The Biggest Juvenile Sprint of the Summer

Forget everything else on the card. When 3:37 rolls around at Market Rasen on Saturday 18 July, the entire two-year-old sprinting world holds its breath. The Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes is one of those races that genuinely stops you in your tracks — a £290,800 prize fund, 25 of the most exciting young speedsters in training, and five furlongs of pure, unadulterated chaos. It's a race that rewards precocity, pace and nerve. It's a race where legends are born and fortunes are made in under a minute. Welcome to the biggest juvenile sprint of the summer.

This is a race with a unique and thrilling handicapping twist. Horses carry weight based on their entry fees, meaning the most expensive to enter carry the most weight — and the bargain-basement entries get a massive pull at the weights. It's a leveller. It's a lottery. And it is absolutely, unequivocally brilliant. Check out the full Market Rasen racecard for all the details.

Going and Draw: What the Conditions Mean

The going is currently described as Good to Firm, on the easy side of Good to Firm — and that's a critical piece of the puzzle in a race like this. Fast ground suits natural speedsters, horses who can ping out of the stalls and maintain a high cruising speed throughout. Any horse that needs cut in the ground or a strong gallop to be seen to best effect can be crossed off immediately.

Now, the draw. With 25 runners across a wide, flat five-furlong track, stall position is everything. In races of this nature at Market Rasen, middle-to-high draws have historically offered a slight advantage, giving horses clean air and a clear run through. Low draws can get squeezed early in a big field, losing precious lengths in the first furlong that are almost impossible to claw back over this trip. Keep a close eye on runners drawn in stalls one through five — they'll need to be sharp and well-ridden to overcome any positional disadvantage. High draws in the twenties are intriguing, particularly if those horses have the early zip to get across and find a good position.

The Main Contenders

Bint Archange (Draw: 20) — The One They All Have to Beat

Bint Archange is the class act in this field and it isn't particularly close. Trained by Richard Hughes and ridden by the imperious William Buick, this filly arrives carrying a lofty rating of 94 — comfortably the highest in the race. She's a proven distance winner, she handles quick ground, and she has William Buick in the saddle. That combination alone demands respect. The weight she carries (9-0) is the price of her excellence, but Hughes will have had this race circled for weeks. She's drawn in stall 20, which is perfectly workable, and Buick will have her travelling sweetly from the off. The danger? In a race this competitive, even the best can get swallowed up. But she's the one they all have to beat.

Vollering (Draw: 26) — The High Draw Flyer

Vollering is the most fascinating runner in the field. Trained by Archie Watson and ridden by Tom Marquand, she carries a rating of 91 and has already proven herself over this exact trip. Drawn in stall 26 — the widest of the wide — she'll be out on her own early, which on this ground and over this distance could actually be a blessing. No scrimmaging, no traffic, just pure racing. Watson is a trainer who targets these big handicaps with precision, and Marquand is more than capable of producing a well-timed challenge. If the pace collapses in the middle of the track, Vollering could be flying home on the outside. Don't underestimate her.

Bill The Bull (Draw: 3) — The Low Draw Risk Worth Taking

Bill The Bull is trained by Adam Kirby and ridden by Pat Cosgrave. Rated 88, he's wearing a tongue-tie and drawn in stall 3 — one of the trickiest positions in the field. However, Cosgrave is an experienced operator who knows exactly how to nurse a horse out of a low draw in a big-field sprint. If Bill The Bull breaks smartly and gets cover early, he could be a real player in the straight. The tongue-tie suggests connections have been working to unlock something at home, and at his weight of 8-13, he's reasonably treated. A horse to watch closely in the betting.

Sky Secret (Draw: 14) — The Middle Draw Missile

Sky Secret is trained by Clive Cox and ridden by P. J. McDonald. Rated 85 and a proven distance winner, he's drawn beautifully in stall 14 — right in the heart of the track. Cox is one of the finest sprint trainers in the country, and McDonald is a jockey who thrives in big-field handicaps, reading the race brilliantly from a prominent position. Good to Firm ground suits, the trip suits, and the draw suits. Sky Secret has every right to run a big race here.

Final Appeal (Draw: 11) — Burke's Dark Horse

Final Appeal is trained by K. R. Burke — a handler who knows exactly how to have a two-year-old primed for a race like this. Rated 86 and a distance winner, he's ridden by Clifford Lee from stall 11. Burke's runners in big juvenile handicaps always deserve a second look, and Final Appeal has the profile of a horse who could improve again. He's not the most fashionable name in the field, but in a race with this much prize money, fashionable doesn't always win.

Niewiadoma (Draw: 24) — Archie Watson's Second String

Niewiadoma gives Archie Watson a second runner and, intriguingly, she's also a distance winner. Ridden by Pierre-Louis Jamin from stall 24, she's drawn right alongside Vollering in the high numbers. At a rating of 79 and carrying 8-10, she's got plenty of weight conceded to her from the top of the market. If the high draw proves golden today, Watson could be celebrating twice.

Value Picks and Each-Way Angles

In a race with 25 runners and this much money at stake, finding value is the name of the game. Here are the runners worth keeping onside at bigger prices:

  • Kodi Bear Light (Draw: 23, Rating: 78) — K. R. Burke's second string, a distance winner from a great draw. Don't ignore her.
  • Holi Scarlett (Draw: 17, Rating: 68) — A distance winner carrying just 8-4. Light weight in a big field is always dangerous.
  • Angels Lane (Draw: 16) — Unrated but a distance winner for Henry Candy. Could be anything.
  • Rollthedicebaby (Draw: 2) — Richard Hannon's most interesting runner. Low draw is a concern, but Sean Levey can ride.

Richard Hannon has no fewer than four runners in this race — From Me To You, Call Me Tomorrow, Leucothea and Rollthedicebaby — which tells you everything about how seriously connections take this race. With Jason Watson aboard Call Me Tomorrow and Pat Dobbs on From Me To You, Hannon's team is well-armed. Rossa Ryan takes the ride on Hugo Palmer's Wait Geordie, a distance winner rated 77 who could outrun his odds from stall 8.

Jack's Selection: Bint Archange to Shine

In a race this wide open, you can tie yourself in knots looking for value — but sometimes the class horse just wins. Bint Archange is head and shoulders above this field on official ratings, she's proven over the trip, she handles the ground, and she has William Buick doing what William Buick does best. Stall 20 gives her a clean run, and Richard Hughes will have her tuned to perfection.

For each-way interest, Sky Secret is the each-way banker — ideal draw, top trainer, proven distance winner. And if you fancy a punt at a bigger price, Vollering from the wide draw could be the one to steal it from the outside.

Selection: Bint Archange (EW: Sky Secret)

Who is the favourite for the Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes 2026?

Bint Archange is expected to go off as the market favourite for the 2026 Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes. Trained by Richard Hughes and ridden by William Buick, she holds the highest official rating in the field at 94 and is a proven winner over the five-furlong trip. She represents the class of the race and will be well-supported come race time.

Does the draw matter in the Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes?

Absolutely — draw bias is a significant factor in any big-field sprint, and the Super Sprint is no exception. With 25 runners over five furlongs at Market Rasen, middle-to-high draws have historically fared well, offering horses clean air and a straight passage to the line. Low draws (stalls one to five) can be disadvantaged if horses get squeezed at the start, though an experienced jockey can mitigate this with a sharp break.

What is the prize money for the Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes 2026?

The 2026 Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes carries a total prize fund of £290,800, making it one of the most valuable two-year-old races of the entire Flat season. The race is also a GBB (Great British Bonus) Race, meaning eligible horses who win could collect a significant additional bonus on top of the standard prize money — adding another layer of excitement to an already unmissable afternoon.