The three‑day Yarmouth Festival draws to a close on Thursday, featuring a seven‑race card that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing. Among the highlights, two recent victors – Deep Havana and Pilu – are expected to be among the favorites in a twelve‑horse Boodles Handicap at the seaside course.
Deep Havana, who earned his trainer's first win by edging out Yes I’m Mali by a head at Thirsk, will be ridden by Hamad Al Jehani. Despite carrying a five‑pound penalty, the Wathnan‑owned colt looks poised to defend his form and could easily add another triumph to his record. Pilu, trained by Roger Teal, dropped down in class to capture a Newmarket handicap in impressive fashion last time out. Under the guidance of jockey Joe Leavy, the horse is also seen as a serious contender in this contest.
Other notable entries include Westport, who returns with cheekpieces and hopes to snap a winning streak, and Art Lover, the Kempton runner‑up who has attracted the attention of trainer William Haggas and jockey Tom Marquand. Ed Walker’s Darn Hot is also worth watching, now carrying three pounds less than his previous winning mark.
The field also contains previous winners Dojin and Level Look, who are contesting a competitive handicap at Southwell, as listed on attheraces.com/marketmovers. Dojin, fresh from a tight finish at Newmarket where he sported a brand‑new hood, appears well‑placed for another strong performance in a similar race. In broader racing news, Almeraq is slated for a return to Ascot on Champions Day, while Fairy Glen enjoys strong backing for the John Musker Fillies' Stakes at Yarmouth.
The Eastern Festival at Yarmouth kicks off with promising novice action, and Saffie Osborne, fresh from a St Leger victory, is praised by Kevin Blake as one of many talented jockeys awaiting their big break. The weekend also includes the Windsor flat season finale on Monday, and a series of Sky Sports Racing highlights such as the St Leger celebration and a roundup of the latest horse racing interviews and features. Andrew Balding’s Level Look, the sole three‑year‑old in the mix, doubled his career win tally with an effortless victory at Wolverhampton last week and looks capable of stepping up to the two‑mile distance under Callum Hutchinson.
Charging Thunder and New York Minute round out the quartet, with New York Minute boasting a 14‑length win at the same course and distance back in 2025 for trainer Joey Ramsden. The Dan Hague Rails Bookmaker Nursery Handicap promises an exciting lineup, led by Soldier Of The Sea heading a field of eleven. William Knight’s charge, who broke his maiden at Ffos Las in June and subsequently placed fourth in a novice at Ascot, looks appealing on his handicap debut. Sydney Grace, a Carlisle novice winner, is carrying an extra two pounds after a narrow defeat on her nursery debut at Wolverhampton.
Meanwhile, Mirzimaan, who claimed a Newbury novice earlier in the season but underperformed in a York nursery last month, may see his odds shift as the market reassesses his chances. On the international stage, Auteuil’s Group 3 Prix Robert Lejeune at 10.42 am will see Huron Bleu and Navy Du Seuil clash, followed by French hurdling star Losange Bleu headlining the Prix de Compiegne at 12.27 pm. Back in the UK, Wopbopaloomop tops a 13‑runner field in Southwell’s 4.20 pm Virgin 512 Nursery Handicap, with trainer Richard Spencer aiming for another win despite a six‑pound penalty. Later at Southwell, the 6.30 pm Sky Sports Racing EBF Restricted Novice Stakes will feature Peaberry for Tom Ward, while Zachary Hickes and Heroics meet in a competitive Goffs Two Million Series Handicap.
All these events underscore the vibrant tapestry of British and international racing as the Yarmouth Festival reaches its finale, offering a blend of seasoned campaigners, rising novices, and high‑stakes contests for enthusiasts to follow on Sky Sports Racing.