28 Entered For The BOYLE Sports Lockinge Stakes

The BOYLE Sports Lockinge Stakes, the first older horse Group 1 of the British Flat Turf season, has attracted 28 early entries. Run over the straight mile for a total prize fund of £400,000, the race is the highlight of Newbury’s Flat season and takes place on Saturday 16 May.

Among the leading contenders is dual Group 1 winner Field Of Gold, who enjoyed a standout three-year-old campaign, finishing a close second in the 2000 Guineas before going on to win the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. The John and Thady Gosden-trained colt is entered alongside stablemates Friendly Soul, winner of the 2024 Group 1 Prix de l’Opera, Damysus and Exposure.

After winning the Group 3 Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes at Newbury, Jonquil went on to take the Group 2 Celebration Mile Stakes at Goodwood. The son of Lope De Vega is one of four entered in the race for Andrew Balding, along with Gladius, Never So Brave and Blue Bolt, who enjoyed a progressive 2025 season that included Listed success at Sandown and a runner-up finish in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket.

Further local entries come in the form of Charlie Hills’ Cicero’s Gift, winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day in October 2025 and Roger Teal’s Group 2 winner Dancing Gemini, who would seek to go one better than his second-place in last year’s race.

Notable Speech, winner of the 2000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes in 2024, is another notable entry. After finishing fourth in last year’s BOYLE Sports Lockinge Stakes, he went on to secure major international victories in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile. The five-year-old son of Dubawi holds an entry along with the fellow Charlie Appleby trained Opera Ballo for Godolphin.

The Irish challenge is presented by Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore partners, who could send over 2024 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes winner The Lion In Winter, 2024 Group 1 Criterium International winner Twain and Expanded.

There are currently two French raiders from the yard of Francis-Henri Graffard, who has entered Group 1 Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp winner Sahlan, last seen finishing fifth behind Notable Speech at the Breeders’ Cup, and Group 1 Prix Jean Prat winner Woodshauna.

Others among the 28 quality entries include William Haggas’ More Thunder, who could return to Newbury following his victory in last year’s Group 2 Hungerford Stakes, and Karl Burke’s unbeaten Zeus Olympios, who has won all four of his career starts to date, most recently defeating Opera Ballo in the Group 2 Joel Stakes at Newmarket.

The first scratching stage is by noon on Tuesday 28 April, with the final confirmation stage by noon on Monday 11 May.