14.40
GoodVirgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling Watergate Cup (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race)
- Prize money: £51540
- 1m 7f 196y
- Class 2
- 11 runners
Runners: 11 runners
Type: Flat Turf
Surface: Turf
Weather: Partly cloudy
20/1
Form: 6-1760 D
Last run: 21 days
W: 9st 12lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: 103
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
20th 2 (1) |
27th Jul 2026 Good To Yielding 2m 0f 179y |
12st 0lb |
Ex-Jessica Harrington/Michael Bell; winner at Group 3 level for his two former trainers; despite reduced mark, does not look well handicapped at this stage; stable debut. |
50/1 |
|
14th 7 (16) |
16th Jun 2026 Good To Firm 1m 6f 34y Class 2 |
9st 11lb |
Ex-Irish 7yo; won a slowly run, four-runner Group 3 over 2m here in April 2025 on his stable debut but failed to kick on and he needed to run a lot better than he did at Newmarket in early May (1m6f) to be seriously considered here; the hood and blinkers are new additions. |
50/1 |
10/1
Form: 64P005 D
Last run: 14 days
W: 9st 10lb
7 yo Gelding
OR: 101
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
9th 2 (9) |
19th Aug 2026 Good 2m 0f 56y Class 2 |
9st 12lb |
8yo whose 11th success came over 1m4f in April; also effective at 2m this term but edged back up the weights and looks vulnerable for win purposes. |
40/1 |
|
7th 1 (15) |
27th Jun 2026 Standard To Slow 2m 0f 56y Class 2 |
9st 12lb |
Prolific 8yo who gained his 11th success when taking 1m4f Ripon handicap in April; also effective at 2m this term, including C&D, but he's edged back up the weights; place player but he may be vulnerable for win purposes. |
14/1 |
7/1
Form: 940-30 C
Last run: 88 days
W: 9st 2lb
9 yo Gelding
OR: 93
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3 (10) |
13th Sep 2025 Good 1m 7f 196y Class 2 |
9st 2lb |
Second, first and third in the last three Chester Cups; he didn't quite reproduce that form in the 2023 or 2024 campaigns, however, and tailed off at Royal Ascot on first attempt this season; comfortably held in fourth in this race last year; this does not look the time to catch him. |
7/1 |
|
19th 11 (8) |
17th Jun 2025 Good 2m 3f 210y Class 2 |
9st 6lb |
Second, first and third in the last three Chester Cups and not far away in this race two years ago; back up 3lb since latest Chester Cup, however, and he didn't quite reproduce the Chester form in either the 2023 or 2024 campaigns. |
20/1 |
|
3rd 8 (4) |
9th May 2025 Good 2m 2f 140y Class 2 |
8st 11lb |
led narrowly, headed after 1f, soon prominent on inner, no extra final 110yds |
10/1 |
5/1
Form: 572157 CD
Last run: 24 days
W: 9st 2lb
7 yo Gelding
OR: 93
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
10th 1 (2) |
8th Aug 2026 Good To Firm 1m 7f 209y Class 2 |
9st 10lb |
Never involved when defending his crown in the Northumberland Plate but two of his three previous runs this season had been creditable; only 1lb higher than for his last win at Chester (September) and he was a close fourth in this two years ago; would have been tempting but for concerns about him these days on fast ground (only fifth last year on good to firm). |
10/1 |
|
19th 5 (1) |
27th Jun 2026 Standard To Slow 2m 0f 56y Class 2 |
9st 4lb |
Beat Dancing In Paris by a neck to win this race last year off 6lb lower; also won at Chester in September and two of his three starts this term have been creditable, so he's in the each-way picture. |
14/1 |
|
10th 5 (10) |
8th May 2026 Good 2m 2f 140y Class 2 |
9st 1lb |
One of three for the yard; won the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle (2m, AW) last June and has a 4-7 record at Chester, although his two performances in this race were muted (from double-figure draws); reappearance six weeks ago matched his best 2025 form but a bit extra will be needed. |
14/1 |
11/4
Form: 05/70-
Last run: 336 days
W: 8st 12lb
5 yo Colt
OR: 89
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 2 |
29th Aug 2026 Good To Firm 1m 4f 0y |
12st 9lb |
The 2025 Galway hurdle winner but was poor this time around and has questions to answer; won on the Flat in May; Nina Carberry back. |
2/1 |
|
12th 3 |
30th Jul 2026 Good 2m 0f 11y |
11st 11lb |
Promoted winner of this race last year after receiving critical interference; has been mixing hurdling and Flat action since then, down the field in the County Hurdle; beat the very useful Absurde in a conditions' hurdle at Cork in April; kept ticking over with an odds-on Flat win in a 1m6f Listowel contest two months ago; 7lb higher than last year. |
8/1 |
|
1st 5 (5) |
31st May 2026 Good 1m 5f 80y |
11st 0lb |
Smart dual-purposer type got the Galway Hurdle in the stewards' room last summer and beat very useful Absurde in conditions' hurdle last month; his Flat run at Chester in September proved that he's worthy of this mark and showed he had a bit of boot when running well over 1m on AW pre-Cheltenham. |
6/4 |
14/1
Form: 462163
Last run: 21 days
W: 8st 11lb
6 yo Colt
OR: 88
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4th 4 (2) |
20th Jun 2026 Good 1m 6f 0y Class 4 |
9st 5lb |
Usually apprentice ridden but Jude Fernandes rides him for the first time; 6lb lower than when winning at Sandown (1m6f, good to firm) last June; he has not beaten many in his four starts this season, coming last in a four-runner race last time, but can't be dismissed and the hood he often wore last term (and first run this year) is reinstated. |
10/1 |
|
4th 2 (4) |
26th May 2026 Good 1m 6f 0y Class 4 |
9st 5lb |
4lb lower than when winning over this trip at Sandown (good to firm) last summer, but heavy defeats in his last four outings leave him with plenty to prove. |
20/1 |
9/1
Form: 229471
Last run: 29 days
W: 8st 8lb
4 yo Gelding
OR: 85
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
12th 7 (11) |
15th Aug 2026 Standard 1m 2f 150y |
9st 6lb |
Both career wins have come here, the latest in this race last year off 1lb higher; has run well in defeat over much further on turf a couple of times this term and soft ground wouldn't have suited at Galway latest; should be doing his best work at the finish. |
11/1 |
|
10th 11 (11) |
31st Jul 2026 Yielding 1m 4f 0y |
9st 2lb |
Two-time AW winner is 0-9 on turf; stayed on well for a 2.75l second over 2m1f at Killarney last time and closely matched with The Kingstonian on Chester form in May; may need more of a stamina test. |
12/1 |
|
2nd 1 (5) |
14th Jul 2026 Good 2m 0f 185y |
10st 0lb |
Premier handicap winner over 1m2f at Dundalk last season; upped in trip this year to decent effect; good third in the Chester Plate in May; made no impact in the Northumberland Plate last time but will appreciate the calmer waters here. |
7/1 |
11/2
Form: 073222 D BF
Last run: 6 days
W: 8st 6lb
5 yo Colt
OR: 83
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6th 4 (5) |
11th Jul 2026 Good To Firm 1m 6f 34y Class 3 |
9st 12lb |
Industrious and usually dependable sort at 1m6f-2m2f; turf strike-rate is 1-20, however, and he was tailed off at Thirsk (good) on penultimate start, before he failed to shine at Newcastle's Northumberland Plate meeting (AW) for the third year in a row; not the percentage call. |
20/1 |
|
18th 5 (18) |
27th Jun 2026 Standard To Slow 2m 0f 56y Class 2 |
9st 10lb |
Industrious and usually dependable sort at 1m6f-2m2f; turf strike-rate is 1-20 and he was tailed off at Thirsk last time; back to AW and he's 7-34 in this sphere, but he's not shone at this meeting (16th in the Plate, 12th in the Vase) in the last two years. |
25/1 |
|
12th 5 (2) |
31st May 2026 Good 2m 0f 13y Class 3 |
9st 8lb |
Industrious and dependable sort at 1m6f-2m2f but turf strike-rate is 1-19; not discredited on latest start (1m5f) but others are preferred. |
16/1 |
50/1
Form: 3937-0
Last run: 98 days
W: 8st 5lb
11 yo Gelding
OR: 82
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 5 (4) |
21st May 2026 Soft 2m 0f 45y Class 5 |
9st 7lb |
His mark continues to tumble and he's one to watch in the betting in reapplied cheekpieces with the slow ground in his favour; however, this 12yo has very much struggled on his four starts since last June. |
9/1 |
|
8th 9 (8) |
18th Feb 2026 1m 2f 219y Class 4 |
9st 1lb |
Veteran who struggled in two runs last year and fared no better when last of six over 2m here six weeks ago; down in the weights but has too much to prove for now. |
50/1 |
20/1
Form: 813078 C
Last run: 6 days
W: 8st 4lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: 81
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6th 6 (4) |
11th Aug 2026 Good To Firm 1m 6f 32y Class 4 |
9st 5lb |
Course winner but he's yet to hit top form this season and came in a never-dangerous third of five in 1m6f handicap at Thirsk 18 days ago; not easy to make a case for despite a falling mark. |
8/1 |
|
3rd 1 (3) |
24th Jul 2026 Good 1m 6f 0y Class 5 |
10st 0lb |
Eight wins at up to 2m2f and he's versatile ground-wise; his last success was off 5lb higher at Catterick (1m4f) last autumn but he's been out of sorts this season and was tailed off at York last time; now drops back in grade but he needs a major revival. |
7/1 |
|
8th 5 (7) |
27th Jun 2026 Good To Firm 1m 5f 188y Class 4 |
9st 6lb |
Handles most surfaces and his eight wins include two here, latterly over 2m in 2024; last scored at Catterick (1m4f) off 3lb higher in October and after some lesser efforts this season he was much more competitive when third back there (1m6f) a fortnight ago; contender to step forward again and he's considered. |
10/1 |
20/1
Form: 63-025
Last run: 11 days
W: 8st 2lb
5 yo Gelding
OR: 79
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3rd 2 (4) |
22nd Aug 2026 Good To Firm 1m 6f 0y Class 3 |
9st 8lb |
Three wins this season (1m4f-1m6f); bounced back from poor AW run when close second to Arqoob here (1m4f, good to firm) three weeks ago and might still have a bigger performance in him over this longer trip; respected. |
7/2 |
|
2nd 3 (3) |
1st Aug 2026 Good To Firm 1m 4f 0y Class 3 |
9st 9lb |
Has done well over 1m4f-1m6f on turf this term, winning three times from six starts; latest win came easily at this track (1m6f, good to firm) in June and he's 7lb higher today; tailing off so badly at Southwell four weeks ago may be offputting but he came last in 2025 in his only other AW race, so perhaps can spring back to life with today's return to turf. |
6/1 |
|
4th 1 (2) |
5th Jul 2026 Standard 2m 0f 102y Class 3 |
9st 9lb |
Has done well over 1m4f-1m6f on turf this term, winning three times from five starts; scored easily at Newmarket latest; better than ever and may improve further in his current form; respected assuming he's as effective back at 2m and returned to AW. |
7/4 |
Non-runners
Sheradann
+o+e Accumulators
| Payout | |
|---|---|
| Exacta | £73.80 |
| Straight Forecast | £80.62 |
| Tricast | £714.82 |
| Trifecta | £613.50 |
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