The Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes headlines a tremendous evening’s racing from Sandown. The Surrey track hosts a twilight spectacular on Thursday.

GG tipster Joe Napier previews this year’s running as Ombudsman looks to start his season in style.

2026 Brigadier Gerard Stakes Runners 

There is a promising field of six for this Group 3 prize, featuring multiple top level winner Ombudsman. A winner of the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and Juddmonte International last season, the five-year-old easily won the Group 1 Dubai Turf at Meydan in March. He clearly retains the majority of his ability and may possess greater race fitness for this year’s renewal compared to 12 months ago.

Gethin looks his biggest danger. Owen Burrows’ charge boasts a similar enough profile to Ombudsman’s from last season. He has won three from five, made a highly promising return to action at Kempton on the all-weather, and any further improvement would see him dining at the top table. He will win a Group race at least before his career is out.

Almeric was disappointing on his return. He is another for whom winning ways will recommence, but all of his wins have come with “soft” in the going description. That will not be the case on Thursday evening.

Many could set their watch by Wimbledon Hawkeye, who will give his running. This should probe the son of Kameko’s ideal trip with his two best runs in 2025 coming over 1m2f. Godolphin runners Arabian Light and Bedouin Prince have only shown their best in Dubai so far. Neither are far from this level on ratings though and both add depth to a quality renewal.

2026 Brigadier Gerard Stakes Racecard

Brigadier Gerard Stakes Trends 2026 

Here are some of the key trends stats viewers may want to take note of ahead of the Brigadier Gerard Stakes.

• Five of the last seven winners were four-year-olds
• Ryan Moore has ridden five of the last ten winners – rides Arabian Light
• Only two of the last ten favourites have won the race
• Only two winners have started at longer than 5/1 in the last eight runnings

2026 Brigadier Gerard Stakes Tips 

Gethin will win at this level at some point and any further improvement could make him a menace to Ombudsman. Nevertheless, the Gosdens’ Godolphin runner is a true Group 1 horse and his win in the Dubai Turf should ensure he arrives fitter than when losing his unbeaten record in this race 12 months ago. Wimbledon Hawkeye should give his running among the remainder.

FAQ

When and where is the Brigadier Gerard Stakes?

The Brigadier Gerard Stakes will take place at Sandown racecourse on Thursday 28 May, 2026 at 7.12pm.

How can I watch the Brigadier Gerard Stakes on Thursday?

The Brigadier Gerard Stakes is live on ITV Racing at 7.12pm on Thursday.

When were the Brigadier Gerard Stakes tips published?

The tips for the Brigadier Gerard Stakes were published at 1.55pm on Wednesday 27 May.

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