The Stage Is Set at Redcar

Wednesday evening at Redcar and the air is crackling with anticipation. The British Stallion Studs EBF Upavon Fillies' Stakes — a £70,000 Listed prize run over 1m 1f 201y — is one of the most compelling fillies' contests of the summer, and the 2026 renewal looks an absolute cracker. Seven go to post, spanning both three and four-year-olds, and the quality across the board is genuinely exciting. This is the kind of race that can define a filly's season, open doors to Group company, or cement a reputation already built on solid foundations. Strap in — it's going to be a ride.

Check out the full Redcar racecard for all the day's action, but right now, let's drill into what promises to be the headline event of the card.

Going and Draw: The Hidden Factors

Before we get stuck into the horses themselves, the conditions at Redcar on Wednesday demand serious attention. The going is officially Good to Firm, but the groundstaff have flagged something important: prolonged drought conditions have left faster, firmer pockets of ground — particularly on the higher and sloping parts of the course, including the woods' side of the Straight course and the outside of the loop section.

What does that mean in practice? Horses racing wide or on the outer in the early stages could be hitting ground that's closer to Firm than Good to Firm. That's a significant consideration over this distance, and connections who have done their homework will be watching the draw and early positioning very carefully.

With a field of just seven, the draw shouldn't be decisive — but it's worth noting that stalls one, two and three (Regal Charm, Goldilocks Cen and Alla Stella) are positioned on the inside, which keeps them on the better ground away from the faster patches on the outer. Conversely, Annastarzy in stall seven could find herself on the quickest ground of all if she drifts wide. Jockeys will need to be tactically sharp from the off.

Contender-by-Contender Breakdown

Felicitas (Draw 5 | Rating 103 | Kieran Shoemark | Ed Walker)

Felicitas is the standout on ratings — her official mark of 103 puts her clear at the top of the handicapper's assessments, and she arrives here with a distance win already on her CV. Ed Walker has her in excellent form this season, and Kieran Shoemark is a jockey who thrives on big-race occasions. At just three years old, she's still improving, and the combination of class, proven stamina for this trip and a sharp pilot makes her the one to beat. The draw in five is workable — she won't be on the worst of the ground, and Shoemark is smart enough to find the racing line. This is a filly operating at the top of her age group, and Listed company at Redcar looks well within her compass.

Regal Charm (Draw 1 | Rating 99 | Rob Hornby | Henry Candy)

Here's your danger horse, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Regal Charm is a course and distance winner — that dual form flag is gold dust in a race like this. Henry Candy is a trainer who picks his spots with precision, and sending a filly back to a track where she's already won over the exact trip tells you everything about his confidence. Rob Hornby gets the plum draw in stall one — inside rail, best of the ground, no traffic problems. At a rating of 99, she's technically 4lb inferior to Felicitas on the book, but course form at Redcar is worth its weight in gold, and this filly clearly loves it here. She's a serious, serious threat.

Alla Stella (Draw 3 | Rating 99 | Luke Morris | Sir Mark Prescott Bt)

You simply cannot ignore a Sir Mark Prescott runner in a race like this. The Newmarket maestro is meticulous in his preparation, and when he declares for a Listed race, the horse is ready. Alla Stella carries a rating of 99 and gets the services of the ever-reliable Luke Morris, who knows how to ride for Prescott better than almost anyone in the weighing room. Draw three keeps her on decent ground, and Morris will be patient, letting the race develop before delivering his challenge. Don't underestimate this one — Prescott fillies have a habit of running their race exactly when it matters.

On Message (Draw 4 | Rating 99 | Hector Crouch | Ralph Beckett)

On Message is the third runner in the field rated 99, and she represents Ralph Beckett — a trainer with an outstanding record with fillies at this level. Beckett has a gift for placing his horses, and On Message in a seven-runner Listed race at this trip looks like a considered move. Hector Crouch takes the ride from the middle of the draw, and with a clean break, she could be prominent throughout. She's one to watch if the market shortens her up on the day — Beckett runners that go off at a short price in Listed company usually have a very good reason to be there.

Miss Scott (Draw 6 | Rating 92 | Oisin Murphy | John & Thady Gosden)

The Gosden yard and Oisin Murphy — two names that always demand respect. Miss Scott is a distance winner and, while her rating of 92 leaves her with ground to make up on the top three in the weights, the Gosden operation doesn't run horses in Listed races without believing they can compete. Murphy is arguably the best jockey in the country right now, and if there's a pace collapse or the race sets up with a strong gallop, he could produce her late to devastating effect. The draw in six is the slight concern given the faster ground on the outer — Murphy will need to be clever about where he positions her early.

Annastarzy (Draw 7 | Rating 88 | Joe Leavy | Richard Hannon)

Honest and willing, but Annastarzy faces the stiffest task on ratings and gets the widest draw of all — stall seven, right out on the outer where the ground is fastest. Richard Hannon will have his reasons for running, and Joe Leavy is a capable young jockey, but this looks like a tough ask at Listed level unless she's improved dramatically since her last outing. One to watch in the market — if she's heavily supported, something has changed.

Value Picks and Dangers

  • Felicitas — the ratings leader, distance winner, improving three-year-old. She's the logical favourite and likely to be short in the market, but the form justifies it.
  • Regal Charm — the value play. Course and distance winner, ideal draw, proven handler of Redcar. If she goes off at any kind of price against Felicitas, she represents genuine each-way appeal.
  • On Message — the dark horse. Beckett and a top jockey in a small field — never dismiss that combination lightly.
  • Miss Scott — Murphy magic is always a danger, but the wide draw on quick ground is a concern.

Our Selection: Upavon Fillies' Stakes 2026

This is a genuinely competitive Listed race, but when the dust settles, Felicitas gets the nod. A rating of 103 makes her the class act in the field, she's already proven she stays this trip, and Ed Walker has her in the form of her life. Kieran Shoemark will ride her with confidence from stall five, finding the racing line and delivering her challenge at the right moment.

However, Regal Charm is the each-way banker of the race. Henry Candy has sent her back to a track where she's already won over this exact trip — that's not coincidence, that's planning. Rob Hornby gets the perfect draw in stall one, and if Felicitas has an off day or gets caught in traffic, Regal Charm will be right there to pounce.

Selection: Felicitas (E/W: Regal Charm)

Head over to the full Redcar racecard for all the latest market moves and don't miss a moment of the action at Redcar this Wednesday evening.

Who is the favourite for the British Stallion Studs EBF Upavon Fillies' Stakes 2026?

Felicitas, trained by Ed Walker and ridden by Kieran Shoemark, is expected to head the market on the back of her top rating of 103 and a proven win over this distance. She's the class act in the field and should be a relatively short-priced favourite come race time on Wednesday afternoon.

Does the draw matter in the Upavon Fillies' Stakes at Redcar?

In a field of just seven, the draw is not normally a decisive factor — but the going conditions on 12 August 2026 make it more relevant than usual. With faster, firmer ground on the outer parts of the course due to prolonged drought, horses drawn in the lower numbers (particularly stalls one and two) have a slight advantage in terms of ground quality. Regal Charm in stall one and Goldilocks Cen in stall two are best placed in that regard.

Who are the key trainers to note in the 2026 Upavon Fillies' Stakes?

Four top stables are represented in this renewal. Ed Walker saddles the ratings leader Felicitas, Henry Candy sends out course-and-distance winner Regal Charm, Sir Mark Prescott runs the always-dangerous Alla Stella, and Ralph Beckett — who has a superb record with fillies at this level — fields On Message. Any of these four trainers landing a Listed prize would come as no surprise whatsoever.