Keith Melrose

2 days ago | racingpost.com | Keith Melrose |David Carr

The Surrey Stakes is something of a late trial for the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, although it must be said not a particularly successful one. Even Space Blues, by far the most famous recent winner of this race, was beaten at Ascot. But success these days is not just judged by subsequent Group-race success. All four three-year-old winners of the Surrey since Space Blues (the race was temporarily opened to older horses in 2020) have been sold abroad, the last three within a year.

2 days ago | racingpost.com | Keith Melrose |Maddy Playle

The Coronation Cup is perhaps best seen less as a relative to the Derby and Oaks, and more like the Prince of Wales's at Royal Ascot in a couple of weeks. They represent the last chances over 1m4f and 1m2f for older horses to grab a Group 1 before the three-year-olds join the fray. Of the last ten winners, four were landing their first Group 1, while a further three joined the Group 1-winners club the previous autumn.

1 week ago | racingpost.com | Keith Melrose |Lewis Porteous

A decent field is the least you could ask of a 0-85 worth £30,000. Races like this can also draw the more interesting horses in the pool, although this one has not come up strongly in that regard. This may be partly down to it being a race for apprentice riders. The received wisdom is that less-experienced jockeys pair better with more experienced horses. But you would not hesitate to put Mason Paetel, Jack Dace or Jack Doughty on an improving four-year-old with almost £16,000 to be won.

1 week ago | racingpost.com | Keith Melrose |James Stevens

There are two primary defences for the Achilles Stakes, a 5f Listed race at Haydock, taking place a week after the Temple Stakes, a 5f Group 2 at Haydock. The first is that the gap is normally two weeks – the Achilles card has been brought forward in 2025 to allow the Derby to be run in June. The second, more interesting reason is this race has been won by subsequent Group 1 winners in each of the last two years.

2 weeks ago | racingpost.com | Keith Melrose |David Milnes

It is ten years since a horse came to the Sandy Lane Stakes straight from Newbury's Carnarvon Stakes. The reasons for that are clear enough. They are the last two major trials for the Commonwealth Cup and typically come a week apart. It makes little sense to run in both. The reason Symbol Of Honour is different is because he is a gelding. That bars him from the Commonwealth Cup. His Group 1 tilt will have to wait until the July Cup, where the best older sprinters lie in wait.