Setting The Scene: Listed Glory On The Banks Of The Tay

Now look, when most people think of Perth racecourse, they think of jumps racing — and fair enough, because it's one of the finest jumping tracks in the whole of Britain. But every so often the flat boys come to town, and when they do, they bring a proper contest with them. The William Hill Pomfret Stakes — a Class 1 Listed race over a mile, worth £60,000 to the winner — is exactly that kind of occasion. Six runners, proper prize money, and a chance for a horse to stamp their name on a Listed roll of honour. Don't let the modest card fool you. This is a race worth getting stuck into.

The Perth racecard on Sunday 26th July 2026 has this as its feature event at 16:00, and with good to firm ground — softened just slightly in places by selective watering — the stage is set for a proper end-of-summer showdown. Six runners, a spread of ratings from 86 to 114, and a draw that might matter more than people think. Let's get into it.

Contender-By-Contender Breakdown

Holloway Boy (K. R. Burke / Clifford Lee) — Rating 114 — Draw 2

Start with the elephant in the room. Holloway Boy is rated 114 — a full six pounds clear of the next best in the field — and Karl Burke doesn't send horses to Perth for the fresh air. This six-year-old gelding is a proven distance winner, he handles quick ground, and Clifford Lee knows him inside out. The draw in stall two is fine for a mile at Perth — he'll get a clean run and won't be doing anything daft early. The question, as it always is with a horse this well-rated in a small field, is whether he's spot-on for this. Burke's record with his older horses in summer Listed company is solid, and I've no great reason to doubt the intention here. He's the one they all have to beat.

Point Lynas (Edward Bethell / Callum Rodriguez) — Rating 108 — Draw 3

Here's where it gets interesting. Point Lynas is a course and distance winner — and that combination at a quirky track like Perth is worth its weight in gold. Edward Bethell is a trainer on the up, quietly assembling a very tidy string, and this seven-year-old clearly loves the place. He goes in a hood, which tells you he needs to be kept focused, but when he is, he's a proper performer at this level. Callum Rodriguez is an excellent jockey who rides Perth well, and stall three is a lovely draw — right in the pocket, able to track the pace without doing too much. If Holloway Boy has an off day or gets into a scrap, Point Lynas is absolutely the one to capitalise.

Cerulean Bay (David O'Meara / David Nolan) — Rating 105 — Draw 6

Cerulean Bay is a distance winner and David O'Meara is never without a plan when he sends one up the road to Scotland. That said, a rating of 105 leaves him needing to find a chunk on Holloway Boy, and the wide draw in stall six over just a mile is a minor inconvenience — not a disaster, but not ideal either. David Nolan is a canny jockey who'll make the best of it, and if the pace is genuinely strong up front, he could come home late. I wouldn't write him off, but at the prices he's likely to be, he's not my idea of value.

Crystal Flyer (Ben Haslam / Andrew Mullen) — Rating 92 — Draw 1

Crystal Flyer is a mare rated 92 taking on geldings rated up to 114 in a Listed race. The sex allowance helps her carry 9-2, but she's still got a mountain to climb on ratings. Ben Haslam is a decent handler and Andrew Mullen is a sharp jockey, but stall one over a mile at Perth means she could get shuffled back early if the pace is fierce. She's wearing a hood, which suggests she can be keen or a touch tricky. I can see her running respectably, but winning? That'd be a turn-up for the books.

Model Yuko (Roger Varian / Ray Dawson) — Rating 86 — Draw 4

Now, Roger Varian sending a four-year-old filly rated 86 to a Listed race in Perth is either a masterclass in long-term placement or a confidence-builder run. I suspect the latter. Ray Dawson is a capable jockey, and stall four is a fair draw, but the rating gap is significant. She's wearing a hood too, which suggests she's still learning her trade mentally. One to watch for the future, perhaps, but not one to be backing in this company just yet.

Mostar Dreams (Adrian Keatley / Oisin McSweeney) — Rating 88 — Draw 5

Mostar Dreams is an Irish-trained mare making the trip over with Adrian Keatley, and she's a distance winner which is at least a tick in the right box. Keatley is a competent trainer who can spring a surprise, and Oisin McSweeney is an improving young jockey worth watching. But rated 88, she's giving away too much to the top two, and without course form, she's working blind at a track that rewards familiarity. She'll need everything to go her way.

Going, Draw And Conditions

The ground is Good to Firm, Good in places — exactly what you'd hope for at Perth in late July. The selective watering has kept it fair without making it a proper galloping surface, and that suits a horse with a bit of class over raw stamina. Perth's mile is essentially a flat, galloping circuit with a long run-in, and the draw matters more at shorter trips than over a mile here — though stall six for Cerulean Bay is the one I'd least fancy. Stalls two and three are the sweet spots, and that plays right into the hands of Holloway Boy and Point Lynas.

Value Picks And Dangers

The danger to the favourite is straightforward: Point Lynas. Course and distance form is a serious weapon in a small field, and if Holloway Boy is even slightly below his best, Bethell's horse will be right there to pounce. He's the value play in this race — likely to be available at a bigger price than his chance deserves, simply because the ratings gap looks daunting on paper.

  • Point Lynas — Each-way value, proven course and distance form
  • Holloway Boy — Clear ratings superiority, solid trainer intent
  • Cerulean Bay — Respected but needs to outrun his price
  • Mostar Dreams — Outsider with a sniff if the race falls apart

Tom's Tip: Holloway Boy To Deliver, But Watch Point Lynas Each-Way

Right, here's where I put my neck on the block. Holloway Boy is my selection. I know, I know — backing the top-rated horse in a six-runner field isn't exactly the stuff of legend, but sometimes the form book is the form book and you'd be a fool to ignore it. A 114-rated gelding trained by Karl Burke, ridden by a jockey who knows him, drawn perfectly, on ground that suits — he has to be the one. The Pomfret Stakes is his for the taking.

But I'll tell you this for nothing: if you're looking for a touch of value, Point Lynas each-way is the play. Course and distance winner, sympathetic ride from Callum Rodriguez, and a trainer in Edward Bethell who's been quietly excellent all season. If Holloway Boy has even a hair out of place, Point Lynas will be there to make him pay.

Best of luck Sunday. Get yourself settled in front of the telly at 16:00 and enjoy it — it's a proper little race.

Who Is The Favourite For The William Hill Pomfret Stakes 2026?

Holloway Boy, trained by K. R. Burke and ridden by Clifford Lee, is the clear market leader on ratings. Rated 114 — six pounds clear of the field — he is a proven distance winner and carries the weight of expectation into this Listed contest at Perth on Sunday 26th July 2026.

What Is The Going For The Pomfret Stakes At Perth?

The going at Perth for the Pomfret Stakes is officially Good to Firm, Good in places, with selective watering applied to preserve the surface. This is a fair, quick-ish ground that should suit the classier horses in the field and reward those with proven form on similar conditions.

Does The Draw Matter In The Pomfret Stakes At Perth?

Over a mile at Perth, the draw is less of a decisive factor than it would be at shorter distances, but it still plays a role. Stalls two and three — occupied by Holloway Boy and Point Lynas respectively — are the most favourable positions, offering a clean passage and the ability to track the pace without being wide or hemmed in. Stall six for Cerulean Bay is the least desirable, though a jockey of David Nolan's experience will minimise the disadvantage.