With the Epsom Derby Festival now less than a month away, last week saw York play host to the Musidora Stakes and Dante Stakes – two races which have a rich history of producing the winners of the Oaks and the Derby.
The weekend then saw the focus switch to Newbury for the Group 1 showstopper of the Lockinge Stakes. The Queen Anne Stakes awaits the brilliant winner of that event, and for those seeking Royal Ascot pointers, the week concluded with Royal Ascot Trials Day at Naas.
Juddmonte at the Double as Item and Legacy Land Key Trials
The 2026 editions of the Musidora Stakes and Dante Stakes belonged to Juddmonte, with the famous pink, green, and white silks carried into the winners’ enclosure at the end of both races.
Legacy Link was the first to advertise her Classic credentials. By Dubawi and out of the mare Chiasma, this John and Thady Gosden runner is a niece to none other than the mighty Frankel. That kind of pedigree brings more attention than most, but the jury was still out following a juvenile campaign which featured one win from three starts. Encouraging as her fourth-placed effort in the Fillies’ Mile was, she needed a big performance here to book her Oaks ticket. With Juddmonte number one Colin Keane in the saddle, she delivered just that.
Musidora Stakes 2026 Result
| Pos | Horse | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Legacy Link | 6/4 | John & Thady Gosden | Colin Keane |
| 2nd | Felicitas | 5/2 | Ed Walker | Kieran Shoemark |
| 3rd | K Sarra | 20/1 | Ralph Beckett | Rossa Ryan |
Travelling much the best at the two-furlong pole, she was ultimately made to work by the race-fit Felicitas but stayed on well to score by three-quarters of a length. With a dream pedigree, expert trainer, and a trial win under her belt, Legacy Link is now the clear second favourite for the Oaks, lying behind Aidan O’Brien’s Cheshire Oaks winner Amelie Earhart.
The Andrew Balding-trained Item carried the famous silks on Thursday afternoon and arrived with two wins in as many starts during his juvenile campaign. However, with those wins coming down at Class 4 level, this represented a big step up in class for the son of Frankel.
Dante Stakes 2026 Result
| Pos | Horse | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Item | 11/2 | Andrew Balding | Colin Keane |
| 2nd | Action | 4/1 | A P O’Brien | Wayne Lordan |
| 3rd | Christmas Day | 11/4 | A P O’Brien | Ryan Moore |
With Colin Keane once again in the saddle, Item passed his first big exam with flying colours. Joining long-time leader Action at the furlong pole, he showed signs of inexperience on the run to the line but still came home almost three lengths clear. Andrew Balding claimed the Oaks with Casual Look in 2003 but has yet to win the Derby. Now trading as the 5/1 second favourite, Item may represent his best chance yet.
Appleby Confirms Return to Form in Lockinge Stakes
For a man with a swathe of Group 1 wins and a strike rate that hovers around 30%, nineteen consecutive losers represented an unusual start to May for Charlie Appleby. However, as the old saying goes, form is temporary, and class is permanent. Sure enough, Appleby bounced back in style.
The Newmarket handler ended his spell with a Friday afternoon double at his local track. With the barren run at an end, momentum began to build behind Notable Speech ahead of his Lockinge Stakes assignment. Already a four-time winner at the highest level, including in the 2,000 Guineas in 2024, the son of Dubawi was the most proven performer in the Group 1 field. However, it was a similar story in 2025, when he ran out of steam to finish fourth behind Lead Artist. This time would be different.
Travelling supremely well throughout, it became clear that Notable Speech would win if able to secure a run. That briefly looked unlikely, with William Buick finding no way through on the far side. It is a testament to his superiority that Notable Speech was able to switch behind a wall of four horses before quickening right away for a stunning two-length triumph. The Queen Anne Stakes is likely to be next on the agenda for the five-year-old, who is now trading as the general 5/2 favourite for the Royal Ascot opener.
Royal Ascot Clues at Naas
Sunday afternoon saw the County Kildare track of Naas stage the 2026 edition of its Royal Ascot Trials fixture. This meeting can creep a little under the radar for British fans, but is well worth tuning into for those planning their Royal Ascot punts.
The first of the four recognised trials saw the juvenile sprinters lock horns in the Coolmore Stud Blackbeard Race. Won by subsequent Norfolk Stakes winner Charles Darwin in 2025, this year’s edition was expected to fall to the 4/6 market leader, Star Prospect. Instead, it was the rank outsider Your Song who got up to score by a neck. As a filly, the Queen Mary Stakes is the obvious Royal Ascot target for the Robson De Aguiar youngster – a race for which she remains among the outsiders at a general price of 33/1.
Blackbeard Race 2026 Result
| Pos | Horse | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Your Song | 25/1 | Robson De Aguiar | Hollie Doyle |
| 2nd | What A Girl Wants | 3/1 | Robson De Aguiar | David Egan |
| 3rd | Star Prospect | 4/6 | Joseph Patrick O’Brien | Dylan Browne McMonagle |
Sticking to the juvenile division, the Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes has been used as a stepping stone to Albany Stakes success by Meditate, Porta Fortuna, and Fairy Godmother. This year, the market suggested that Aidan O’Brien’s Victorious was the one to be on. While not as comfortable as odds-on backers would have liked, Victorious fended off another Robson De Aguiar outsider to score by a neck. Now two from two at the track, the daughter of Wootton Bassett is available at a best price of 4/1 for the Albany Stakes.
Fillies Sprint Stakes 2026 Result
| Pos | Horse | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Victorious | 10/11 | A P O’Brien | Ryan Moore |
| 2nd | Controlla | 25/1 | Robson De Aguiar | David Egan |
| 3rd | Dancing Destiny | 20/1 | Joseph Patrick O’Brien | Dylan Browne McMonagle |
The Group 3 Lacken Stakes came next, with Aidan O’Brien’s Charles Darwin expected to advertise his Commonwealth Cup claims. Instead, the No Nay Never colt trailed home last of the eight runners, having reportedly lost his action during the race. With the favourite out of contention, Donnacha O’Brien’s Havana Anna overcame an early stumble to deny the 50/1 chance Oh Cecilia by a head. Following this gutsy effort, Havana Anna is available at 10/1 for what looks like a wide-open renewal of the Commonwealth Cup.
Lacken Stakes 2026 Result
| Pos | Horse | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Havana Anna | 9/4 | Donnacha Aidan O’Brien | Gavin Ryan |
| 2nd | Oh Cecelia | 50/1 | K J Condon | W J Lee |
| 3rd | Tahcawin | 14/1 | Joseph G Murphy | Gary Carroll |
Finally, runners with an eye on King Charles III Stakes glory lined up in the Sole Power Sprint Stakes. Since making its debut in 2017, no winner has gone on to score at Royal Ascot. Hoping to put that right in 2026 is Aidan O’Brien’s Mission Central. While not the easiest on the eye, the three-year-old showed excellent speed to burn off a field of older rivals and looks one of the more interesting each-way options for the Day 1 contest at a best price of 16/1.
Sole Power Sprint Stakes 2026 Result
| Pos | Horse | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Mission Central | 5/4 | A P O’Brien | Ryan Moore |
| 2nd | Gazelle d’Or | 40/1 | M C Grassick | Wayne Lordan |
| 3rd | Keke | 4/1 | Edward Lynam | W J Lee |
