May 23 / 14.58 Haydock

14.58

Soft

William Hill Sandy Lane Stakes (Group 2)

  • Prize money: £93571.5
  • 0m 6f 0y
  • Class 1
  • 7 runners
ITV
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William Hill Sandy Lane Stakes (Group 2)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

9/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.75
  • Place: £1.50

Form: 1113-0 D

Last run: 20 days

W: 8st 13lb

3 yo Filly

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Top 6f 2yo, completing a notable hat-trick with wins in Group 3 at Royal Ascot, Group 2 at Newmarket (July) and Group 1 at Deauville (all good/good to firm); seemed fine at 7f (ran on after meeting trouble) when third in the Moyglare at the Curragh (yielding) on her final start but shaped like a non-stayer when stepped up to 1m for 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on reappearance; remains open to progress back at 6f; leading claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

11

(9)

11th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

16:35 Newmarket (July)

Venetian Sun

8st 13lb

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

3yo filly who is unbeaten (6-6) over sprint trips, mostly in Group races, including two at the top level; only narrowly justified favouritism in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot (good to firm) most recently but it's hard to knock her record and there may yet be further advancement in terms of her rating; sire won the July Cup; receives all the allowances and duly warrants respect.

3/1

1st

21

(13)

19th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

15:05 Ascot

Venetian Sun

8st 13lb

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

5-5 over sprint trips, including 2yo wins at this meeting (C&D, good to firm) and in the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville (6f, good); having failed to stay 1m in the 1,000 Guineas, she was dropped back in trip in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock (6f, good to soft) four weeks ago and won in fine style; leading claims.

11/8

1st

8

(3)

23rd May 2026

Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

14:58 Haydock

Venetian Sun

8st 13lb

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

Top 6f 2yo, completing a notable hat-trick with wins in Group 3 at Royal Ascot, Group 2 at Newmarket (July) and Group 1 at Deauville (all good/good to firm); seemed fine at 7f (ran on after meeting trouble) when third in the Moyglare at the Curragh (yielding) on her final start but shaped like a non-stayer when stepped up to 1m for 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on reappearance; remains open to progress back at 6f; leading claims.

9/4

5/2

  • Place: £1.60

Form: 1115-3 CD

Last run: 22 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 106

Form & Verdict
Raced at 6f; won three times last year, notably a York Listed race (good; also won on good to soft); improved again when coming with a strong late run (started slowly) for 0.5l third to Coppull in Ascot Group 3 (good to firm) on reappearance three weeks ago; probably capable of better again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

12

(12)

17th Oct 2026

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

14:05 Ascot

Division

9st 3lb

J: James Doyle

T: William Haggas

0-6 this year but he's been knocking firmly at the door, including in Group 1 events; tends to come from behind and ended up with too much to do when fourth in C&D Group 3 (13-8 favourite) two weeks ago; somewhat unlucky (needed to be switched) when a fine third in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup here in June; may still have potential and dangerous if getting the rub of the green.

10/1

4th

8

(2)

3rd Oct 2026

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

15:00 Ascot

Division

9st 3lb

J: Daniel Tudhope

T: William Haggas

A better sprinter than the bare form suggests as he hasn't had much luck this year, having to make a detour when a fast-finishing third of 22 in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup here (6f, good to firm) in June and seemingly not as well suited by the track at Newmarket when fifth in Group 1 July Cup next time, when also having to negotiate a difficult draw; he only just failed to win a Group 1 at Deauville (6.5f) since and looks sure to go well back here.

9/4

12/1

Form: 1041-8 D

Last run: 20 days

W: 8st 13lb

3 yo Filly

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Proved a useful sprinter last season, notably winning over 5f at Glorious Goodwood in the summer and over 6f at Newmarket (good-ground Listed contest) final outing; finished in front of Venetian Sun when creditable eighth in the 1,000 Guineas on her reappearance; while she shouldn't be inconvenienced by the drop back to 6f it remains to be seen whether she can confirm that superiority over Karl Burke's filly at the shorter distance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

15th

18

(2)

13th Sep 2026

Yielding

0m 5f 0y

15:25 Curragh

Spicy Marg

9st 2lb

J: Tom Marquand

T: Michael Bell

Career-best by far when going close at 50-1 in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot (6f, good); two lesser displays since then leave her with plenty to prove again.

14/1

9th

15

(15)

31st Jul 2026

Good To Firm

0m 5f 0y

Class 1

15:35 Goodwood

Spicy Marg

8st 11lb

J: Tom Marquand

T: Michael Bell

C&D and Listed winner in last season's 2yo campaign, and she ran a mighty race when going close at 50-1 in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot (6f, good) last month; failed to back that up in Group 3 at York three weeks ago but not ruled out in view of her peak performance.

10/1

7th

13

(2)

10th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

14:45 York

Spicy Marg

9st 0lb

J: Hector Crouch

T: Michael Bell

Listed winner at Newmarket (6f, good) last October; beaten 4.5l into third by Venetian Sun in the Sandy Lane at Haydock on good to soft in May but got a lot closer that rival on quicker ground in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, going down by only a head for a big career best, with reopposing Fitzella fifth; the one to beat.

9/4

OUR TIP

7/1

Form: 4222-6 D

Last run: 22 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Runner-up twice in Group 1 company as a juvenile, including in the Middle Park at Newmarket with Coppull narrowly behind in third; however, he made an underwhelming start to his 3yo career when only sixth to Coppull (Division third) in 6f Ascot Group 3 on reappearance 22 days ago; possible he simply needed the run but arrives with a point to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

5

(2)

27th Sep 2026

Yielding

0m 6f 0y

14:35 Curragh

Brussels

9st 5lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O’Brien

C&D maiden winner on debut; smart form when second in last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint; nothing comparable this year; some encouragement can be taken from his staying-on effort when seventh of 18 in the Group 1 Flying Five here a fortnight ago.

9/2

7th

11

(16)

13th Sep 2026

Yielding

0m 5f 0y

15:25 Curragh

Brussels

9st 5lb

J: Wayne Lordan

T: A P O’Brien

Course 2yo maiden winner on debut; smart form when second in Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint; nothing comparable this year; held by several of these on running over C&D in July and at Goodwood

33/1

10/1

Form: 4114-7 D

Last run: 21 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 104

Form & Verdict
AW Group 3 winner last September and bettered that form when 2.75l fourth to Wise Approach (Brussels second, Coppull third) in Group 1 Middle Park at Newmarket (6f, good to firm) later that month; late headway for seventh of 14 in 5f Group 3 back at Newmarket on reappearance; likely to benefit from the return to 6f but whether he's quite good enough remains to be seen.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

17th

5

(10)

3rd Oct 2026

Good

0m 7f 0y

Class 2

15:35 Ascot

Five Ways

9st 9lb

J: Jason Watson

T: Andrew Balding

Proved a useful 2yo, winning AW Group 3 then running well in the Middle Park, but has generally found life harder this term and finished down the field in a 7f handicap at Newmarket last Saturday; opposed.

40/1

9th

2

(11)

26th Sep 2026

Good

0m 7f 0y

Class 2

16:50 Newmarket

Five Ways

9st 10lb

J: Jason Watson

T: Andrew Balding

2yo Group 3 winner whose 3yo form has been mixed but he was a close Listed fourth at Chester (7f, good) in July and suffered a torrid passage when down the field in a handicap there (7.5f, good to soft) latest; not ruled out.

16/1

11th

2

(14)

22nd Aug 2026

Good To Soft

0m 7f 127y

Class 2

14:05 Chester

Five Ways

9st 9lb

J: Jason Watson

T: Andrew Balding

Landed a Group 3 at Kempton last September as a juvenile before finishing fourth in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, both over 6f; highly tried without success this term and although his yard is going great guns, his mark looks high at present.

33/1

10/1

Form: 19226- D BF

Last run: 245 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Raced at 6f; smart 2yo, notably second in the Gimcrack at York; below par tackling going softer than good for the first when sixth in the Mill Reef at Newbury on final start, which is a bit of a concern should the ground here remain on the soft side; on a positive note, his yard has won this twice since 2019, including with Inisherin in these silks two years ago.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

15th

9

(11)

19th Sep 2026

Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 2

15:40 Ayr

Rock On Thunder

9st 4lb

J: Jack Callan

T: Kevin Ryan

Runner-up in last season's Group 2 Gimcrack at York but that form hasn't worked out at all; has come up well short in Group 2, Group 1 and Listed company in three runs this year; had a wind op since latest start but still not an obvious one to enhance his trainer's fine record in this race.

33/1

8th

6

(7)

2nd Aug 2026

Good

0m 6f 17y

Class 1

15:20 Chester

Rock On Thunder

9st 1lb

J: Kevin Stott

T: Kevin Ryan

Chased home Lifeplan in the Gimcrack last August; well beaten in Group 2/Group 1 events so far this year; this drop in class could revive his fortunes but he is up against some progressive sorts.

10/1

15th

11

(22)

19th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

0m 6f 0y

Class 1

15:05 Ascot

Rock On Thunder

9st 2lb

J: Kevin Stott

T: Kevin Ryan

Second in the Gimcrack at York (6f, good to firm) last August but well beaten in the Mill Reef at Newbury (6f, good to soft) next time and same story in the Sandy Lane at Haydock (6f, good to soft) last month; cheekpieces and the return to fast ground could help but others have less to prove.

50/1

Form: 22-168

Last run: 7 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Non-runners

Coppull

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £5.80
Straight Forecast £5.03
Tricast £10.54
Trifecta £15.20

Selections

POSTDATA:

Division

SPOTLIGHT:

Venetian Sun

TOPSPEED:

Coppull

D Express:

Rock On Thunder

Telegraph:

Spicy Marg

NEWMARKET:

Division

The Times:

Division

The Guardian:

Division

Daily Record:

Division

RP RATINGS:

Venetian Sun

The Sun:

Venetian Sun

The Star:

Venetian Sun

LAMBOURN:

Coppull

Daily Mail:

Coppull

Daily Mirror:

Coppull