Phoenix Stakes Betting Tips, Winners & History

Next Race: TBD

The next renewal of this race has not been scheduled yet. We will update this once the schedule has been released for next season. The race info, trends and tips shown below will be updated for the next renewal once the final declarations have been made.

Phoenix Stakes Betting Tips

Note: The following tips are from 2020. Tips for the next renewal will be added once the final declarations have been made.

Open only to the two year olds, this has regularly proven to be one of the highest class juvenile events of the season, with Siskin, Advertise and Caravaggio all featuring on the recent roll of honour. The purse may be significantly down this year but even so, we have some classy youngsters set to go to post.

As with so many big races in Ireland, that man Aidan O’Brien leads the all-time trainers list for this event. He hasn’t just nosed ahead either, but rather dominated the race to an unprecedented level since sending out Lavery to land the prize in 1998. By his standards he is on a drought, without a win in the race since 2017, when he made it four in a row with Sioux Nation. However, having now saddled the winner on no fewer than 16 occasions, anything O’Brien sends to post merits the utmost respect. The Ballydoyle maestro relies on the trio of Admiral Nelson, Giorgio Vasari and St Mark’s Basilica this year.

The 33/1 success of La Collina has been the only real big shock in the race in recent times, but this still hasn’t been particularly kind to supporters of the market leader – favourite backers registering a level stakes loss of -£4.87 over the last decade.

Steel Bull – 5/2

Heading the betting this year is the Michael O’Callaghan-trained Steel Bull. This son of Clodovil heads into the race unbeaten in his two career starts to date, with the manner of those two successes catching the eyes of many and hinting at a big future.

Making his debut at Naas on the 22nd July, he looked a class above the maiden field that day when powering clear under only hands and heels riding for a 2½l success. Sent over to Goodwood for the Molecomb Stakes only seven days later, his young trainer seemed optimistic of a bold showing, and duly got one.

Steel Bull travelled supremely well in behind throughout, before quickening up nicely close home to score by ¾l – taking the step up into Group 3 company in his stride. He is up in class again here, but given that come from behind style, it’s hard to judge exactly how good he is and we suspect he may well be up to the task. The one slight question mark concerns this step up to 6f for the first time, with each of those two previous wins having come at 5f.

The Lir Jet – 7/2

Another must for the shortlist is the Michael Bell-trained speedster, The Lir Jet. Going in the colours of Qatar Racing Limited, this son of Norfolk Stakes winner Prince Of Lir looks to have inherited every bit of his father’s speed, if his first three starts to date are anything to go by.

Making his debut at Yarmouth in June, the bay colt barely saw another rival in scorching to a 2¾l success. Given his pedigree and that debut promise, the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot was the obvious next port of call, and it proved to be a case of like father like son, as The Lir Jet finished best of all under the Oisin Murphy drive to get up close home.

This one does head into the race on the back of a loss, but really lost nothing in defeat in only going down in a head bobber over this trip at Chantilly. The joint second top-rated runner in the field, he looks set to go well with Ben Coen taking over in the saddle.

Ventura Tormenta – 5/1

The British challenge does look to be strong this year, and topping the ratings is the horse to have denied The Lir Jet in that Chantilly contest – Ventura Tormenta. By Acclamation and out of an Oasis Dream mare, the Richard Hannon contender is certainly bred to be quick and - whilst not entirely consistent so far - he has already delivered on that pedigree promise and the best may be yet to come.

Perhaps predictably, it proved to be too tall an order when he was thrown in at the deep end in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes race on debut. However, he then made no mistake when dropped down into novice company at Yarmouth next time out. Back up to Group 2 company for the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket in his third career outing, he ran a nice race only to fade close home in that 7f event.

Then of course came his career high point so far, with that short head win over The Lir Jet in France – an effort which suggests he has come on leaps and bounds since debut. The manner in which he got back up having been headed that day was also particularly encouraging, with that will to win often being a priceless commodity in a racehorse. That victory took his record over this trip to a perfect two from two, and he arrives here with every chance.