The bet365 Cambridgeshire brings together a deep handicap field at Newmarket on Saturday. This guide has the confirmed runners, riders, draws and current race-day conditions, before setting out the expert’s view on the contest.
Cambridgeshire 2026 race details: time, distance and going
- Race: The Cambirdgeshire (Heritage Handicap)
- Course: Newmarket
- Date/time: Saturday 26 September 2026, 3.40pm
- Distance: 1m1f
- Going: Good
- Prize fund: Winner gets £103,080
- Runners: 28
Cambridgeshire runners, riders, draws and weights
| Number | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Weight |
| 1 | Thunder Run | Karl Burke | Clifford Lee | 10st 0lb |
| 2 | Hand Of God | Harry Charlton | Lewis Edmunds | 9st 12lb |
| 3 | Indalo | Roger Varian | Ray Dawson | 9st 10lb |
| 4 | Erzindjan | T J Kent | Billy Loughnane | 9st 6lb |
| 5 | Hard Endeavor | Jane Chapple-Hyam | David Egan | 9st 6lb |
| 6 | Bourbon Blues | Brian Meehan | Ryan Moore | 9st 6lb |
| 7 | Asmen Warrior | James Owen | Marco Ghiani | 9st 5lb |
| 8 | Urban Lion | Jack Channon | George Bass | 9st 5lb |
| 9 | Pathein | Ed Dunlop | William Buick | 9st 3lb |
| 10 | Spanish Voice | Andrew Balding | Oisin Murphy | 9st 0lb |
| 11 | Gavriel | John & Thady Gosden | Robert Havlin | 9st 0lb |
| 12 | Crest Of Fire | Jack Channon | Tom Marquand | 8st 13lb |
| 13 | Shafdar | Ian Williams | Jason Watson | 8st 13lb |
| 14 | Alcarath | Alan King | Rossa Ryan | 8st 12lb |
| 15 | St Anton | Richard Hannon | Joe Leavy | 8st 12lb |
| 16 | Harmonics | John & Thady Gosden | Shane Foley | 8st 12lb |
| 17 | Pierre Royal | Adrian McGuinness | Mikey Sheehy | 8st 11lb |
| 18 | Principality | Harry Eustace | Kaiya Fraser | 8st 11lb |
| 19 | Parole d’Oro | Michael Bell | Jack Nicholls | 8st 10lb |
| 20 | Spell Master | Oli Rix | Silvestre De Sousa | 8st 9lb |
| 21 | Nizam | Ian Williams | Jack Dace | 8st 9lb |
| 22 | Wild Thoughts | Richard Spencer | Saffie Osborne | 8st 8lb |
| 23 | Zennor Storm | William Haggas | Harry Davies | 8st 6lb |
| 24 | Altareq | Jim Goldie | Lauren Young | 8st 5lb |
| 25 | Salam Dubawi | Jim Goldie | Olivia Tubb | 8st 4lb |
| 26 | First Ambition | Michael Keady | Nicola Currie | 8st 3lb |
| 27 | Wanderlust | Iain Jardine | Josephine Gordon | 8st 3lb |
| 28 | Dwindling Funds | Jim Goldie | Rhys Elliott | 8st 2lb |
The leading Cambridgeshire contenders
At the end of the 2010s, the Gosden yard won back-to-back Cambridgeshires with three-year-olds. Their pair this year both represent that age group: last-time-out winner Gavriel could have much to more offer after only four starts, but Harmonics was third in Group company last time and shaped like he should have won at Goodwood before that. Each have distinct chances.
The same can be said of most towards the top of the weights. Remarkably, the top-weight has won this for the last three years, with the most recent two trained by Karl Burke. He again saddles the weight-topper in Thunder Run, a winner at Doncaster last time out and carrying a 4lb penalty. He could repeat that feat at his best, albeit this trip may be on the short side. All of Hand Of God, Indalo and Erzindjan, directly below Thunder Run in the betting, have something to recommend them on too on recent form.
There are other three-year-olds who can easily have a say. Bourbon Blues earned a deserved victory at Doncaster most recently. 1m1f is a drop in trip for him, which may not be ideal, but the opposite is true of Pathein. Ed Dunlop calls up William Buick aboard a horse unlucky behind Thunder Run at Doncaster and for whom this test might prove absolutely ideal.
An outside shock could easily occur too. Spanish Voice won readily here earlier in the season, so has to be respected, while Principality is 2lb well-in on Official Ratings. At an even bigger price, William Haggas’ sole runner is Zennor Storm, who is worth considering if the lower draws are favoured; his Glorious Goodwood effort was noteworthy.
Cambridgeshire trends: what recent renewals suggest
There are some significant recent trends at play in the Cambridgeshire, with the following four all wrth bearing in mind before the race:
- No three-year-old winner since 2019 – also the last winning favourite
- The last three winners have been the top-weight, the last two of which have been handled by Karl Burke
- Eight of the last ten winners have gone off at double-figure prices
- Low draws have won the last two renewals (stall 4 & 6), but the eight before that had been drawn in 21 or above
Joe Napier’s Cambridgeshire tips and verdict
Thunder Run is respected in his bid to be the third straight top-weight winner of the Cambridgeshire trained by Karl Burke. On this occasion he may come up just short with so many contenders. The Gosden runners in Gavriel and Harmonics should go well, but Zennor Storm is an interesting three-year-old alternative. His run at Glorious Goodwood was eyecatching and he has been well-backed at times this season. This could be the day for him, with Principality and Bourbon Blues each-way options as well.
