Setting the Scene: A Listed Gem at Bangor-on-Dee

There's something quietly special about a summer Saturday at Bangor-on-Dee. The place doesn't shout. It doesn't need to. Tucked away in the Welsh Marches, it's a proper track — undulating, unforgiving, and a genuine test of a staying horse's quality. The Charlie Wood Stakes, run over 1m 4f 23y on good to firm ground, is the jewel in the crown of this particular card. At £60,000 in prize money and carrying Listed status, it attracts trainers who mean business. Only six are declared, but don't let the small field fool you — the quality is real and the puzzle is genuinely interesting.

One word of caution before we dive in: Phantom Flight (No. 1) is a non-runner, which reduces this to a five-horse contest. That matters for pace dynamics, draw bias, and value. More on all of that below. Check the full Bangor-on-Dee racecard for any late changes before you commit your money.

Going and Draw: What the Conditions Tell Us

Good to firm, good in places — that's a fair summer surface and one that rewards horses with a clean, fluent action. It's quick enough to stretch out a gallop, but there's enough give to keep things honest. Bangor is a left-handed track with a long run-in, and at this trip the emphasis is firmly on stamina and the ability to travel comfortably through a race before finding more when asked.

With Phantom Flight's withdrawal, draw positions compress slightly. Al Aasy draws widest in stall six, which on a track like this is rarely a serious disadvantage over a mile and a half — there's enough time to find a rhythm. By The Book in stall two gets a handy berth and should be able to slot in behind any early pace without fuss. The two fillies, Miss Wong and Percy's Daydream, occupy the middle draws and will need their jockeys to be tactically sharp. On ground this side of soft, a clean jump and a positive early position can be decisive.

Contender-by-Contender Breakdown

Al Aasy (9yo, 114, William Haggas / Cieren Fallon)

Let's start with the class horse. Al Aasy is a nine-year-old with a rating of 114 — the highest-rated runner in the field — and he carries the colours of a Haggas yard that very rarely sends horses this far north without a serious plan. The key flag here is his record as a distance winner: he's proven at this trip, and that matters enormously in a race where stamina is the currency. Cieren Fallon takes the ride, and he's a jockey who knows how to nurse a veteran through a race without asking too early. At nine, Al Aasy isn't getting any younger, but Haggas horses age gracefully, and on ground this quick he should be right in his comfort zone. The weight of 9-2 is perfectly manageable. This is the one to beat.

By The Book (5yo, 110, Charlie Appleby / Dougie Costello)

Charlie Appleby sending a five-year-old gelding to Bangor for a Listed race always raises an eyebrow. Appleby's operation is meticulous — horses don't appear in spots like this without a clear purpose. By The Book is rated 110, level with Phantom Flight (now a non-runner), and Dougie Costello is a canny pilot who knows this track well. He'll settle By The Book handy from stall two and look to make his move as the field straightens up. The question is whether Appleby has brought him here to win or to give him a Listed entry on his CV ahead of something bigger. Either way, he's a legitimate contender and shouldn't be underestimated.

Involvement (5yo, 105, Simon & Ed Crisford / Oisin Orr)

Involvement is the third-string on ratings, sitting on 105 — nine pounds below Al Aasy at the top of the pile. The Crisford yard is capable of producing a horse in fine fettle, and Oisin Orr is a sharp, intelligent jockey who won't be here to make up the numbers. From stall three he'll get a clean view of proceedings. The concern is whether 105 is simply too much to find against the top two on this ground and at this level. He's one for the shortlist rather than the banker column.

Percy's Daydream (4yo Filly, 84, David O'Meara / Mark Winn)

Here's where it gets interesting. Percy's Daydream is rated just 84 — thirty pounds below Al Aasy on official figures — but she carries two critical form flags: course winner and distance winner. That combination at Bangor over a mile and a half on good to firm ground is not something you dismiss lightly. David O'Meara is a trainer who places his horses with precision, and sending a four-year-old filly into Listed company suggests he believes she's ready to step up. The weight of 8-11 is a significant advantage in a small field, and if she's improved since her last run — which O'Meara's fillies often do through their four-year-old season — she could be the value play of the race. Mark Winn is a capable handler and will know exactly how to use her course familiarity.

Miss Wong (4yo Filly, 84, David Simcock / Connor Beasley)

Miss Wong shares the same rating and weight as Percy's Daydream and comes from the David Simcock yard, which has a fine record with fillies at this sort of trip. Connor Beasley is a solid northern jockey who'll give her every chance from stall four. Without the course and distance flags that Percy's Daydream carries, she's harder to make a case for at Listed level, but Simcock doesn't run fillies out of their depth without reason. She's one to watch in-running rather than back ante-post.

Value Picks and Dangers

The danger is straightforward: Al Aasy. A 114-rated horse with proven distance form, trained by Haggas and ridden by Fallon, is the horse everyone else has to beat. If he's in the form his rating suggests, this could be a procession.

The value lies with Percy's Daydream. A course and distance winner at 8-11 in a five-runner field, trained by a man who plots his horses carefully — she's the one the market may underestimate. If O'Meara has timed this right and she's improved through the summer, a 30-pound ratings gap can close quickly when conditions suit and confidence is high.

  • Al Aasy — Class act, must be respected
  • Percy's Daydream — Course and distance form, potential each-way value
  • By The Book — Appleby doesn't travel for fun, keep onside
  • Involvement — Each-way outsider if the market drifts

My Selection: Al Aasy to Win, Percy's Daydream Each-Way

I've been around enough paddocks to know that when Haggas sends a proven stayer to a track like Bangor with Cieren Fallon booked, you don't look for clever alternatives — you back the horse. Al Aasy is my selection to win the Charlie Wood Stakes. His rating, his distance form, and the quality of connections make him the standout in what is, in truth, a modest Listed field.

But at the prices, I'll be having a small each-way interest on Percy's Daydream. Course and distance form at a track as quirky as Bangor is worth its weight in gold, and O'Meara's fillies have a habit of arriving at the right moment. If Al Aasy has an off-day, she's the one most likely to capitalise.

Good luck on Saturday. It's a cracking afternoon's racing at one of jump racing's most characterful tracks — even when they're running on the Flat.

Who is the Favourite for the Charlie Wood Stakes 2026?

Al Aasy, trained by William Haggas and ridden by Cieren Fallon, is expected to be the market leader for the Charlie Wood Stakes. Rated 110 and carrying proven distance form, he is the standout on official figures in a five-runner field following the withdrawal of Phantom Flight.

Does Course and Distance Form Matter at Bangor-on-Dee?

Absolutely — and arguably more so than at many Flat tracks. Bangor-on-Dee is a left-handed, undulating course with a long run-in that rewards horses who have already learned its rhythms. Percy's Daydream's dual course and distance form flags are a genuine asset, and punters should weight that experience heavily when assessing her chances against higher-rated rivals.

What is the Going for the Charlie Wood Stakes on 4 July 2026?

The going is described as Good to Firm, Good in Places — a fair summer surface that suits horses with a fluent, ground-covering action. It is quick enough to be a true test of stamina over 1m 4f, and horses who have previously shown their best form on this type of ground should be prioritised in your analysis.