True Love is positioned as the market favourite for the 2026 edition of the Prix Maurice de Gheest, a Group One sprint that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing at 3.40 pm. The Sky Sports Racing feature today transports viewers to the historic seaside venue of Deauville, where the filly will lead a strong field in the prestigious French contest.
The 1000 Guineas champion was narrowly beaten in her most recent start, the Prix Jean Prat over a mile last month, where she was edged out by the Jersey Stakes winner Thesecretadversary. That defeat was a slim margin, and it underscored True Love’s ability to stay on strongly at the mile distance.
Earlier in her career she captured the Cheveley Park Stakes over six furlongs in September, confirming that she possesses the raw speed required for a sprint such as the Maurice de Gheest. Her versatility – the capacity to switch between sprint and mile trips – will be a valuable asset as she matures, particularly when she eventually retires to become a broodmare. Jockey Wayne Lordan will take the ride in France, stepping in for Ryan Moore, who is unavailable for the race.
Another contender to watch is Stolen Kiss, a colt who has shown a dramatic improvement after his connections dropped him back to sprint distances. The horse has now beaten last year’s winner Sajir on two consecutive occasions and produced a very close fourth‑place finish in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. That form is arguably the strongest in the field. Although Stolen Kiss will be conceding weight to True Love, trainer Alexis Pouchin believes the colt has the class to challenge the favourite and could potentially reverse the weight disadvantage with a strong finish.
Wathnan Racing, fresh from a successful campaign at the Goodwood Festival, will be eager to add another win to their record, this time with William Haggas’ son of Kingman, Division. Division has been close to winning on several occasions this season, finishing second in the Sandy Lane Stakes and third in the Commonwealth Cup, both times behind Venetian Sun. The colt also produced a respectable fifth‑place effort in the July Cup, suggesting that he is capable of stepping up and taking the lead on a day when the pace suits his turn of foot. Samangan is not to be dismissed, but the horse will need to improve after being beaten in recent outings by both Division and True Love, albeit by very narrow margins.
Meanwhile, Take Charge Star, who is ridden by Johnny Murtagh, enters the race with confidence after having been beaten by only a neck by Thesecretadversary – the very horse that previously bested True Love in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot. Distant Storm makes a return to the track after a long lay‑off; the last time the horse ran was in May in the Group Three Prix Daphnis. Although the form is limited, a fresh run could reveal untapped ability, especially if the horse is given a favorable draw.
Beyond the Maurice de Gheest, Sky Sports Racing will also highlight other upcoming fixtures. Hollie Doyle will discuss Thunder Call’s role in the Shergar Cup at Ascot, while Kevin Doyle, a former Premier League striker, will talk about his ambitions at the Cheltenham Festival with his horses Augusta Kate and La Bague Au Roi.
In other news, Kalpana has beaten Calandagan in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and legendary jockey Ryan Moore has been awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours. Charlie Appleby, who is in excellent form, will send a son of Night of Thunder to France in search of a first win since September. The colt, who was third in the Dewhurst and also placed third in the 2000 Guineas, has shown consistency at the top level.
The race’s form line has produced quality results, with Thesecretadversary taking the Jersey Stakes and Venetian Prince winning the Italian Derby. Billy Loughnane’s mount, which closed the gap on Gstaad in the Irish 2000 Guineas, could also make further progress under the Godolphin colours. Komorebi, who was second in the French 2000 Guineas, disappointed when stretched out for the Prix du Jockey Club, finishing tenth.
Dropping back to a mile appears to be the optimal distance for him, and if he replicates his earlier mile performance, he will be a serious contender. Campacite, who was beaten by Komorebi in the French Derby, also showed promise in a prior start with Hawk Mountain, suggesting that a repeat performance could make him a factor.
Lord Clover lacked the necessary acceleration in the German 2000 Guineas, but his earlier French form indicates he could still pose a challenge. Finally, Crimson Road caps the Sunday card at Chepstow, looking to repeat his win over the same course and distance from the previous month’s Capital Windscreens Supports Chepstow Centenary Celebrations Handicap. On his fourth start for trainers John and Rhys Flint, Crimson Road surged clear inside the final furlong and has been awarded a three‑pound weight increase for his victory, yet he remains a strong contender. Pride Of Nepal, despite a disappointing run at Epsom, was in excellent form earlier in the season, securing four consecutive victories, including a course‑and‑distance win at Chepstow in June that completed a hat‑trick.
Carrying top weight today, the Tony Carroll‑trained gelding will likely look to match Crimson Road’s performance and test the limits of his class. In summary, the Prix Maurice de Gheest promises a thrilling contest with True Love as the clear favourite, but a deep field featuring sprinters such as Stolen Kiss, Division, Take Charge Star, and others ensures that the outcome will not be decided until the finish line.
The race will be a key indicator of the leading miler‑sprinter’s ability to combine speed and stamina, and it will set the stage for future Group One campaigns across Europe.