Picture: Peter Moore

By Peter Moore at Newbury Saturday 15th August 2026

Rhythm N Hooves repeated his success of twelve months ago by taking the D&H, Excellence In Nutrition Handicap for the second year running.

A year ago, Billy Loughnane rode the gelding to victory, but today it was the turn of inform jockey Marco Ghiani to take over.

The six-year-old took a keen hold before pressing the leader three furlongs out. The son of Pearl Secret edged right inside the final furlong before running on to win by a neck from Hypnotised.

Once Ghiani dismounted in the winners enclosure he quickly ran over to get the attention of his parents who were watching him in action.

It was a proud moment for his mother, who speaks only Italian and his father who speaks very little English, however the smiles on both of their faces and Marco’s meant everything for the trio.

Trainer Clive Cox firmly believes Coppull could be the Group 1 horse he has been craving for since Supremacy’s Middle Park success in 2020, after the three-year-old raced on the far side to get up and land the Group 2 Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes under Hector Crouch.

Cox was confident about a big display from his three-year-old, leaving his trainer “a little deflated”.

Cox said: “It’s given us confidence, and it puts us back in the fast lane where we’ve always wanted to be.

“We won this race with Lethal Force in 2012, and he made the running that day. He was in front all the way, never mind from halfway, and to be able to hold on against a quality field that included Group 1 performers is a really special feeling.

“I was thrilled with him. You have to prove you can get seven, and that prospect was very possible, but that will give him a lot of confidence, the way he’s won that with such authority and class.”

“I’m over the moon. It’s a long year, and we start prepping these horses earlier every year. It’s so important to be here on the big stage, and I’m so grateful to all my team and owners. It means the world.”

“If he comes back right, we could still go for the Sprint Cup at Haydock. That would give us confidence after today, but we still have the Park Stakes, which he’d have a penalty in now.”

For owner-breeder David Armstrong, he has another horse he is excited by.

When asked to name the dream race he’d like to win with Coppull, he said: “The July Cup. We ran Mayson in 2012, and this lad is a grandson. It wasn’t to be, but we’re happy winning any race – from a maiden right up to the top.

“They’re all the same when you’ve bred the horses. You just hope you’ve bred a good horse, so Haydock, Park Stakes, it doesn’t matter to me.”

The Lexus Melbourne Cup is the long-term aim for Wine Dark Sea, who was the subject of a major gamble when returning to form to land the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.

Trained by Harry Charlton, the four-year-old opened up at 16-1 on Friday, but was very well backed in the lead-up to the race and obliged at 7-2 to register a third win in four starts this season, to give Crouch his opening winner of the afternoon.

Assistant trainer Matt Fielding said: “I believe the Melbourne Cup is the long-term aim. It would be a dream, and it’s nice to have runners in big races across the world. He’s won it well and galloped out very well to the line. Stamina wasn’t an issue, and he enjoyed himself out front.”

Earlier Crouch steered Addison Grey to victory in the Class 2 7f handicap to give Cox his first winner on the card.

Racing beyond 6f for the first time, there was no stamina issues with the grey prevailing by one and a half lengths.

The Amanda Perrett-trained Gambling Man took a big step forward from his debut fourth when landing the 7f maiden.

The Cotai Glory colt ran a huge race over six furlongs when a 28-1 shot at the track last month, and connections expressed their delight after he landed the contest worth just over £20,000.

The trainer’s son, Ryan, said: “His full brother and half-brother won over a mile, so we thought the step up in trip would eke out improvement. He works like a train at home, and you have to be a nice horse to win a Newbury maiden.

“We hadn’t done much before his debut. He’d come from the breeze-ups, and we went very steady, and we were delighted with that run.”

A 4lb rise didn’t stop the chances of Explode who bolted up in the 1m 4f handicap for trainer Faye Bramley.

The gelding was following up his success at Catterick 24 days ago and has an entry at York this week in the Heritage Handicap.