The Stage Is Set at Newbury

Thursday, 25 June 2026. The sun is climbing, the ground is riding beautifully, and Newbury is buzzing with the kind of electricity that only a top-class juvenile contest can generate. At 12:15, eight of the most exciting two-year-old fillies in training will break from the stalls for the Empress Fillies' Stakes — a Class 1 Listed prize worth £45,000 — and six furlongs of breathtaking sprinting action will tell us a great deal about who might be dominating the filly divisions come the autumn.

Listed races for juveniles at this stage of the season are precious commodities. They separate the precocious from the merely promising, and they set the form book alight for months to come. With a mix of experienced, rated runners and unbeaten or unraced debutants, this is a race that rewards careful study — and one that could throw up a serious surprise. Let's get into it.

Contender-by-Contender Breakdown

Havana Sprite — The One to Beat

James Tate saddles the highest-rated runner in the field in Havana Sprite (rated 85), and on paper this filly is streets clear of most of her rivals. Drawn in stall 3 and ridden by Hector Crouch, she arrives here with serious credentials and a trainer who knows exactly how to place a talented juvenile. Tate has been quietly building a formidable string of two-year-olds this season, and Havana Sprite looks like his flagship filly. At a track that rewards quality and a jockey who has been in fine form, she must be the starting point for any serious analysis.

Glorious Game — Hugo Palmer's Ace Card

Hugo Palmer has gone in with two runners, and Glorious Game could be the more dangerous of the pair. Drawn widest of all in stall 8, she sports a tongue tie and crucially carries the distance winner flag — she has already won over this exact six-furlong trip. That form is gold dust in a field where several rivals are stepping into the unknown. Oisin Murphy takes the ride, and when one of the best jockeys in the world climbs aboard a filly who already knows how to win at the trip, you sit up and take notice. The wide draw is the only question mark, but on good-to-firm ground at Newbury, it needn't be a dealbreaker for a front-running type.

Beauty Box — Tate's Second String with Strings Attached

James Tate doubles up with Beauty Box, rated 77 and also a confirmed distance winner. Drawn in stall 2 with Clifford Lee in the saddle, she gets a lovely low draw and has already demonstrated she can handle six furlongs. She might be overshadowed by stablemate Havana Sprite in the market, but trainers rarely run two in a race like this without believing both have a genuine chance. Lee is a cool, tactically astute rider and could deliver Beauty Box with a perfectly timed challenge if Havana Sprite draws the eye of the field.

Californian Angel — Palmer's Wild Card

Palmer's second entry, Californian Angel, carries no official rating and arrives here as something of an unknown quantity. Drawn in stall 7 with Cieren Fallon aboard, she is one of several unrated fillies who could turn this race on its head. Palmer clearly fancies her chances — you don't pitch an unraced or lightly raced filly into Listed company without good reason. Fallon is an intelligent jockey who reads a race beautifully, and if Californian Angel has been showing Palmer something special on the gallops, this could be a very shrewd move indeed.

The Can Can Queen — Johnston's Dancer

The Can Can Queen (rated 70) represents Charlie Johnston and is another confirmed distance winner in the field. Drawn in stall 4 with Rossa Ryan up, she sits neatly in the middle of the pack on both the draw and the ratings. Johnston's yard has been in excellent form, and Ryan is a jockey who thrives on big occasions. She may not have the raw rating of Havana Sprite, but her proven ability over six furlongs on a sound surface makes her a legitimate each-way contender.

What A Girl Wants — The Dark Horse

Kevin Philippart de Foy has been making waves with his juveniles, and What A Girl Wants — unrated but drawn in stall 6 with David Egan in the irons — could be the biggest danger from the unknown quantities. Egan is a jockey who rarely takes a ride in Listed company without believing the horse has genuine ability. Watch the market closely for this one.

Going, Draw and Conditions

The Good to Firm, Good in Places surface at Newbury is ideal for a sharp, precocious juvenile sprint. This is ground that rewards horses with a quick action and a willing attitude — it puts a premium on natural speed and punishes those who need dig underfoot.

On the draw, Newbury's straight six-furlong course is relatively fair, but low to middle stalls tend to hold a slight advantage in competitive sprints, particularly when the field is small enough for jockeys to find their own rhythm. That makes stalls 1 through 5 — home to Margaret's Pearl, Beauty Box, Havana Sprite, The Can Can Queen and Motown Filly — the most favoured positions. Glorious Game and Californian Angel in stalls 7 and 8 will need to use their early pace to avoid being shuffled back.

  • Best drawn: Beauty Box (2), Havana Sprite (3), The Can Can Queen (4)
  • Watch out for: Glorious Game (8) — wide but a proven winner at the trip
  • Ground suits: Distance winners with quick actions — Glorious Game, Beauty Box, The Can Can Queen

Value Picks and Potential Dangers

The value angle in this race centres on the unrated runners. Californian Angel and What A Girl Wants, in particular, could be sent off at generous prices despite having serious yards and jockeys behind them. If either has been working like a Listed horse at home, the market will eventually catch up — but you want to be on before that happens.

The biggest danger to the market leader Havana Sprite is almost certainly Glorious Game. The combination of a proven six-furlong win, Oisin Murphy in the saddle, and Hugo Palmer's excellent record with sharp juveniles makes her a genuine threat at what could be a rewarding price.

Don't overlook Beauty Box either. Tate running two fillies suggests he has confidence in both, and Beauty Box's low draw and distance-winning form make her an each-way banker at the right odds.

Our Selection: Glorious Game

This is a race that could go several ways, but we're siding with Glorious Game as our headline selection. She has already won over six furlongs — the single most important piece of evidence in a two-year-old sprint — she has Oisin Murphy in the saddle, and Hugo Palmer has clearly targeted this race with intent by running two fillies. The tongue tie suggests she has shown a tendency to idle or carry her head high, but Palmer's team will have addressed that in training.

The wide draw (stall 8) is the risk, but on good-to-firm Newbury ground with a willing juvenile, it's a manageable one. At what could be a double-figure price against a short-priced Havana Sprite, Glorious Game represents the best combination of proven form, top-class jockeyship and each-way value in the race.

Each-way tip: Glorious Game (stall 8, Oisin Murphy)

Check out the full Newbury racecard for all the day's action and make sure you're armed with the latest market moves before the off.

Who is the favourite for the Empress Fillies' Stakes 2026?

Based on official ratings, Havana Sprite (rated 85) is the most likely market leader heading into the Empress Fillies' Stakes. Trained by James Tate and ridden by Hector Crouch from stall 3, she holds a clear ratings advantage over her rivals. However, several unrated runners could attract significant market support as race day approaches, so keep an eye on the show as prices evolve.

Does the draw matter in the Empress Fillies' Stakes at Newbury?

The straight six furlongs at Newbury is generally considered a fair track, but in an eight-runner field on good-to-firm ground, low to middle draws tend to hold a marginal advantage. Stalls 1–5 are most favoured, which benefits Beauty Box, Havana Sprite and The Can Can Queen. Glorious Game and Californian Angel in stalls 7 and 8 will need to show early pace to remain competitive.

Which trainers are best to follow in the Empress Fillies' Stakes?

James Tate and Hugo Palmer dominate the entries between them, each saddling two runners. Tate has a superb record with highly rated juveniles and brings Havana Sprite and Beauty Box, while Palmer fires in Glorious Game and Californian Angel — a double entry that signals serious intent. Charlie Johnston and Kevin Philippart de Foy also merit respect, with both yards in strong form heading into the summer of 2026.