Monday promises a packed racing schedule, featuring meetings at Brighton, Newton Abbot and Wolverhampton, all broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing. Among the many storylines, the standout is the campaign of Danehill Star, a Tony Carroll‑trained gelding who is eyeing a rare hat‑trick in the upcoming Brighton handicap. His recent form has been nothing short of spectacular, having secured victory in each of his last two outings.
The first win came over a mile and a quarter, where he edged out his rival by half a length, demonstrating both stamina and a turn of foot. He then followed that up with a dominant performance at Bath, where he surged clear to win by more than five lengths, a display that underscored his growing class. The handicapper has taken notice, assigning Danehill Star an additional ten pounds since those wins. Despite the weight increase, the manner of his Bath victory suggests he remains well‑placed to clinch a third successive win.
If he can replicate that level of dominance, he will join an exclusive club of horses that have managed a hat‑trick in such competitive company. Another contender to watch is Newfangled, who proved to be the most formidable challenger last season when he captured the same race carrying just a pound less than today’s assigned weight.
Since then, he has shown a timely return to form, finishing a respectable third at Windsor in his most recent start. His consistency and experience over the Brighton track could make him a serious threat to Danehill Star’s ambitions. Veteran jockey Dion Baker faces a tough assignment from a 73‑pound mark, a rise of 36 pounds since he began his winning streak at the venue in late May.
Nevertheless, a recent reduction of two pounds in the handicap gives him a sliver of hope, and his mount On The Inlet could prove competitive if the horse can rediscover the early‑season progression that saw it drop back into a lower class with success. In the novice hurdles, the field includes a number of promising youngsters.
Dovecote fourth Matiwo returns in the Jodie Standing’s Point‑To‑Point Recruits Novices’ Hurdle after a strong juvenile campaign. Last season he captured a solid novice win at Newbury and then delivered a brilliant fourth‑place effort in the Grade Two Dovecote Hurdle, where he ran on par with the eventual Grade One Top Novices’ Hurdle winner, Storming George. His current form and relatively unexposed profile place him above much of the opposition, and he should prove a difficult opponent on his seasonal re‑appearance. Ride Like A Girl, who showed promise after wind surgery by winning in May, has not progressed since that triumph.
However, if he returns for his final run after a brief spell, his experience and fitness could make him a competitive presence in the field. Scott’s Legacy could emerge as a chief threat if he takes to obstacles for the first time, having displayed an impressive victory in a quality bumper at Southwell in March. The transition to hurdles often suits horses with a strong finishing kick, and Scott’s Legacy appears to possess the necessary ability.
Pappano, a horse rated 96 on the flat and a participant in this year’s Triumph Hurdle for Willie Mullins, still has much to prove over hurdles. After two lackluster hurdle starts and a too‑keen effort in his most recent race, the gelding is eager to demonstrate the class that made him a top flat performer. In other news, record‑breaking 1‑33 outsider Najidi Storm is set to face the highly regarded Wootz in the Download the At the Races App Novice Stakes. Najidi Storm burst onto the scene with a half‑length win on debut, showcasing a sharp turn of foot.
He subsequently produced two more wins, including a fourth‑place finish in the Cambridgeshire behind the future Group One winner Gavriel. However, he struggled in heavy ground at Goodwood, where he became the shortest‑priced loser in British racing history at 1‑33.
A brother to St Leger victor Logician and half‑brother to the talented Okeechobee, Najidi Storm still holds considerable potential for improvement. The competition will be stiff, with Wootz having impressed on debut with a six‑and‑a‑half‑length victory before finishing a close second at Windsor after hanging left in the finish. Further experience should see Wootz continue to develop.
Additional entries include Al Jolson, who secured a comfortable win on his second start, and Shadow Boxer, who is expected to benefit from an extra furlong after a solid debut in April. The programme also features a series of notable bets: Royal County Glory at 4.27 in Brighton aiming for a hat‑trick, Macanudo at 5.00 also seeking three in a row, Depalma at 1.50 in Newton Abbot targeting his first fence win for the Skeltons, and Gore Point at 3.00 looking to rebound against last‑time‑out winner Juggernaut. Saint Polo at 3.35 hopes to rediscover form after a poor chase start, while the progressive pair Kom Tu Voudras and Kilnew Supreme meet at a 4.10 mark. In Wolverhampton, Majestic Flame at 5.30 hopes to return to form after a promising debut in a hot Goodwood maiden, while Trappy carries a 0‑75 handicap at 8.00, and Anthony Gover at 8.30 seeks a course‑and‑distance hat‑trick.
Finally, a listed race in Bordeaux rounds out the day's action. All these stories and more can be followed live, with the latest racing news, interviews, and features available on Sky Sports Racing and via the At the Races app.