Betfred Jockey Club Stakes |
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| Group 2, Newmarket 15:30 £165,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 1m 4f, Class 1  |
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1 Santorini Star 9/4F
2 Eydon 10/3
3
French Master 9/2
6 ran NR: Bay City Roller Distances: 1¼l, ½l, shd
Time: 2m 32.38s (slow by 3.98s)
Santorini Star takes the Betfred Jockey Club Stakes 🥇#ITVRacing | @WilliamHaggas pic.twitter.com/ZAvoN2HMt3
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 1, 2026
Santorini Star returned in style at Newmarket, producing a performance of resolution and continued progress.
The Golden Horn mare, already on an upward curve, confirmed that trajectory remains intact as she saw out the mile-and-a-half trip with authority, securing the second Group Two success of her career in the £165,000 feature.
Last seen finishing second in the Group One Prix de Royallieu at Longchamp in October, the William Haggas-trained five-year-old was sent off the 9/4 favourite and justified that support with a composed display.
Held up just behind the pace set by Eydon, she travelled smoothly into contention before Tom Marquand angled her out to challenge approaching the two-furlong marker. Once committed, she asserted with purpose, striking the front and holding firm as Eydon attempted to rally on the rising ground.
At the line, Santorini Star had a length and a quarter in hand, her willingness and stamina carrying her clear to provide Haggas and Marquand with a second success on the card.
Haggas said: “She is very genuine and she liked the ground. She will improve for the race and she is from a family that will improve with age. You would think she would make the running, but she doesn’t need to make the running.
“She just puts her head down and wants to win. Horses like that are hard to find and Dreamloper (who is from the same family) didn’t half improve when she was five so this filly could improve as well so that is a good start to her season.”
Although not currently entered in the Coronation Cup at Epsom, connections are considering supplementing the mare for the Group One contest next month.
He added: “I’m just sick that I didn’t put her in the Coronation Cup so we might have to supplement her. It will be discussed at length I suspect. It will be a good race, but it is always a good race. I wish I would have put her in as it would have saved all the aggro, but I didn’t as I thought I was being thrifty!
“There are no penalties in the Hardwicke Stakes as they want to get it up to a Group One. The Hardwicke is a possibility, and Ascot is lovely for everyone, but a Group One is what we want.
“We will have a go at trying to win a Group One, and she was second in one last year over an extended one mile six furlongs. She has just proved she is quick enough to win over a mile and a half at this level. I don’t know about the quality of the race, but she did it well enough.
“When they try you generally find the right race eventually.”
Jockey Club Stakes
£165,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 1m 4f, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good to Firm
