Our ambassador sets the scene for a bustling Saturday at Windsor, where the Listed August Stakes will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing from 4:30 pm. The evening’s marquee event is the Listed Weatherbys August Stakes at 6:30 pm, a race that could see my husband Tom Marquand aboard the well‑regarded Tenability, trained by the veteran William Haggas.
Tenability arrives at Windsor with a solid record on the course and a reputation for handling soft ground without fuss. He demonstrated this last autumn at Ascot when he chased down Al Qareem to win the Cumberland Lodge on a rain‑slick track.
Since that performance, he has stayed fresh, having defeated his stable companion Hamish at Goodwood in June and then secured a respectable third place in a Group Three at Deauville over a longer distance. Those recent outings give him a stronger form line‑up than the intriguing Silawi, who has under‑delivered relative to his impressive résumé that includes a Group One International win in Canada last October and a close second to Opera Ballo in the Jebel Hatta in Dubai earlier this year. Turning to Goodwood, the most prestigious race of the day is the Group Two Virgin Bet Celebration Mile Stakes at 3:10 pm. I am inclined to back the affable Zavateri, who looks primed to notch his first victory of the season.
The three‑year‑old, trained by Eve Johnson‑Houghton, ran respectably in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, staying close to Bow Echo, and showed no sign of weakness in the Group One at York last weekend when paired with Notable Speech. Although this marks a quick turnaround for a colt with proven Pattern success in the Vintage Stakes at the same venue, I believe Zavateri can prevail in a relatively ordinary renewal, potentially at the expense of Qirat, last year’s surprise Sussex Stakes winner who could become a troublemaker if he gets loose early.
Never miss a story – stay updated with the latest racing news, interviews, and features on your mobile device. George Scott appears tempted to step his Forty Years On up into stakes company, targeting the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money‑Back Handicap at 2:00 pm at Goodwood. The progressive filly, now carrying an 8‑pound penalty to a rating of 96, has been in fine form, winning four of her last five starts on easy ground at Newbury in early June. Any further rain on the South Coast should suit her, and she will face Andrew Balding’s Ghost Mode, a horse that triumphed at the Goodwood Festival despite a tendency to hang badly.
Ghost Mode carries a four‑pound penalty and looks to be her biggest threat, although The Fingal Raven also boasts a strong record and could offer value at longer odds. In the Virgin Bet A Good Bet Handicap at 2:35 pm, William Haggas’s gelding High Degree, a son of the brilliant Too Darn Hot, looks capable of giving his rivals a weight advantage.
Cieren Fallon’s mount, recently equipped with cheekpieces for the first time at Pontefract, remains lightly raced enough to handle a modest four‑pound increase. Likewise, Gary and Josh Moore’s Too Soon appears well‑handicapped after a summer win at Epsom; the colt could give young Warren Fentiman a solid ride if he is fully fit after a three‑month spell.
Sky Sports Racing continues to deliver the latest horse‑racing headlines, interviews, and features for fans across the nation. Welsh trainer Chris Mason’s All Ways Glamorous, who performed admirably in the Shergar Cup, may have to settle for a share of the modest purse in the Virgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling Handicap at 4:55 pm. My personal pick, however, is David O’Meara’s Toca Madera, who ran a strong race in defeat at York last week before struggling on softer ground four days later.
His fifth‑place finish in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood suggests he can hold his own against seasoned rivals when guided by Danny Tudhope in this tough finale. Looking beyond Goodwood, I expect Secret Of Life to maintain her unbeaten streak in the Group Three BetMGM Atalanta Stakes at Sandown at 2:50 pm on Saturday.
Trained by Ralph Beckett, this daughter of Pinatubo captured the Listed Coral Distaff on Eclipse Day and seems ready for a step up in class, especially after receiving a weight allowance from older, more experienced fillies. Equally intriguing is Calendar Girl, a recent Listed winner at Haydock Park who also has an entry in the Group One Sun Chariot. Trainer Owen Burrows will be hoping she can replicate her recent form and continue her upward trajectory.
Sonic Angel’s two victories have come on all‑weather surfaces, but Simon and Ed Crisford’s colt possesses the pedigree to make a successful turf debut in the Group Three BetMGM Solario Stakes at Sandown at 3:30 pm. The horse impressed on debut at Newcastle, drawing clear of the 90‑rated Siouxperb, and followed that up with a penalty‑laden run at Kempton Park this month.
His future looks bright, with entries already secured for the Group Two Champagne Stakes and the Group One Dewhurst, where he could test Godolphin’s promising Yarmouth debut winner, Rock Montreal. Finally, Hollie Doyle shared her insights with Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft, offering a behind‑the‑scenes look at the strategies and preparations that go into a day packed with high‑stakes contests. Her expertise, combined with the depth of talent across the cards, promises a thrilling Saturday for racing enthusiasts.