Setting the Scene: A Midsummer Showcase for Older Fillies
There's something quietly special about a midsummer Listed race for older fillies and mares. No Classic hype, no three-year-old gloss — just proven performers who've earned their stripes over a season or two. The Queen Charlotte Fillies' Stakes at Cheltenham on Saturday 27 June fits that bill perfectly. At £60,000 in prize money and run over 7 furlongs 1 yard on what promises to be a rattling good surface — Good, Good to Firm in places — this is a race that rewards class, versatility and horses in the form of their lives.
With four non-runners trimming the field to seven, the race has opened up considerably. What looked like a wide-open Listed contest on paper now has some genuine shape to it. Let me walk you through the key players.
Contender-by-Contender Analysis
Copacabana Sands (4yo, Rating 104) — Andrew Balding / Jason Watson, Draw 4
Copacabana Sands heads the market on ratings and it's not hard to see why. A 104-rated four-year-old trained by the meticulous Andrew Balding, she carries the joint-top weight of 9-2 and gets the services of Jason Watson, who rides with real purpose when he's on a live one. She has no distance-winner flag against her name in the data, which is worth noting over this 7f trip — but Balding's fillies are rarely entered where they can't handle the distance. Mid-draw in stall four suits her well on this track. If she's fit and firing, she's the one they all have to beat.
Circe (5yo Mare, Rating 103) — Richard Hannon / Sean Levey, Draw 1
A proven distance winner and rated 103, Circe is the only runner who gets in with a penalty — she's under 9-5, which on a flat track in midsummer can feel like running with a rucksack. That said, Richard Hannon knows how to place a mare, and Sean Levey is one of the sharpest tactical riders around. The low draw of stall 1 is interesting over 7f at Cheltenham — she'll be able to bowl along on the rail and control the pace if connections want to. The weight is the concern. At five, she's the elder stateswoman of the field, and giving 3lb to several rivals rated only a few pounds below her is a real ask.
Magic Basma (4yo, Rating 103) — Kevin Ryan / Tom Eaves, Draw 7
Kevin Ryan has had a strong summer and Magic Basma arrives here rated 103 — level with Circe on the figures and clear of most of the field. Tom Eaves is an underrated booking; he gets horses balanced and doesn't panic. There's no distance-winner flag here either, but Ryan's four-year-olds tend to be progressive, and the mid-to-high draw of stall 7 shouldn't be a problem on Good ground. She's the dark horse of the race for me — if her form has been building quietly toward a target like this, she could outrun her price.
Bellarchi (5yo Mare, Rating 101) — Grant Tuer / Joanna Mason, Draw 8
Grant Tuer doesn't send horses to Cheltenham for a day out, and Bellarchi has solid credentials here. Rated 101, she's a proven distance winner and Joanna Mason — one of the most underappreciated riders in the north — takes the mount. Mason reads a race beautifully, and from stall 8 she'll have a clear view of what's happening in front of her. The slight concern is the 4lb rating gap to the top two, but on fast ground with a confirmed 7f win to her name, she's absolutely in the mix.
Dash of Azure (4yo, Rating 97) — Ralph Beckett / Edward Greatrex, Draw 10
Ralph Beckett's fillies can be slow burners, and Dash of Azure — rated 97 and a distance winner — catches the eye from the wide draw in stall 10. On Good to Firm ground Beckett's horses often improve, and she's 7lb off the top-rated pair. That's a gap, but not an insurmountable one if she's been placed with this race in mind. Edward Greatrex rides well for the yard. She's worth including in each-way calculations at a likely bigger price.
Brazilian Rose (5yo Mare, Rating 90) — Rebecca Menzies / Kaiya Fraser, Draw 11
Out wide in stall 11 and wearing a hood, Brazilian Rose is a distance winner but rated 13lb below Copacabana Sands. Kaiya Fraser is a talented young rider and Rebecca Menzies deserves credit for getting her here, but the ratings gap is simply too wide to bridge in a Listed race on this ground. One for the notebook rather than the betting slip today.
Going and Draw: What the Conditions Tell Us
Good, Good to Firm in places at Cheltenham in late June is exactly what you'd expect, and it's a surface that rewards horses with a fluent, ground-covering action. Heavy-ground plodders need not apply. The 7f trip here at Cheltenham is a fair test — it's no sprint, but it won't stretch a genuine miler either.
On the draw, stall 1 gives Circe a potential advantage if she wants to make the running, but over 7 furlongs there's enough time to find your position. Stalls 4 (Copacabana Sands) and 7 (Magic Basma) are the sweet spots in my experience — central enough to go either way. Stalls 10 and 11 are workable on Good ground but demand more from the jockey early. Worth factoring in, but not decisive.
Value Picks and Dangers
The main danger to the market leader is Magic Basma. Kevin Ryan's yard is in form, the rating is right there, and if she's been targeted at this race she could be better than her current odds suggest.
For each-way value, Dash of Azure is the one I keep coming back to. Beckett, Good to Firm ground, a proven 7f win — she's the type to run into a place at a tasty price from that wide draw.
- Copacabana Sands — Solid favourite, hard to oppose on ratings
- Magic Basma — Main market danger, progressive profile
- Dash of Azure — Each-way value from stall 10
- Circe — Weight is the worry, but Levey and Hannon are a formidable team
Jack's Verdict: The Selection
My selection is Copacabana Sands. She heads the ratings, has a sympathetic draw, and Andrew Balding has a knack for producing fillies spot-on for a midsummer target. Jason Watson has been riding with real confidence and this looks like a race Balding has had circled for a while. The absence of four non-runners — including the lower-rated Beaujolais Nouveau, Forty Years On, La Brodeuse and Temperance — means the race is less of a lottery than it might have been.
I'll happily take Dash of Azure each-way as my value play. Ralph Beckett's filly has the profile of a horse who could outrun a bigger price on this ground, and the 7f distance win gives her a solid foundation.
Check the full Cheltenham racecard for the latest market moves before you commit your money — and as always, watch the going reports on the morning of the race.
Who is the Favourite for the Queen Charlotte Fillies' Stakes 2026?
Copacabana Sands is expected to head the market as the top-rated runner in the field at 104. Trained by Andrew Balding and ridden by Jason Watson from stall 4, she has the ratings, the draw and the trainer form to justify favouritism. Magic Basma (103) is likely to be the second-shortest price and represents the main market danger.
How Many Runners Are in the Queen Charlotte Fillies' Stakes?
Eleven fillies and mares were originally declared, but with four non-runners — Beaujolais Nouveau, Forty Years On, La Brodeuse and Temperance — the race will be contested by seven runners. That's a manageable field for a 7-furlong Listed contest and should ensure a fair, strongly-run race on the Good to Firm ground.
Is the Draw Important in the Queen Charlotte Fillies' Stakes at Cheltenham?
Over 7 furlongs at Cheltenham on Good to Firm ground, the draw is a factor but not a decisive one. Central stalls (4-7) are generally considered ideal, while stall 1 can be advantageous for a front-runner. The widest draws (10 and 11) require jockeys to work harder early, but with only seven runners going to post, there's enough room to manoeuvre. Don't let the draw alone put you off a horse — focus on the form and conditions first.
