Quinault wins at York

Stuart Williams pleased with Newmarket work of Sunlit Uplands and Quinault

Horse Racing

Sat August 08, 2026 · 4w ago

Stuart Williams admits he is excited about going on an American adventure with Sunlit Uplands after watching the talented filly put in a pleasing piece of work in a racecourse gallop at Newmarket on Saturday morning.

The daughter of Sands Of Mali, who is owned by former trainer Rae Guest and his wife Rachel Flynn, continued her build up towards the Grade Two Ballston Spa Stakes at Saratoga on August 22nd with a six furlong spin on the July Course.

Working alongside stablemate Quinault, Sunlit Uplands, who secured Group Three glory in the Sparkasse Holstein-Rennen- Hamburger Stuten Meile at Hamburg last month, finished smartly at the front of the exercise in the hands of Lorenzo Aztori.

Williams said: “I was very happy with her, and Quinault worked nicely as well. I’m very pleased with Sunlit Uplands and she is in very good form. That was her last piece of work before she goes to America and I was keen for her to do it on turf.

“She won well in Germany and we are looking forward to going on this adventure to America.

“She has now got a penalty in anything but a Group One or Group Two. I think Group One races here will be a bit tough for her, and there weren't many Group Two races that were suitable either.

“We decided to have a look further afield. Rae has gone over there before with Serious Attitude and done well so he was keen to go further afield.

“We think the style of racing out there will suit her so we are going to give it a go.”

Williams Hopeful for Quinault

As for Quinault he will return to the July Course on the same day that Sunlit Uplands takes to the track in America for a tilt at the Listed Hopeful Stakes, a race which he won back in 2024.

Although the Oasis Dream gelding failed to beat a rival home over course and distance in the Group One Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup, Williams believes he should be more at home dropped in grade.

He added: “He actually ran the fastest split in the July Cup, but he did it all the wrong way round as he did it in the first two furlongs, so we have got to just make sure we get it right with him.

“He can be a bit like that occasionally, and that stems from when he was at the breeze-up sale. He is in good form and we would hope he would run well back in grade.

“The plan after that would be to try and work back from the race he won in Qatar in February, which he was third in two years ago.

“It is a big prize and he likes the travelling track out there.”

One horse that is unlikely to be seen in action again this season is Azleet, who has been out of action since contesting the Group One Betfred 1000 Guineas on the Rowley Mile in May.

However, while the daughter of Tasleet, who secured Group Three glory on her comeback in the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes, faces a race against time to make it back this season, Williams has confirmed that she will stay in training as a four year old.

He added: “She had an injury after the 1000 Guineas and has been off for quite a while now. It was just nothing serious, just a niggly little problem.

"We hope to start again on her next week, but it will be a bit of a race to get her back before the end of the turf season.

“Mark Tompkins (part owner) is very keen to race her next season and we think she will be a better filly next year. We are very keen to race her next year, and I’m sure she will recover in time for that.”