Lingfield - Saturday 9th May 2026
The unexposed TWISTING PHYSICS put in a promising display when a close sixth in a competitive event over 1m2f at Newbury on his seasonal return three weeks ago. With the benefit of that outing, the son of Dubawi could be hard to beat here. Noble Horizon was purchased for 140,000gns at the end of last season and has to be noted on his debut for these connections, while Double Red and Sweet Reward are others to consider.
All of these have claims, but preference is for ROMANTIC SYMPHONY. The Dubawi filly is a full-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Wild Illusion and she built on a promising debut success at Newmarket when successful under a penalty at Kempton last month. With the prospect of more to come, Charlie Appleby's filly has plenty in her favour. Bloom was third behind two useful prospects in a Navan Group 3 a couple of weeks ago and arguably sets the standard based on that evidence. Prizeland is another progressive filly to consider, while Cameo has the form to make the frame if seeing out the trip.
Maho Bay bolted up on his debut at Kempton in December and confirmed that promise when scoring decisively in a Newmarket novice under a penalty last month. He could take plenty of stopping but marginal preference is for MALTESE CROSS. William Haggas' colt beat a useful field in a Newmarket maiden last September and scored in a hot-looking contest at Newbury on his return three weeks ago. The son of Sea The Stars should relish this step up in trip and he can take this on his way to bigger targets. Isaac Newton is a useful performer but will need to build on his Feilden fourth to be successful here.
Royal Velvet could prove popular after impressing on her return at Newmarket with a smooth three-length success. However, that was in a class 3 handicap and she will need another step forward upped to this class. COPACABANA SANDS won a Listed race at Naas and a Group 3 at Leopardstown last year for Michael O'Callaghan and makes her debut for Andrew Balding here as the highest rated horse in the line-up. She could prove too good for these if ready to roll. Dash Of Azure may be booked for third.
BACK IN BLACK gets the nod after his Newbury return. Beaten a length and a quarter over a mile on his first start since being gelded, he may be better suited by this slight drop in distance. Apotheosis was last seen finishing second in Abu Dhabi and should have no issues with the quicker going here, while Foreseen is an outsider to consider for the places.
HARDY'S HERO made an encouraging seasonal debut when beaten only a neck at Newmarket. That good effort strongly suggests William Haggas' charge is capable of winning in this grade and the son of New Bay is taken to resume winning ways. Improvement is expected from French Affair back on the turf based on last year's placed efforts, while novice winner Oracle Mission is worth noting on his turf/handicap debut.
Tuscan Point scored on the Polytrack here last time, having gone close when runner-up at Catterick prior to that. Birkenhead (third) has a bit to find with the former on running at Catterick, so the vote goes the way of MAHARAJAS EXPRESS. Ian Williams' charge ran fresh over 6f here on his return to the fray, but he looks on a tempting mark back over the minimum trip on the evidence of last season's success at Chester, so he gets the nod.
This is a very competitive handicap to open the card and cases can be made for most of them. Twisting Physics is lightly raced and shaped nicely on his reappearance and is entitled to improve for that run. Double Red scored on the all-weather here last time and despite being 5lb higher in the weights is still competitively weighted and Salamanca City is very consistent and should threaten again. At a bit of a price though it could be worth having a small investment on SWEET REWARD. He ran well on his seasonal debut at Epsom last time and is well handicapped on the best of his 2025 form.
This is an intriguing trial. ROMANTIC SYMPHONY and Prizeland were both very impressive last time but face much better opposition here and arguably the better form was shown by the two O'Brien fillies, Cameo and Bloom, in defeat in Group company. It is hard to split the Ballydoyle pair both being big, staying fillies that have looked a fraction short of pace at lesser trips. Ryan Moore has gone for Cameo so presumably she is the better thought of. Preference though is for Godolphin's unbeaten Romantic Symphony who looked like she was still learning as she went away to win by an increasing margin last time. She is a big, strong sort and the most likely of these to pose a threat in the Oaks itself.
The Aidan O'Brien team dominated the trials at Chester and the eye is drawn to ISAAC NEWTON here. He ranged up as if the likely winner in the Feilden on his reappearance before a likely lack of fitness saw him flatten out. He got 10f on soft ground at two, though that was in France where races are not as fiercely run, and has a reasonable chance of getting the trip here. He boasts the highest class form in the field. Maho Bay is probably the biggest danger having won going away last time and clearly being unexposed. The fast ground is a concern given his very round action. Maltese Cross is a very nice type open to improvement and Bay Of Brilliance was an impressive wide-margin winner on the final start of his 2yo campaign, the form having been franked by the second since.
ROYAL VELVET has been very progressive and impressed particularly last time coming from well back to win going away in an 18-runner handicap at Newmarket. The fast ground here will suit her and she can get herself a bit of black type. At a price Sunlit Uplands might go well. She too is progressive and was only beaten 1 1/2 lengths in Listed company on the final start of her 2025 campaign. Copacabana Sands lost her form a bit at the end of last season but won a Leopardstown Group 3 before that and is likely to threaten having had a break.
BACK IN BLACK looks the best option in this competitive handicap. He has been ultra-consistent and was a bit keen off a steady early pace on his reappearance but still managed to run to his mark. He is still very fairly handicapped and can come on a bit from that run. The Dragon King could be a bit of value that goes under the radar. He got a wide trip at Lingfield last time and finished well running close to his mark, which makes him quite well weighted here. Apotheosis fit from a few races in the Middle east could be third best.
Another tight handicap where preference is just for HARDY'S HERO who ran well on his seasonal debut and may come on a bot for that run. Oracle Mission looks interesting on his handicap debut having been eased when winning a novice last time and fitted with blinkers first time here. Mr Writer could be third best. He doesn't settle very well but is consistent.
TUSCAN POINT is is fine form and could follow-up his win here last time. Shalaa Asker is also in good heart and is the obvious danger while last year's winner So Smart might go well at a price being largely consistent.
Whilst studying the form, we have a dedicated horse racing free bets page where you can find offers on all today's racing, as well as offers to use for races on our Ante-Post Prices page, which has markets available for upcoming major meetings as well as the Grand National 2026, Royal Ascot 2026 and Cheltenham Festival 2026.
