Earl Of Sefton Stakes Results at Newmarket — 14 April 2026

Tuesday, 14 April 2026

The majority of the nine runners currently entered for the Earl Of Sefton Stakes have a realistic chance of landing a Newmarket win. Damysus returns for a seasonal debut, with the John & Thady Gosden-trained charge having landed a couple of notable victories last term. Boiling Point has been well-supported in the market and the five-year-old could also be a big contender.

The Lion In Winter is a promising four-year-old who can potentially deliver for Aidan O'Brien, with Skukuza having had a couple of outings already this term. King Of Cities and Persica are decent each-way contenders, with King's Gambit and Silawi both running in the same colours, while Prague is likely to be the outsider who is outclassed.

PosHorseJockeyTrainerSP
1stDamysusDamysusJames DoyleJohn & Thady Gosden7/4
2ndKing's GambitKing's GambitJamie SpencerHarry Charlton8/1
3rdBoiling PointBoiling PointClifford LeeK R Burke3/1
4thPersicaPersicaOisin MurphyRichard Hannon11/2
5thPraguePragueJack GilliganDylan Cunha14/1
6thSkukuzaSkukuzaRyan MooreEd Dunlop5/1
1stDamysusDamysus7/4
J: James DoyleT: John & Thady Gosden
2ndKing's GambitKing's Gambit8/1
J: Jamie SpencerT: Harry Charlton
3rdBoiling PointBoiling Point3/1
J: Clifford LeeT: K R Burke
4thPersicaPersica11/2
J: Oisin MurphyT: Richard Hannon
5thPraguePrague14/1
J: Jack GilliganT: Dylan Cunha
6thSkukuzaSkukuza5/1
J: Ryan MooreT: Ed Dunlop

2026 Earl Of Sefton Stakes Betting Tips

Damysus has won his previous two encounters and comes into the Earl Of Sefton Stakes as a warm favourite. There was a success in the The Aga Khan Studs Prix Nureyev back in August when obliging over one mile and two furlongs, with that being followed by a success in October. In the Darley Stakes at Newmarket, there was a narrow victory against favourite Gladius.

Boiling Point is a five-year-old with credible claims and the Karl Burke-trained charge produced a fantastic performance at Newmarket back in September. Sent off as a 14/1 shot in the bet365 Cambridgeshire, the runner was able to score over a mile and a furlong. There was then a solid effort in the Midnite Winter Derby Stakes at Lingfield Park.

Aidan O'Brien is sure to have some success at Newmarket this week and perhaps one of his winners will be The Lion In Winter. The four-year-old ran really well to finish second in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes back in October, with a third-placed effort coming in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar. However, the charge failed to make an impression at Sha Tin in the Hong Kong Mile.

Skukuza runs for Ed Dunlop, with the five-year-old achieving a midfield finish at Saint-Cloud last time out. That came at the end of March in the Prix Edmond Blanc, with the horse struggling with the soft conditions. That came after a bright run at Doha in February, with a third-placed effort being managed in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein over a mile.


2025 Earl Of Sefton Stakes Tips

Ambiente Friendly could be the horse to beat when it comes to the Earl Of Sefton Stakes. The four-year-old produced some bright performances last term and what was particularly eye-catching was a runner-up spot in the Epsom Derby. Then came a third-placed finish in the Irish Derby although the horse then proved underwhelming at York and Longchamp.

Bellum Justum can’t be easily ignored and the Andrew Balding-trained runner was able to score at Kentucky Downs when winning the Nashville Derby Invitational Stakes. That was at the end of August last year, with this coming after a solid showing at Goodwood. There was just a neck separating the horse from favourite Jan Brueghel and there could be more to come.

Ottoman Fleet has been in action already this season and there have been consecutive fourth-placed finishes. They both came at Meydan in top class encounters, with the latest effort coming in a field of eight runners at odds of 16/1. There was everything to like about that performance in the Jebel Hatta and it will be interesting how that form equates to Newmarket.

Persica and First Conquest are other horses with a viable chance. The former was third in a field of seven on the all-weather at Southwell in the Winter Derby Stakes. Richard Hannon will be hoping for another victory, while the latter has secured two wins already this term. They both came for Charlie Appleby at Meydan and he can’t be discounted here.


2024 Earl Of Sefton Stakes Tips

There could be as many as fourteen runners going to post when it comes to the bet365 Earl Of Sefton Stakes. Royal Rhyme is the horse afforded the most respect in the betting market, with Karl Burke saddling a four-year-old which could be the one to beat in this Group 3 encounter.

The horse was last seen performing well in the Champion Stakes at Ascot back in October. A fifth-placed finish was a considerable achievement, with the runner briefly leading the race with two furlongs remaining. However, Ottoman Fleet could be a worthy rival and the Godolphin runner has a similar rating to the race favourite.

The five-year-old has run three times at Meydan Racecourse and the latest effort was an eighth-placed finish in the Group 2 Singspiel Stakes where the 11/10 favourite produced an underwhelming performance. Previously to this came a second placed finish out of nine runners in January and perhaps a return to form is on the cards here.

Embesto is a four-year-old who makes a timely return to the race track after 200 days and the Roger Varian-trained charge was last seen finishing fourth out of ten runners at Longchamp back in September. A repeat of that performance in the Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein could be enough to see a victory recorded here.


2023 Earl of Sefton Stakes Tips

Ottoman Fleet has yet to land a victory at three attempts this season, although the bookies make the four-year-old most likely to win the Earl Of Sefton Stakes, with Charlie Appleby training a runner who has been running in high grade encounters this season. The most recent of these was the Group 3 Dubai Millennium Stakes on 17 February.

That took place over one mile and two furlongs, with the horse also finishing third at Meydan when running in the Singspiel Stakes, while it was a similar finishing position when also coming home behind winner Valiant Prince in a Group 2 turf race in mid-January, with a nagging doubt that the horse might not be the winner here.

Poker Face hasn’t been in action since October where the Simon & Ed Crisford-trained charge was able to score at Pontefract and this came after a win at the same course before a triumph on the all-weather at Newcastle. Blue Trail is another Charlie Appleby-trained horse who won last time out when scoring at Meydan in the Palm Jumeirah.

Chindit has had a lengthy absence away from the track and runs for trainer Richard Hannon, with Reach For The Moon having been underwhelming when finishing well down the order at Saint-Cloud although there were previously smart performances last year when the horse was able to finish second in the Hampton Court Stakes and Coral Heron Stakes.