We are into the fourth day of the meeting with the Commonwealth Cup and Coronation Stakes taking top billing on the seven-race card.
2.30 Albany Stakes
DARK ISSUE got the job done in taking style at Goodwood first time out and rates the value play against hot favourite Sun Goddess. By the usual standards of Richard Hannon-trained two-year-olds, the daughter of Dark Angel - dam Long Ridge Road was Listed-placed in France - was no more than lukewarm in the betting for her debut in a six-furlong fillies' maiden last month, going off at 11-1 in a field of nine. But Pat Dobbs' mount, a 62,000-guinea purchase at the Tattersalls Book 2 yearling sale last October, could hardly have got her career off to a more pleasing start. Never far from the action, my selection was shaken up to lead at the furlong pole and readily sprinted clear to hold Knock Three Times by five and a half lengths. That form is largely untested and it goes without saying that Dark Issue will need to take a big step forward now that her sights are raised to Group 3 level, but she should have plenty more to offer. Sun Goddess is the clubhouse leader in terms of form and is primed to go well, while Libertango and Jolivate are other youngsters with a bright future ahead of them.
NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 DARK ISSUE, 2 SUN GODDESS, 3 LIBERTANGO
3.05 Commonwealth Cup
VENETIAN SUN has proved that sprinting is her game and is expected to take all the beating. As a two-year-old, the Karl Burke-saddled daughter of Starman showed that she is capable of taking on, and beating, the best. Having begun her career with a win at Carlisle last May, Venetian Sun landed the Group 3 Albany Stakes on this card 12 months ago before a neck call in the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes three weeks later. And she stepped up to the top level to get the better of Gstaad by a short neck in the Prix Morny at Deauville in August. The step up from six furlongs to seven triggered a first career defeat in the Group 2 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on Irish Champions Weekend before Clifford Lee's partner went into winter quarters. Given the chance to prove her stamina over a mile in the 1,000 Guineas, Venetian Sun plainly didn't get home in returning 11th of 19 behind True Love. But she was much more like her old self back at six for the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock Park last time out, moving with menace before streaking away to beat Division by three lengths. That success means Venetian Sun is unbeaten in five attempts at sprint distances, and she's expected to stay that way. The Haydock runner-up again has podium claims, along with Coppull and Havana Anna.
NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 VENETIAN SUN, 2 DIVISION, 3 COPPULL
3.40 Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes
OMNI MAN has the look of a horse being readied for a big occasion - and today could be the day. There is already one valuable prize at a marquee British summer fixture on the Joseph O'Brien trainee's CV - Omni Man landed a mile-and-a-half handicap at Glorious Goodwood last July. He hasn't hit the bullseye since - Invincible Spirit's son ended last season with defeats at Deauville and Dundalk - but there are reasons to believe that a return to winning form may not be far away. Gelded during his 205 days off during the winter, my selection reappeared in the Group 3 Alleged Stakes over a mile and a quarter at the Curragh, beating just three home behind his stable-companion Starford. And a step back to a mile - his first try at the trip since finishing second in a Cork maiden in April 2025 - backfired when Omni Man came home stone last of eight behind Catalina Delcarpio. But better is expected today - back in handicaps on a mark 8lb above his Goodwood rating and returning to a mile and a half, Dylan Browne McMonagle's mount is primed to show his true colours. In a typically wide-open contest, Warrant Holder is a horse of potential who is well worth a second glance, in company with Hopewell Rock and Nightime Dancer.
NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 OMNI MAN, 2 WARRANT HOLDER, 3 NIGHTIME DANCER
4.20 Coronation Stakes
PRECISE roared back to form in the Irish 1,000 Guineas last month and is hard to see past on that account. Her accomplishments of 2025 marked the Aidan O'Brien-trained daughter of Starspangledbanner out as the outstanding two-year-old filly of Britain and Ireland. Although beaten at Fairyhouse last July on her racecourse debut, Precise then embarked on a winning spree that saw her annex a Cork maiden, Goodwood's Group 3 Prestige Stakes and the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh and the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket. Not surprisingly, Precise spent the winter as favourite for the 1,000 Guineas but, just over a month before the fillies' Classic, O'Brien warned that a temperature had interrupted her preparation for the Rowley Mile test. Precise was allowed to take her chance, but the 9-5 favourite and Ryan Moore failed to make an impact, returning seventh of 19 behind stable-companion True Love. However, she was a different filly altogether in the Irish version at the Curragh three weeks later, sweeping to the front under Wayne Lordan - Moore had switched to True Love - inside the final furlong to beat her fellow Ballydoyle runner by two and a half lengths. Moore is back on board today and, having bypassed the Oaks at Epsom for Royal Ascot, Precise should confirm the Curragh result for a fourth top-level triumph. Newmarket sixth Touleen, Breeders' Cup heroine Balantina and Irish Guineas also-ran Sukanya are taken to fight it out for the bronze medal.
NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 PRECISE, 2 TRUE LOVE, 3 BALANTINA
5.00 Sandringham Stakes
ROSA INGLESE was back in full bloom over a mile at Nottingham a month ago and is the choice to reward each-way support - at the very least. A three-race juvenile campaign in the second half of the year saw Charlie Fellowes' daughter of Lope Y Fernandez improve on a debut second at Great Yarmouth with a two-length novice-stakes score at Chelmsford City, before a sixth in Newmarket's £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes. Rosa Inglese, whose name is Italian for 'English Rose', came back from 204 days off to take on seven opponents for a seven-furlong handicap at Wetherby at the end of April and took third, beaten half a length and a head, behind Secret History. And she built on that return when trying this afternoon's distance for the first time at Colwick Park, running to a two-and-three-quarter-length supremacy over Capichera. Harry Davies' partner has been hit with a 9lb rise but has more to offer at the trip. In a race of near-endless possible outcomes, hat-trick seekers Seet and Glyfada appeal, as do fellow handicap debutantes Darn Hot Gallop and Repel.
NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 ROSA INGLESE, 2 SEET, 3 REPEL
5.35 King Edward VII Stakes
CAUSEWAY sets the standard the others have to aim for and receives the vote to make it five wins from six starts. His racecourse debut, at Gowran Park last September, saw the son of Wootton Bassett run fourth to his Aidan O'Brien stablemate - and 2026 Derby winner - Christmas Day. But, since then, it's been all gravy. Having gone three places better at the Curragh a fortnight later, Causeway followed up in handicap company at Naas on his reappearance before his sights were raised to Listed level for the Listed Tetrarch Stakes back at the 'Home of the Irish Classics' at the beginning of May. Sporting the cheekpieces which return today, Causeway dished out a two-length beating to Andab and, without the headgear, posted another personal best with a head call from Zia Zabel in the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at the same venue. The latest success came at a mile and a quarter and there is an additional two furlongs to deal with this afternoon. But his pedigree - Causeway is a nephew of Group 1 heroines Magical and Rhododendron - suggests the new trip won't be an issue and the winning run may not yet be at an end. Water To Wine, possessed of an unbeaten record and untapped potential, is feared most, ahead of Ancient Egypt and Venetian Prince.
NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 CAUSEWAY, 2 WATER TO WINE, 3 VENETIAN PRINCE
6.10 Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes
DICKENSIAN is an improving sprinter capable of fulfilling great expectations on his handicap debut. Successful first time out in a five-furlong novice stakes at Musselburgh in April 2025, Pinatubo's son ran some sterling races at a high level during the remainder of the campaign, including a second in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes here in June and a third in the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster in September. Kevin Ryan re-introduced Dickensian in the Listed Westow Stakes at York last month and my selection doubled his tally with a half-length defeat of Simplify. He's yet to reach the bottom of the barrel and a British Horseracing Authority handicap mark of 104 looks within range. Gold Digger, Bacio, Stargazed and Moojeed look best of the rest.
NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 DICKENSIAN, 2 BACIO, 3 SIMPLIFY
