Saturday, October 4, 2025, shaped up as a blockbuster in the world of British and European horse racing, with punters and racing enthusiasts treated to a jam-packed card across iconic venues such as Ascot, Newmarket, Redcar, Longchamp, and Wolverhampton. With the autumn air thick with anticipation and the ground conditions a constant talking point, tipsters Katie Midwinter and Jonathan Doidge weighed in with their selections and analysis, offering insight and value plays for a day that promised both high drama and big-priced contenders.
At Ascot, the action kicked off with the BetMGM Rous Stakes at 13:50, where Beautiful Diamond was strongly fancied to go one better than her runner-up finish in this race last year. According to Jonathan Doidge, "A strong case can be made here for Beautiful Diamond, who can go one better than last year's second in this race." Karl Burke's filly, arriving off a Listed win at Ayr, showed versatility regarding ground conditions, making her a solid favorite for many. However, Katie Midwinter's eye was drawn to Pearl Of Windsor, a three-year-old filly set at enormous odds of 66/1. Pearl Of Windsor had shown flashes of potential in Listed company, notably a sixth-place finish at Ayr last autumn and a near-miss at Sandown earlier this term. Cieren Fallon took the reins, and while Pearl Of Windsor had plenty to find on the ratings, her late runs and ability to bounce back from adversity made her an intriguing each-way prospect for those seeking value.
Newmarket, meanwhile, hosted the day's only Group 1 contest in Britain: the BetMGM Sun Chariot Stakes at 14:40. This one-mile test for fillies and mares boasted a rich history, with three-year-olds dominating six of the last ten renewals and favorites holding a 50% strike rate. The pre-race narrative centered on Cinderella's Dream, who preferred faster ground, versus Fallen Angel, who relished a bit of cut. Doidge was bullish on Fallen Angel's prospects, noting, "I loved her attitude when winning the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown last month. She was up there and in the argument from turning in and she was very willing during a sustained battle with Exactly that saw her stick her neck out to score." With rain forecast to potentially ease the good-to-firm going, Fallen Angel’s bid for a Group 1 hat-trick looked all the more appealing.
Elsewhere at Newmarket, the British Stallion Studs EBF Premier Fillies' Handicap at 15:50 set the stage for another intriguing contest. Hot Flame was the favorite after a recent Haydock success, but Miss Wong, tipped each-way at 7/1 by Doidge, was seen as the value alternative. Having scored decisively at Yarmouth over a slightly shorter trip, Miss Wong was expected to thrive over the extra distance and would relish any softening of the ground.
Back at Ascot, the John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes (15:00) presented a wide-open Group 3 sprint. Elmonjed and Prince Of India were joint market leaders, both showing strong recent form but with a preference for faster ground. Quinault, however, caught the eye as a proven performer at this level, having landed the Group 3 Criterion Stakes at York earlier in the summer. Doidge remarked, "The return to a stiff 6f like this should give his pilot Marco Ghiani the chance to make plenty of use of him and he'll be doing his best work at the finish." Quinault’s each-way price of 15/2 offered punters a tempting proposition.
Katie Midwinter, meanwhile, found value across the cards. Among her selections, Jabaara, a four-year-old filly trained by Roger Varian, was tipped each-way at 16/1 for the Group 3 at Ascot. Jabaara, already a multiple Stakes winner, had Silvestre De Sousa in the irons and was equipped with first-time cheekpieces. Her form included a Listed win at Musselburgh and a narrow defeat in the Falmouth Stakes, suggesting she had the class to make a big impact if things fell her way.
Redcar’s 15:20 juvenile contest saw Golden Brown, a gelded son of Galileo Gold, tipped at 20/1. Golden Brown’s campaign had been a story of near-misses and hard luck, with strong finishes in competitive novice and nursery company. With Aidan Keeley aboard, he was viewed as a horse who could outrun his odds if granted a clear run.
Longchamp, the jewel of Parisian racing, hosted the 15:25 mile contest featuring Marhaba Ya Sanafi, a five-year-old Group 3 winner with a Group 1 pedigree. Tipped each-way at 25/1 by Midwinter, Marhaba Ya Sanafi had previously won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and placed third in the Prix du Jockey Club. Though his recent form was less eye-catching, his class and past performances in elite company made him a live outsider under Tom Marquand.
Apiarist, Kevin Ryan’s four-year-old gelding, was another each-way fancy at Ascot (15:35). Having dropped 2lb in the weights and with a strong fourth at the Galway Festival under his belt, Apiarist looked poised to bounce back from a disappointing run at Ayr. Billy Garritty took the ride, and with Apiarist just 2lb above his last winning mark, optimism was high for a bold showing in his 24th career start.
Perfect Part, a Mehmas filly trained by Brian Ellison, lined up in the 15:56 at Redcar as a 25/1 each-way shot. Although winless since a shock debut victory at Beverley, Perfect Part had run with credit in Listed and Group Two company and was considered capable of springing a surprise if recapturing her best form with Aidan Keeley aboard.
One of the day's most anticipated clashes unfolded at Longchamp in the Group 1 Prix de Diane (16:00), where Aidan O'Brien's Bedtime Story, partnered by Christophe Soumillon, was tipped to finally land a major prize after a string of near-misses. Bedtime Story had won her first five starts, including the Chesham Stakes and a Group Two, before unlucky runs in France saw her denied Group 1 glory. With stablemate Island Hopping set to make the running, Bedtime Story’s backers hoped for a smoother passage and a deserved top-level triumph.
Ascot’s 16:10 handicap featured Twilight Jet, a six-year-old gelding with form in both Listed and Group company. After a close second at Epsom on Derby Day, Twilight Jet was considered a value each-way play at 33/1, especially as his class had seen him go close in high-quality fields before.
Finally, Wolverhampton’s 20:30 7f handicap saw He's A Gentleman, a six-year-old grey trained by Hugo Palmer, tipped to return to winning ways. Rated 3lb below his last success and with a strong record at the venue, He's A Gentleman looked well treated and ready to strike under Liam Wright’s 5lb claim.
As the dust settled on a frenetic Saturday, punters had no shortage of storylines, value bets, and top-class racing to dissect. With the ground conditions still in flux and a host of big-priced runners poised to upset the applecart, the day was a testament to the enduring appeal and unpredictability of autumn racing.
