It feels as though it was only yesterday that the Lincoln meeting officially kicked off the 2026 flat season, but we are well into the midst of the action as the Autumn action approaches, including the fifth and final British Classic.
The 1000 Guineas kicked off the Classic season with True Love sparking a minor surprise for Coolmore, as her stablemate and seemingly more favoured Precise finishing down the field in seventh.
Bow Echo produced one of the most dominant displays in a 2000 Guineas since Frankel, and has gone on to emulate him in winning the St James’s Palace Stakes and the Sussex Stakes.
The Oaks was won in magnificent fashion by Thundering On, who sliced through the field under the young sensation Dylan Browne McMonagle.
It was a fifth straight Epsom Derby for Aidan O’Brien as Christmas Day stepped up from his Dante Stakes third, cruising through the rain-softened ground.
St Leger
The St Leger completes the Classic set, which is held on Saturday 12th September. The Town Moor contest is the oldest of the five Classic’s, established in 1776. It is also the final leg of the Triple Crown, which was first completed by West Australian in 1853.
In the early years, the race was farmed by John Scott who won it 16 times between 1827 and 1862. The modern version of the Classic has developed into somewhat of a National Hunt stallion making contest. Milan gave Aidan O’Brien his first St Leger in 2001, who subsequently turned into a successful jumping stallion.
Earlier than that was the 1996 winner Shantou, who’s sired a plethora of hardy types. Scorpion, Sixties Icon, Arctic Cosmos, Masked Marvel, Leading Light and Kingston Hill have all followed suit. The race has been slightly tarnished given the shift towards breeding for speed, thus devaluing the contest as a stallion making race, but it still remains a Classic in nature and this years renewal is building up to be a thriller.
Epsom Derby and Irish Derby second Christmas Day heads the market having displayed a strong staying engine. Derby second and Grand Prix de Paris winner Maltese Cross follows him after his game Longchamp success, with Irish Derby Pierre Bonnard also featuring prominently in the market.
Enceladus won the Gordon Stakes in good style, and could emulate Jan Brueghel in following up in the St Leger, for all connections have pondered staying at twelve furlongs.
Betfred St Leger tip – Point Of Law 12/1
The last royal winner of the race was Dunfermline in 1977, with Desert Hero coming the closest since when third in 2023, and Point Of Law can see the colours back in the winners’ enclosure.
The son of Frankel has improved with every run since finishing second to Del Maro on debut, before staying on late in the day in the Queen’s Vase. He once again had the measure of Del Maro when winning the Bahrain Trophy, a race won last year by Scandinavia who followed up in the St Leger.
John Gosden last won the race with Logician in 2019, and Point Of Law can follow up.
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
Later into the Autumn is the coveted Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, staged this year on Sunday 4th October.
The Longchamp Classic was first staged in 1920 in the wake of World War I, coincidentally won by a horse called Comrade. Run over a distance of twelve furlongs, the race attracts a whole host of classy three year old colts from across the world.
Many a household name has won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, such as Sea Bird, Mill Reef and Dancing Brave pre-millennium. More recently, Sea The Stars completed the greatest three year old season culminating in the 2009 Arc, and his son Daryz won the race last season.
Fillies Treve and Enable won back to back Arc’s in the ’10’s, and Germany won their third Arc with Torquator Tasso springing a surprise in 2021.
Last year’s winner Daryz heads the market this season after two subsequent Group 1 victories. He was a bit below par at Ascot behind Ombudsman, but that was the second time he’s underperformed when travelling and he should be feared back at his beloved Longchamp.
Aidan O’Brien’s two star performers this season follow him in the market. Constitution River’s sole defeat in six starts was a short head defeat on debut, but has since looked dominant latterly taking Coral-Eclipse. Diamond Necklace in unbeaten in her six starts, the last four all in Group 1 contests. She produced a sparkling performance in the Nassau at Goodwood last time out, and is already a two time winner at Longchamp.
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe tip – Estrange 16/1
Estrange was a non-runner in the Arc last season after and excellent three year old campaign, culminating with a second to Kalpana at that one’s beloved Ascot. She’s unbeaten in two starts this season, latterly taking the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes on unfavourably quick ground.
She’s a strong travelling daughter of Night Of Thunder who will be suited to the Arc, and can gain redemption for last year’s absence.
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