The 2026 Classics are the focus of this week’s racing action. Over in Ireland, the Curragh plays host to Irish Guineas weekend, with many of the stars from Newmarket expected to line up. Meanwhile, on British shores, Epsom hopefuls are on show in the last of the recognised trials at Goodwood.
While not as influential as the York and Chester trials, the Cocked Hat Stakes and the Height Of Fashion Stakes have a history of falling to smart performers, including a small selection of Epsom heroes and heroines.
Looking ahead to the 2026 edition, there are no Irish challengers included among the remaining entries. However, many of the leading British yards are represented, with John and Thady Gosden, Charlie Appleby, William Haggas, and Andrew Balding among those heading to Goodwood with high hopes.
Cocked Hat Stakes: Saxon Bids to Extend Unbeaten Record
Named in honour of an unusual contest from days of yore, in which the jockeys wore a variety of military hats, the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes takes place over the 1m3f trip. That’s a furlong shorter than the Derby distance, and not too many winners have gone on to Epsom success – only Troy, in fact, who won this en route to Derby glory in 1979.
Other standout names on the roll of honour include St. Leger winners Minster Son (1988) and Masked Marvel (2011), Irish Derby champ English Prince (1974), and the greatest Godolphin horse of them all, Dubai Millennium (1999). Whether there is anything of that calibre on show in 2026 remains to be seen, but the field does include a host of intriguing contenders.
Taking top billing is the unbeaten John and Thady Gosden colt, Saxon Street. Sire Saxon Warrior won his Classic over a mile in the 2018 edition of the 2,000 Guineas, but the presence of Sea The Stars on the dam side provides hope that he may stay 1m4f. We already know he can cope with 1m2f, with the Marcstown Ltd runner finishing to good effect to claim the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom on his seasonal return. That took his record to two wins from as many starts, but it does mean he must shoulder a three-pound penalty here. As their only remaining Derby entry, the Gosden team will hope that Saxon Street can confirm his Epsom credentials with a smart performance.
Karl Burke’s Golden Story sits second in the market following his third-place effort in the Dee Stakes. Just shy of 10 lengths adrift of Constitution River that day, a win here would provide a significant boost to the claims of that Aidan O’Brien star.
Similar comments apply to Charlie Appleby’s Del Maro. Currently trading as the third favourite, the Camelot colt finished more than eight lengths behind Aidan O’Brien’s Benvenuto Cellini in the Chester Vase. He will need to improve, but the Appleby yard did appear to be under something of a cloud at the time of the Chester May meeting.
Height Of Fashion Stakes:
Named in honour of the 1981 Fillies’ Mile winner, the Height Of Fashion Stakes has a slightly better record of producing a Classic winner than the colts’ event. Both Love Divine (2000) and Snow Fairy (2010) followed up a win in this 1m2f contest with success in the Epsom Oaks.
Sitting on a mark of 104, the Richard Hughes-trained Rose Ghaiyyath tops the eleven-strong list of entries on ratings. While 10th of 19 runners in the 1,000 Guineas on her seasonal return, she only went down by just under six lengths at the line. That represented a solid effort on her third career start, and she could go close if improving for the step up in trip. David Menuisier’s Inis Mor also lined up in the Newmarket Classic, finishing two places behind Rose Ghaiyyath in twelfth.
Ed Dunlop’s Just Call Me Angel arguably brings the best winning form into the race. Rounding off her juvenile season with success in the Group 2 Premio Dormello, she returned with a triumph in the Italian 1,000 Guineas. This will likely require another step forward, but the Dark Angel filly arrives on a high.
Pedigree fans may find it hard to look past the John and Thady Gosden representative, Brilliant Star. Sired by Cracksman and out of the Group 1-winning dam, Star Catcher, Brilliant Star sports the same Anthony Oppenheimer silks as carried by her illustrious parents. An encouraging second on the only start of her juvenile campaign, she is two from two in 2026, with those wins coming by a combined total of almost 20 lengths. She is not in the Oaks at present, but that may change if she takes this in style.
Others to note among the current entries include Marylene Du Serre from the yard of France-based Irishman Tim Donworth, and Charlie Appleby’s Ribbon Of Sea, whose runner-up effort at Sandown in April is working out well.
History suggests that we are unlikely to see a Derby or Oaks winner at Goodwood on Saturday afternoon, but that’s not to say the winners won’t go on to make their presence felt in Group company.