Gm, Equinauts

It’s a beautiful day. Okay, so it might be a little overcast in Berkshire but our home track Newbury makes things a lot brighter

AND THERE ARE SOME MACHINES ON SHOW!

KALPANA in the first,

Beckett’s Oaks hope GOLDEN ORBIT in the second,

the worlds best milers in the third,

ALBERT EINSTEIN back in trip in the fourth alongside our biggest ever winner ROYAL FIXATION…

What a day.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

GOOD START

Aktem’s inaugural Grand Steeple Selection Sale made an immediate impact at Maisons-Laffitte, headlined by the sale of a two-year-old full sister to…

LOSSIEMOUTH!

That’s right, champion hurdle winner’s sister went under the hammer for €440,000. The filly, by GREAT PRETENDER, was secured by Irish agent Mags O’Toole after strong competition from leading British and Irish buyers and the result marked a major success for newly launched sales house Aktem, founded by Sofiane Benaroussi, and quickly put the new sales house on the map.

O’Toole was one of the day’s leading buyers, also purchasing ODIN ALLEN, a DOCTOR DINO gelding, for €210,000 and Baronne Dudevant, a well-bred All NO RISK AT ALL filly, for €70,000. All three horses will go Ireland.

The strong trade and international interest provided an encouraging debut for Aktem, with many already expecting the company’s future sales to attract even greater attention.

CACHET

CACHET, the 2022 1000 Guineas winner who gave trainer George Boughey his first Classic victory, has sadly died in Japan at the age of seven.

The daughter of ACLAIM enjoyed a standout racing career for Highclere Racing, progressing from a smart juvenile campaign to Classic success at three after victories in both the Nell Gwyn Stakes and the Newmarket Classic.

Only purchased for 60,000gns at the Craven Breeze-Up Sale, CACHET also placed in top-level races including the Fillies’ Mile and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Boughey paid tribute to the mare, describing her as the filly who “made it all possible” for his training career.

Following her retirement, she was sold to Northern Farm for 2.2 million Guineas at the 2023 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Her only foal, a colt by KINGMAN, later realised ¥90.2 million at the 2025 Northern Farm Mixed Sale.

According to the Japanese Stud Book, she died on January 22, we’re not sure why we’re only hearing about this now?

RIP CACHET.

BIG RACE PREVIEWS

14.35 1M GROUP 1 LOCKINGE 1M

THIS. IS. A RACE.

Gosden has won the last two running’s of this race and sends DAMYSUS here for the three-timer! He looked class last time out in the Sefton when there was an unbelievably strong message for him. He’s by the GOAT FRANKEL and out of a Group winning mare.

2024 NOTABLE SPEECH lines up in this. What a star he is - winning the big ones both at home and over seas including the US and Canada. Group 1’s are very much lower quality than over here so he’s going to find today tough but he deserves his place.

ZEUS OLYMPIOS is 4 from 5 and sounds like the apple of Burkes eye. Burke was purring over his homework mid-week and he’s reportedly come on since his seasonal debut which he needed and will be straight today and needs to step up to prove Burke’s purring right.

Like ZEUS OLYMPIOS, MORE THUNDER is another by gun sire NIGHT OF THUNDER. He’s desperate for quick ground, which he gets today, and has only improved and improved since joining Shaggas’. A mile is a big question mark (he’s only be winning over 7f).

SAHLAN is a French raider. He’s won a Group 1 in France so they’re now bringing him over to test his credentials against the Brits and Irish. By WOOTTON BASSETT out of a TORONADO mare, this will only be the second time he’s encountered quick ground and needs to reverse the form with a couple of these from his endeavours in America.

Aidan got THE LION IN WINTER all wrong as a 3yo. He’s fast horse who needs a mile on quick ground. It’s a shame really because his record would be a lot better had they not persisted in sending him to France. Perfect conditions today, he just needs to be good enough!

JONQUIL really needs to improve to win this. Funnily enough, his half sister makes her debut in the 14.15!

Of the rest, DANCING GEMINI is hard to predict but nearly won this race last year. First time in head gear today, he must have a small chance.

Verdict: We were all over THE LION IN WINTER for this but for some reason the Ballydoyle boys aren’t betting him (they’re on BARROW BOY in the 13.12 against their own and NEVERMINDTHERAIN in the 14.20). DANCING GEMINI in head gear is over priced - he won’t win but is a hell of a price to place! Probably a race to enjoy rather than try find the winner, bet and possibly end up hating it. Watch it.

SUBSCRIBE BELOW TO ACCESS OUR PREMIUM CONTENT

By becoming a premium reader you get access to all the big race previews and the days best stats and bets!

Already a paying subscriber? Sign In.