April 04 / 13.25 Musselburgh

13.25

Good

Virgin Bet A Good Bet Royal Mile Handicap

  • Prize money: £15462
  • 1m 0f 2y
  • Class 3
  • 6 runners
ITV
View Course
Virgin Bet A Good Bet Royal Mile Handicap

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

4/1 (Won)

  • Win: £5.00
  • Place: £2.00

Form: 5121-

Last run: 254 days

W: 8st 13lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 81

Form & Verdict
Improved with each run as a 2yo, readily winning nursery at Newbury (7f, good to firm; subsequently gelded) on last of them in July; has a long absence to overcome but he's in good hands and may still have untapped potential; should have no difficulty at all getting 1m.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

8

(2)

30th Jun 2026

Good

1m 0f 208y

Class 3

15:00 Musselburgh

Strength Of Spirit

8st 11lb

J: Sam James

T: K R Burke

Three wins at 7f and 1m (on this track; good to soft) but topped those efforts when a running-on close third, just behind Pandemonium over C&D (good; same terms) this month; should have more options now he's shown he stays this far; solid chance for last year's winning yard.

11/2

3rd

3

(4)

6th Jun 2026

Good

1m 0f 208y

Class 2

16:10 Musselburgh

Strength Of Spirit

8st 13lb

J: Paul Mulrennan

T: K R Burke

Has done well for one who opened his account in a seller, bagging his second handicap over 1m here in April; however, progress has stalled, markedly so in his last two races (competitive ones admittedly).

9/2

9th

14

(13)

23rd May 2026

Good To Soft

0m 7f 0y

Class 2

13:25 Goodwood

Strength Of Spirit

8st 6lb

J: Laura Coughlan

T: K R Burke

Three-time winner at 7f-1m and steadily progressive until a below-par effort at Chester (7.5f) most recently; may bounce back but this is no easy task off current mark in such a competitive affair.

16/1

9/4

  • Place: £2.10

Form: 310-

Last run: 249 days

W: 9st 9lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 91

Form & Verdict
Cost 550,000gns as a yearling and ran only three times as a 2yo, winning 7f novice at Beverley (good to firm) before being hampered when last in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood; has not been let in lightly for handicap debut judged on that bare form, but he's completely unexposed, will stay 1m and his stable won this race 12 months ago; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

25th

25

(12)

18th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

1m 0f 0y

Class 2

16:50 Ascot

Vincenzo Peruggia

8st 11lb

J: David Egan

T: Charlie Johnston

Last season's novice win came on good to firm (7.5f); this year's defeats at Musselburgh (1m, good to soft; ran well) and Newmarket (good to firm; not so well from the front) mark him down as an unlikely winner of this.

50/1

7th

1

(5)

1st May 2026

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 3

14:55 Newmarket

Vincenzo Peruggia

9st 11lb

J: David Egan

T: Charlie Johnston

Won at Beverley (7.4f, good to firm) last July on second start then well beaten in Group 2 at Goodwood (7f, good) later that month; reappeared with close second of six in handicap at Musselburgh (1m, good to soft) four weeks ago but it's likely he needs a much bigger run in this hot contest.

8/1

12/1

Form: 13P-

Last run: 191 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 84

Form & Verdict
Well bred (his dam was second in the Oaks), cost 750,000gns as a yearling and made a winning start for Charlie Appleby at Newmarket (7f, good to firm) last summer; however, he didn't build on that and he was pulled up in a nursery on his final outing; sold for just 25,000gns in February, gelded and probably best watched on debut for a new stable.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

9

(4)

5th Jul 2026

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 3

17:00 Ayr

Monoceros

9st 1lb

J: Andrew Mullen

T: Iain Jardine

Low-mileage 3yo; Newmarket winner for previous yard and ran well at Musselburgh on stable/seasonal debut; took a step backwards last time so needs to rebound.

16/1

5th

4

(7)

6th Jun 2026

Good

1m 0f 208y

Class 2

16:10 Musselburgh

Monoceros

8st 12lb

J: Andrew Mullen

T: Iain Jardine

Pulled up on his final run for Godolphin but his first two efforts read well; joined current yard for 25,000gns and kept on takingly for third behind Strength Of Spirit over 1m here in April (handicap debut); open to improvement.

7/1

8/1

Form: 107-34

Last run: 7 days

W: 8st 10lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Arrives on the back of two creditable runs over 7f at Southwell, not beaten far when fourth of nine on latest; should stay 1m and he's at least as effective on turf as AW; in the mix in first-time cheekpieces.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

11

(2)

26th Jun 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 0f 5y

Class 4

18:18 Newcastle (AW)

Kanishka

9st 3lb

J: Luke Morris

T: Brian Ellison

Won 7f 2yo maiden here last June on sole previous course visit and running well in defeat in handicaps this year, most recently third at Carlisle (1m, good to firm) when making the running; he's one to consider.

13/2

3rd

7

(6)

30th May 2026

Good To Firm

0m 7f 173y

Class 4

16:55 Carlisle

Kanishka

9st 1lb

J: Tom Marquand

T: Brian Ellison

In frame all three runs this year, although he didn't go with much fluency when fourth of six at Musselburgh (1m; wore cheekpieces) on latest; more required against some unexposed rivals.

25/1

Form: 732-1

Last run: 45 days

W: 8st 10lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Consistent in three runs since debut, gaining a deserved first success at Kempton (7f) in February; the runner-up that day won in clearcut style next time; should be at least as good over 1m and remains unexposed; interesting candidate on handicap debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

11

(2)

13th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

0m 7f 127y

Class 2

14:10 Chester

Comic Hero

8st 7lb

J: Edward Greatrex

T: Andrew Balding

Plenty of promise on his final two starts as a juvenile and he'd been gelded when reappearing with Kempton novice win (7f, AW) in February; suffered from a lack of daylight but still only beaten 2l on his handicap debut (good to soft) in April and he was just pegged at Newmarket (again 1m, good to firm) six weeks ago; likely capable of better again.

7/2

2nd

8

(9)

1st May 2026

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 3

14:55 Newmarket

Comic Hero

8st 11lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

Went close in two fast-ground novice races last summer and returned with a novice win at Kempton (7f, AW) in February; 15-8 favourite and denied a clear run when 2l fifth of six on handicap debut at Musselburgh (1m, good to soft) four weeks ago; retains potential and is not ruled out but he lost places close home once in the clear at Musselburgh and has to raise his game.

9/2

5th

6

(4)

4th Apr 2026

Good

1m 0f 2y

Class 3

13:25 Musselburgh

Comic Hero

8st 10lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

Consistent in three runs since debut, gaining a deserved first success at Kempton (7f) in February; the runner-up that day won in clearcut style next time; should be at least as good over 1m and remains unexposed; interesting candidate on handicap debut.

2/1

OUR TIP

Form: 71-114 D

Last run: 38 days

W: 9st 7lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Free-goer; won his first two races (1m at Kempton and 7f at Wolverhampton) for George Boughey before finishing last of four in the face of a sterner assignment back at Kempton; his mark has risen and others may have more potential.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

5

(10)

1st Jul 2026

Good

0m 7f 3y

Class 4

20:42 Epsom

Utmost Good Faith

9st 10lb

J: Billy Loughnane

T: George Boughey

Won a turf claimer in Ireland and landed two AW handicaps (1m/7f) for current connections at the start of 2026; has found life harder since but in some good 3yo only races and latest fifth of ten at Sandown (7f, good) in this headgear combination was creditable; respected taking on his elders.

5/1

5th

3

(3)

13th Jun 2026

Good

0m 7f 0y

Class 3

15:55 Sandown

Utmost Good Faith

9st 5lb

J: Billy Loughnane

T: George Boughey

Won a turf claimer in Ireland and has added two AW handicaps (1m/7f) for current connections; however, has failed to beat a rival in his last three races and a tongue-tie joins his regular hood; risky.

20/1

12th

7

(13)

7th May 2026

Good

0m 7f 127y

Class 2

15:40 Chester

Utmost Good Faith

9st 1lb

J: Jack Callan

T: George Boughey

Turf winner (claimer) in Ireland but has shown better RPRs on AW for new stable; failed to transfer the form back to this sphere latest start, finishing last of six at Musselburgh; others preferred.

20/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £21.50
Straight Forecast £18.51
Trifecta £230.20

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Comic Hero

TOPSPEED:

Utmost Good Faith

RP RATINGS:

Vincenzo Peruggia

The Guardian:

Strength Of Spirit

The Times:

Kanishka

POSTDATA:

Utmost Good Faith

NEWMARKET:

Utmost Good Faith

Daily Record:

Vincenzo Peruggia

Daily Mirror:

Strength Of Spirit

Telegraph:

Comic Hero

Daily Mail:

Comic Hero

D Express:

Comic Hero

The Sun:

Comic Hero

The Star:

Comic Hero