dark Shore

9st 2lb

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Jane Chapple-Hyam

Runner-up at Ffos Las (7.3f, good) on second start then filled the same position in a first-time hood (retained) at Newbury (6.5f, good), behind an easy winner who then went close in the Mill Reef; begins handicap life on a fair mark and this 420,000gns yearling may have more left in the tank.

3/1

3

(11)

28th Aug 2025

Good To Firm

0m 6f 110y

Class 5

16:48 Newbury

Dark Shore

9st 7lb

J: Kevin Stott

T: Jane Chapple-Hyam

420,000gns yearling; showed promise at Ascot (6f, good) and built on that when second of ten in a maiden at Ffos Las (7.3f, good) 18 days later; looked in charge 1f out in the latter and now has a first-time hood and step back in trip; one of the top three candidates on form.

100/30

Form:

Last run:

W: 9st 2lb

2 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Palace Pier half-brother to five winners including Dream Castle (7f-1m1f including UAE Group 1; RPR 116) and With The Moonlight (1m-1m2f including 2yo/UAE Group 2; 115); dam 5f/6f 2yo winner (including Group 2; 111); plausible pedigree for a race of this nature; already gelded; stablemate of Words Of Truth.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

(6)

8th Aug 2025

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 4

18:30 Newmarket (July)

Harbor Lock

9st 7lb

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

Palace Pier half-brother to five winners; weak 12-1 chance when never that dangerous behind a well-backed stablemate at Ascot (6f, good) who was leaving his debut form well behind; this well-related colt could do something similar.

11/2

6th

2

(5)

26th Jul 2025

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 2

13:10 Ascot

Harbor Lock

9st 2lb

J: James Doyle

T: Charlie Appleby

Palace Pier half-brother to five winners including Dream Castle (7f-1m1f including UAE Group 1; RPR 116) and With The Moonlight (1m-1m2f including 2yo/UAE Group 2; 115); dam 5f/6f 2yo winner (including Group 2; 111); plausible pedigree for a race of this nature; already gelded; stablemate of Words Of Truth.

7/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 9st 2lb

2 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
£18,000 2yo; by Havana Grey; dam well held 7f AW 2yo only start, out of unraced half-sister to 1m2f Group 1 winner Romantica; breeze-up purchase; other newcomers make more appeal on paper.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

10

(10)

29th Aug 2026

Good

0m 5f 10y

Class 4

17:10 Sandown

Havana Smile

9st 0lb

J: Toby Moore

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Off the mark in C&D handicap (good) in May but has failed to back it up twice since, including here; bounce back needed with Toby Moore taking 7lb off.

12/1

5th

4

(5)

23rd Jul 2026

Good To Firm

0m 5f 10y

Class 4

13:55 Sandown

Havana Smile

9st 8lb

J: Tom Queally

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Merely sixth of eight at Goodwood last month but his two best performances have coincided with his two visits to Sandown, including a C&D win (good) in May; this lightly raced 3yo is firmly in calculations back here.

9/2

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £8.50
Straight Forecast £6.40
Trifecta £39.30

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

New Monarch

Daily Mail:

Harbor Lock

The Times:

Wechaad

NEWMARKET:

Words Of Truth

The Guardian:

Dark Shore

Daily Mirror:

Harbor Lock

The Star:

Wechaad

D Express:

Words Of Truth

RP RATINGS:

New Monarch

TOPSPEED:

New Monarch

POSTDATA:

New Monarch

LAMBOURN:

New Monarch

Telegraph:

New Monarch

The Sun:

New Monarch

Daily Record:

New Monarch