Trainer Francis Graffard

BOYLE Sports Lockinge Stakes horse-by-horse guide to Newbury Group 1

Horse Racing

Tue May 12, 2026 · 1d ago

We take an early look at Saturday's BOYLE Sports Lockinge Stakes, with Francis Graffard tipped to make an impact in the Newbury Group 1.

BOYLE Sports Lockinge Stakes – 14:35 Newbury

CICERO’S GIFT (Charles Hills)

Beat The Lion In Winter when causing a 100/1 shock in last year’s QEII at Ascot on Champions Day but hard to take that form too literally based on wider profile and he appeared to ‘regress to the mean’ when fourth behind Opera Ballo (and Zeus Olympios) on his comeback at Sandown last month. More to prove than most and likely to be among the outsiders again this Saturday.

DAMYSUS (John & Thady Gosden)

Derby project didn’t work at three out but there were extenuating circumstances at Epsom and he was given time to recover, paying connections back with Listed and Group 3 wins at Deauville and Newmarket. Returned to HQ to land another G3 over nine furlongs last month, quickening clear in good style, but immediate reaction from winning rider was that he might be better suited to longer trips going forward. Might be one to oppose at short prices here on first ever try over a mile.

Damysus is out on his own in the Earl Of Sefton

DANCING GEMINI (Roger Teal)

Just missed out by a neck in this race 12 months ago but he’d hit the ground running last spring and hasn’t been in the same sort of form since a one-length third in French G1 last August. Looks vulnerable to up-and-coming, younger horses and he has no more than an outside chance.

EXPANDED (Aidan O’Brien)

Got his career back on track with a half-length second to The Lion In Winter in Listed contest at Leopardstown but his neck second in the 2024 Dewhurst feels like a long time ago now and he doesn’t look up to opening his Group-race account in this sort of company.

GLADIUS (Andrew Balding)

Found life tougher in Group and Listed races since completing a handicap double at Sandown and Goodwood last summer, well held when second in Doha last time out during December. In the same ownership as likely market leader Damysus so fair chance he might be used to help set a decent pace, especially with that one dropping back in trip.

JONQUIL (Andrew Balding)

Made a successful start last year when landing the Greenham over seven furlongs here and added G2 at Goodwood to his tally in the summer. Back to something close to his best when scoring at Listed level at Ascot recently but this demands much more of him and he’s 0-4 in Group 1s.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER (Aidan O'Brien)

Late entry having been supplemented into the race at a cost of £20,000 and would be lining up on the back of a low-key run at Leopardstown on Sunday. Doesn't possess the form to suggest he can figure and likely a pace angle in the race.

MORE THUNDER (William Haggas)

Made a fine start for Haggas last year, winning four of his six starts and only missing out by a head in the Wokingham. Looks worthy of his official rating (117) based on final run of 2025 when beaten three lengths into fourth in Longchamp Group 1 (Foret) and no surprise if he won at the highest level as a five-year-old this term. Has a potent turn of foot so whether he’s quite as effective over a mile is open to question but ran over 10 furlongs in his youth and pedigree suggests he should be fine.

NOTABLE SPEECH (Charlie Appleby)

Bit slow to get going last term after a fine three-year-old season (fourth in this last year) but he came good again with big-race wins in North America, the sparkling Breeders’ Cup Mile success probably a new personal best. Back in the States for his comeback run this time and although only fourth, that doesn’t tell the whole story as he met trouble and finished with petrol in the tank. The outing should serve as an ideal stepping-stone ahead of his return to domestic action.

OPERA BALLO (Charlie Apppleby)

Stable on a slightly worrying run of form but this colt’s Sandown win last month should arguably be marked up set in that sort of context and he was pretty dominant, making all to score by three lengths. Might find it harder to go pillar-to-post on this track but he’s clearly resumed in top shape and could just be peaking as a lightly-raced four-year-old. Reportedly heads for the Prix Aga Khan IV (Prix d'Ispahan) next week instead.

SAHLAN (Francis-Henri Graffard)

Trainer can do little wrong and he finished his three-year-old campaign with Group 3 and Group 1 (Prix du Moulin) wins before a creditable fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar. Firm ground in America looked a bit quick for him and a fascinating contender here if making the trip, especially with rain in the forecast.

Trainer Francis Henri Graffard

THE LION IN WINTER (Aidan O’Brien)

No question that last season was a bitter disappointment, in the context of a highly promising juvenile campaign at least, but it was encouraging to see him take advantage of a drop into Listed company when scoring on seasonal debut at Leopardstown last month. With confidence restored, it would be no surprise to see the Sea The Stars colt pick up a first Group 1 this season but this weekend’s contest looks a tough test of his credentials.

ZEUS OLYMPIOS (Karl Burke)

Possessed a perfect profile of four wins from four starts between January 2025 to September and while that sequence came to an end when only third behind Opera Ball on seasonal debut in last month’s bet365 Mile at Sandown, that’s not quite enough evidence to suggest he’s not going to come up to scratch as a four-year-old. The run is entitled to bring him on physically, for starters, and he could settle a bit better in the early stages here with that outing behind him.

Verdict

It’s not been an easy time for Charlie Appleby but things can change in a heartbeat and more often than not the stable stars get trainers out of a slump in the biggest races. Notable Speech, who looked in need of the outing when only fourth in this event last year, arrives this time with an eyecatching Keeneland outing under his belt and he seems likely to go well.

A race-fit Zeus Olympios could be more of a threat than Newmarket winner Damysus, who might be better served going over a shade further rather than dropping back, while More Thunder is also respected, but at the odds it's tempting to side with French challenger SAHLAN, who beat Rosallion and The Lion In Winter in last season's Prix du Moulin at Longchamp.

Last seen looking ill-at-east on the rattling quick ground at Del Mar, he'll be better suited by the likely conditions at Newbury and represents a trainer with the Midas touch at the moment. He's 16/1 generally at this early stage and is surely going to be shorter once the race cuts up a bit later in the week (and he's among the final declarations).

Published at 14:30 BST on 11/05/26

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