Catch every moment of today’s action from Chepstow, Lingfield and Wolverhampton, streamed live on Sky Sports Racing. Two promising juveniles, Grove Street and Avionics, will meet in the Bailey Family Investments / EBF Maiden Stakes.
Grove Street, a product of Brian Meehan’s yard, impressed on his debut when he was narrowly beaten by Quest For Stars at Sandown last month. That defeat has proved to be a useful benchmark: Quest For Stars has since taken a respectable Stonehenge Stakes, while the fourth‑placed King High has gone on to claim a solid novice victory at Newbury.
Grove Street is therefore expected to be a strong contender, though Avionics could give him a run for his money. Avionics, trained by Andrew Balding, showed a marked improvement when he produced a nice performance at Salisbury, only to under‑perform at Ffos Las where he appeared overly keen in the closing stages.
If he can settle his temperament this afternoon, he may well challenge the more fancied Grove Street. The Wootton Bassett‑bred filly La Bassette, who was given a patient ride in a quality race at Glorious Goodwood, still possesses considerable upside and could make a notable step forward today. Among the other runners, George Boughey’s newcomer Talamon is a half‑sibling to Grade 1 winner Fev Rover, and if he is ready he could deliver an encouraging debut.
My Old Mate, a thriving campaigner, is targeting a third consecutive win in the Free Tips on attheraces.com Handicap. Since the ban on headgear, Gary and Josh Moore’s charge has improved with each outing, stringing together two easy victories on the Windsor bounce. Although he now carries an 11‑pound penalty for those wins, his finishing style suggests he will still be well ahead of the handicapper’s assessment.
A 7‑pound claim for jockey Jude Fernandes could prove decisive, as the horse has shown a clear affinity for the one‑mile distance. In other news, Hollie Doyle highlights Constitution River as a potential contender in the Juddmonte International, while Kevin Blake offers his three picks for the opening day of York’s Ebor Festival. Today’s Sky Sports Racing schedule also includes jumps action from Worcester, a comprehensive racing round‑up featuring Ombudsman and Constitution River as the headline entries for the Juddmonte International, and a Deauville spotlight where Rayif reclaimed his best form to capture the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois.
The race replay is available for those who missed the live action. For fans who want to stay up‑to‑date, the Sky Sports Racing app delivers the latest racing news, interviews and feature stories straight to your mobile device. At Lingfield, the only other form‑rated rival to Grove Street is Henfield, who finished strongly a short head behind the leader and could pose the main challenge.
Perfect Ruler, a relatively unexposed horse, may produce a career‑best effort today. He was hampered in the final furlong at Redcar in May, so a clean run could see him improve markedly. Turning to Wolverhampton, the Visit Wolverhampton‑racecourse.co.uk Handicap will be led by Percy’s Lad and Spaceman.
Percy’s Lad rebounded with a win at Kempton after benefiting from a low weight assignment, and with only a five‑pound increase from his career‑low figure he should be well‑placed to repeat his success. Spaceman, the least exposed of the field, impressed with a victory at Dunstall Park and a credible effort on his handicap debut. He is likely to continue his upward trajectory and could test the Fahey stable’s dominance.
Inside Story posted a career‑best performance when he ran eye‑catchingly to finish second over the course and distance on his most recent start, while Haadeer still shows plenty of room for development after a respectable third at Doncaster. Both horses have the potential to make significant progress as the season unfolds. Overall, today’s card offers a blend of seasoned campaigners and emerging talent across three of the UK’s key racecourses.
Whether you are a fan of sprinting juveniles, seasoned handicappers, or the excitement of jump racing, there is plenty to watch. Tune in to Sky Sports Racing for live coverage, expert analysis and post‑race interviews that will keep you informed and entertained throughout the day.