Jaysella’s Saturday Selections for 25th July 2026

Jaysella’s Saturday Selections from Ascot & The Mandarin’s York Picks

Ascot

Princess Margaret Japan Cup Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies) 1.45
Alta Regina
Well, what a scorcher of a race on a scorcher of a day at Ascot we’ve got. All the pace is gonna be coming outta Stalls 1,2 & 3 as Hamad Al Jehani’s Alta Regina, Andrew Balding’s Moonrise and Richard Hannon’s Dark Issue are in those inside draws, but my gamble’s gonna be on Alta Regina. This Sioux Nation filly was finishing with something left in the tank at Ascot’s Royal do, and that was in the 5 furlong Queen Mary, so I reckon there’s a bit more to come over six, and Jamie Spencer getting the leg-up just adds to the appeal. Of course, they’ve all been here at the Festival last month, so with conditions much the same these are the three to follow. Anyway Forecast or Tricast looks tempting, just saying!!

Longines Valiant Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies & Mares) 2.20
Touleen
Right kids, it’s gotta be a brave punter to get away from hot fave Touleen for this Group 3. Seeing as she was only beaten by the brilliant Precise in the Group One Coronation Stakes here at the Royal do by a length and and a half, I reckon that’s about as rock solid form as you’re gonna find at this level, specially with the good to firm ground just the same. I spose the one that will be making a race of it is Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Kon Tiki, who was fourth over course and distance in the Duke Of Cambridge here last month, but she had no answer for Blue Bolt in that Fillies’ & Mares’ Group 2 when it came down to the final furlong and a half. Ryan Moore gets enlisted to improve Kon Tiki from that contest, but I can’t see past Touleen meself, so she gets the big tick!

Moet & Chandon International Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 2.55
Extemely Zain
William Haggas’s Hellou Youmzain colt could not have been any more impressive than when scything through most of the field with a furlong to go at York last month. Given a perfectly timed ride by Cieren Fallon there, now Tom Marquand gets on board, and he’ll be mindful of that finishing speed, so watch this space. But, always a but in’t there? Jack Channon’s Mezcala can’t be easily ignored, and Jamie Osborne’s Amazing Journey is still on a winning mark to my mind, so these are me three to make this a proper race. You pays your money and takes your choice, and mine is Extremely Zain who can cope with the rise in the weights ahead of Amazing Journey.

King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Group 1) 3.35
Calandagan (nap)
Can Calandagan? Of course he can!! Last year’s winner and Europe’s highest rated horse of 2025 is winning this again, trust me!! Gonna ‘ave to work for it though, cos Aidan O’Brien’s stuck four in, with Action quite obviously the pacemaker, and although I don’t reckon Lambourn to be the same horse this year, Minnie Hauk and Benvenuto Cellini are both oozing quality. Now then, get this, Aidan O’Brien ain’t had so much success in this in recent years, and there’s an argument that he’s peaked ‘is string for Royal Ascot, so maybe the big danger to Calandagan is gonna be the Japanese raider Masquerade Ball, coming off that 1 length second to Romantic Warrior in the FWD QEII Cup at Sha Tin last time out, and you all know what I think of Romantic Warrior don’t ya? It’s a truly international race this, with 2024 winner Goliath making it two from France, there’s two from Japan and four from Ireland to take on the sole British runner, Andrew Balding’s Kalpana. But Calandagan can, with Action setting the early fractions just playing into Francis-Henri Graffard’s hands when Calandagan does!

York

Sky Bet Dash (Heritage Handicap) 2.00
Addison Grey
One of the best sprinters around this season not to have got his head in front, Clive Cox’s Addison Grey must have a super chance here. Making up for a slow start at Salisbury last time out, David Probert didn’t really get a clear passage coming off the rail looking for racing room, but here on the wide expanses of the Knavesmire it should be a different story. I’d hazard a guess that Tim Easterby’s Red Spells Danger and Richard Fahey’s Musical Touch should be on anyone’s list, but Addison Grey looks overdue a win in my book, so gets the nudge.

Sky Bet York Stakes (Group 2) 2.35
Royal Champion (nb)
Last year’s winner Royal Champion can go in again for Karl Burke, though previous Dante winner Item has strong claims back here at York. The experience of Royal Champion, the eight year old globetrotting star of the Spigot Lodge yard can afford to give lumps of weight away to the three year old Item, and throw John & Thady Gosdens’ Damysus into the mix and this is a top class Group 2 contest. Ralph Beckett’s Pride Of Arras is two from two here on the Knavesmire, so all in all a real cracker, but Royal Champion has everything in the locker to take the York Stakes.