Weatherbys Super Sprint Day: Top Trainers, Jockeys & Sires, Plus Betting Tips in Every Race

There is a dish to suit all tastes on this weekend's TV racing menu as the ITV crew head to Newbury, Market Rasen and the Curragh. The final fillies-only Classic of the season tops the bill from a class perspective as six fillies attempt to topple the 1/4 favourite Minnie Hauk.

On paper, the feature race is an overwhelmingly one-sided affair. However, there are several intriguing betting heats elsewhere. Market Rasen gives National Hunt fans something to cheer during the midsummer months, while Newbury steps in with a competitive seven-race card on the level.

For our money, the best betting opportunities are to be found in Berkshire. Here, using data presented by NewBettingSites.uk, we look back at the last ten editions of Weatherbys Super Sprint Day and highlight the trainers, jockeys, and sires who fared best of all. Finally, we use this information to sift through the 2025 entries and pick out our best bet in all seven contests.

Top Trainers

Wiltshire-based Richard Hannon is out on his own at the head of the trainers' table with four more wins than his nearest rivals. Notably, all seven of Hannon’s wins came in 5f-6f events, including three in the Weatherbys Super Sprint.

William Haggas grabbed two wins in the Listed Steventon Stakes.

John & Thady Gosden struck in Novice, Handicap, and Listed company. All three wins were in events over a distance of 1m2f or further.

All three of Charlie Appleby’s wins were in 1m2f events, including two in the Steventon Stakes.

Top Jockeys

Jim Crowley was the man to follow in the saddle over this period with an impressive eight wins, twice as many as nearest pursuer Silvestre De Sousa. Four of Crowley’s eight wins came in the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes over 6f. However, he displayed his versatility by twice claiming the 2m½f handicap.

No pattern to the wins of Silvestre Des Sousa, who struck in four different races for four different trainers.

Two of Tom Marquand’s victories came when riding for his main employer, William Haggas.

All three of Sean Levey’s victories arrived in sprint events when riding for Richard Hannon.

Frankie Dettori struck twice for the Gosdens but is now based in the USA.

Top Sires

With traditional powerhouses Galileo and Dubawi failing to make their mark – likely due to the prevalence of sprint events at the fixture – it is left to Shamardal to lead the way. Best known for his exploits over a mile on the track, the son of Giant’s Causeway sired the winner of races ranging from 6f to 2m½f.

Sea The Stars’ three winners all scored over 1m2f+

Renowned for his speed at the track, Mehmas sired three sprint winners at the fixture.

Of those with two wins, Kodiac, Havana Grey, Equiano, and Dandy Man struck only in sprint contests. Oasis Dream and Dark Angel also provided a winner over 1m2f.

Race by Race Trends Picks

It is always risky to rely on the British weather to follow the forecast. However, with official storm warnings in place and heavy rain on the horizon, it seems reasonable to expect at least some ease in the ground on Saturday afternoon. When making our selections, we will lean towards those with an ability to handle softer ground, where possible.

• 1:50 BetVictor Steventon Stakes - Enfjaar, Ancient Wisdom and Rashabar are the three qualifiers in the opener and occupy three of the top four positions in the market. Of that trio, Charlie Appleby’s Ancient Wisdom earns our vote ahead of Enfjaar. This Dubawi colt bombed out in the Coronation Cup, but his previous second in the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes reads well. Having won over 7f, 1m, and 1m5f on ground ranging from heavy to good to firm, this versatile sort can go close.
• 2:25 Back The Super Boost At BetVictor Handicap - Wonder Legend and Almuhit qualify courtesy of their sire Sea The Stars in the big staying handicap on the card. Course and distance winner Almuhit is tempting at a double-figure price but is at his best on quicker ground. As such, we will side with the top weight Wonder Legend, who takes a big drop in class from the Ascot Gold Cup, and looks feasibly handicapped on his runaway win in the all-weather championships’ marathon
• 2:57 Hallgarten And Novum Wines Hackwood Stakes - This Group 3 sprint presents us with a choice between the Havana Grey sired Elite Status, and the Dark Angel duo of Ferrous and Khaadem. Elite Status is the shortest price of the trio but has been below his best for some time now, while every drop of rain that falls is against Khaadem. As such, a small each-way play on Ferrous looks like the best play. He will need a career-best effort to win but boasts form figures of 133 over this trip on good to soft or worse.
• 3:30 Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes - The Richard Hannon trio of Corniche Girl, Logi Bear, and Raakeb make the shortlist in the feature contest, alongside the Mehmas-sired Gaga Mate and Jim Crowley-ridden Irish Fighter. Sean Levey’s decision to ride Raakeb may prove telling, but we prefer the claims of Irish Fighter. Hailing from the Ismail Mohammed operation, this one ran well behind Charles Darwin in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and made no mistake last time out at Windsor. He looks like solid each-way value at a double-figure price.
• 4:10 Darley EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes - Last time out winners Sea The Wonder and Wujjood are solid options in this novice contest. However, both are by Sea The Stars, whose progeny aren’t always at their best with ease underfoot. With the John & Thady Gosden runner Glistening beaten on soft last time, it may be worth taking a chance on his stablemate Gold Penny. Nicely bred for the task at hand, the mount of William Buick may be up to the job on debut.
• 4:45 Run For Your Money At BetVictor EBF Novice Stakes - Not much to think about in the penultimate contest as Tie Fighter is the only horse to qualify. Encouragingly, he qualifies on two fronts, thanks to his sire Mehmas and jockey Jim Crowley. In a race with little form to go on, he has more in his favour than many.
• 5:20 British Stallion Studs EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap - The four to focus on in the finale are the Richard Hannon-trained duo British Blue and Star Style, Dark Angel-sired Definitive, and Havana Grey-sired Santa Savana. Santa Savana arrives in form, but it may be worth siding with Sean Levey, who has opted to ride Star Style over stablemate British Blue. Deemed good enough to take her place in the 2024 1000 Guineas, she may have needed the outing on her recent return to the track and has a course and distance success to her name.

Weatherbys Super Sprint Day Selections

• 1:50 - Ancient Wisdom to Win @ 9/2 with QuinnBet
• 2:25 - Wonder Legend each way @ 6/1 with BetGoodwin
• 2:57 - Ferrous each way @ 20/1 with Bresbet
• 3:30 - Irish Fighter each way @ 14/1 with BetGoodwin
• 4:10 - Gold Penny each way @ Best Morning Price
• 4:45 - Tie Fighter each way @ 6/1 Best Morning Price
• 5:20 - Star Style each way @ Best Morning Price

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