Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes
Group 2, Newmarket 13:50
£125,000 guaranteed,
2yo only,
1m, Class 1    
Saturday 27th September 2025

1 Bow Echo 85/40F
2 Humidity 10/1
3 Action 5/1
8 ran Distances: 1l, ½l, 2¼l
Time: 1m 36.95s (slow by 0.85s)

Bow Echo’s star continued its rapid rise with a decisive strike, stamping himself as a colt of the highest promise.

Unbeaten in two coming into the race, the George Boughey-trained son of Night Of Thunder travelled ominously well for Billy Loughnane as the field began to quicken two furlongs from home. Up front, Humidity had cut out much of the running and stuck to his task bravely when challenged, but once Bow Echo loomed, the favourite swept past and found plenty at the line. Action, closing late from the rear for Aidan O’Brien, looked a touch unlucky after his passage was blocked at a crucial stage, though he still claimed third.

The Sheikh Mohammed Obaid-owned winner was strong through the line, a length to the good at the finish, and his trainer could scarcely hide his delight.

Boughey said: “It’s a bit of relief. It’s nice when their home work translates to the track and he’s a horse we always thought a lot of.

“It was a good performance and he showed a great attitude as an inexperienced horse to go and do that in a proper Group Two.

“He’s got so much pace and Billy gave him a lovely ride as he allowed to him to relax early and I was keen to do it the right way round. We could have gone forward and made a test of it, but he’s got a turn of foot and it was nice to see it today.

“He’s only done a few bits of work and he’s a very raw animal, but he’s certainly a very good one.

“He’s certainly much the best colt we’ve had. We’ve had some nice fillies, but he’s head and shoulders above the rest of them.”

Bookmakers left Bow Echo unchanged at 12-1 for next year’s 2000 Guineas, with Boughey already looking ahead to that Classic date.

“It was nice to see him handle the track with next year in May in mind,” the trainer added.

“He’s a miler at the moment, for sure, we’re pretty comfortable at a mile and it was a nice trial for May.

“He’s a horse who I don’t think needs to trial, he’s a Group Two winner at two and hopefully, all being well, he’ll come straight back for the Guineas next year.”

Loughnane, too, was full of confidence after partnering him.

“He showed a nice turn of foot and handled the track great. It (2000 Guineas) looks the right spot for him, I liked the way he came down the dip today, I was still going well and it’s exciting for next year.”

In behind, Humidity lost little in defeat, galloping on with credit for Andrew Balding and looking like one for an international stage.

Balding said: “He’s just had the one blip at Goodwood and he’s run some really good races this year. He’s obviously a high-class horse and I’d like to think the best is yet to come, because physically he’s going to keep improving I’d say.

“He got the mile well, he’s a smart horse and he’s got a bright future.

“We’ll have a think. We were half-minded to go to the Breeders’ Cup, which is a possibility, but I’ll let the guys (Wathnan Racing) have a chat and see what they think.”

So Bow Echo heads into winter unbeaten, a Group Two scalp already secured, and with the Rowley Mile in May firmly on his horizon. For now, it is the manner of this victory – travelling, quickening, and seeing it out – that will have connections dreaming of Guineas glory.

Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes
£125,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 1m, Class 1
8 ran
Going: Good to Firm

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (8)    Bow Echo 2 9-2 George Boughey Billy Loughnane 85/40F
2 (5) 1 Humidity 2 9-2 Andrew Balding James Doyle 10/1
3 (6) ½ Action 2 9-2 A P O'Brien Wayne Lordan 5/1
4 (4) 2¼ Pacific Avenue 2 9-2 Charlie Appleby William Buick 3/1
5 (3) 2 Daytona 2 9-2 A P O'Brien Tom Marquand 3/1
6 (7) 7 Tailgunner Joe 2 9-2 Dylan Cunha Ray Dawson 200/1
7 (1) 1¼ Ancient Egypt 2 9-2 Charlie Johnston David Egan 16/1
8 (2) 21 Lord Britain 2 9-2 Ismail Mohammed Rossa Ryan 250/1