Newmarket is set to host an exciting seven-race programme on Saturday, September 26, 2026, with the afternoon card featuring several prestigious contests for two-year-olds alongside competitive races for three-year-olds and older horses. The programme includes two Group 1 races, a Group 2 contest, the Cambridgeshire, and a number of Class 2 events. Racing is scheduled to begin at 1:22pm, with the final contest due at 4:50pm.
The afternoon begins at 1:22pm with the British Stallion Studs EBF ‘Jersey Lily’ Fillies’ Nursery Handicap Stakes. The Class 2 contest is for two-year-old fillies and will be run over seven furlongs. The race carries a prize allocation of £50,000. The seven-furlong distance will provide the young fillies with a test of speed and stamina, while maintaining a steady rhythm will be important through the final stages. As the opening contest, it will provide an early opportunity for the two-year-old fillies to demonstrate their ability over the distance.
At 1:55pm, attention turns to the Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes, a Class 1 Group 2 contest for two-year-olds. The race is run over one mile and carries £125,000 in prize money. The longer distance compared with the opening event will require the young runners to settle into their rhythm before producing their strongest effort towards the finish. The one-mile trip will provide an important test of both pace and stamina as the field competes over the Newmarket course.
The third race is scheduled for 2:27pm and is the Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions Cheveley Park Stakes. This Class 1 Group 1 contest is for two-year-old fillies and will be contested over six furlongs. The race carries £275,000 in prize money. The six-furlong distance places significant emphasis on speed, with the runners required to maintain their momentum throughout the contest. The race forms one of the major highlights of the afternoon and provides a high-level test for the two-year-old fillies.
At 3:00pm, Newmarket stages another Group 1 contest, the Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes. The race is for two-year-olds and is also run over six furlongs, with £275,000 in prize money. The short distance will require the young runners to establish their pace quickly and maintain their effort through the closing stages. With another Group 1 event following the Cheveley Park Stakes, the race adds further quality to an already strong afternoon programme.
The fifth race, scheduled for 3:40pm, is The Cambridgeshire, a Class 2 Heritage Handicap over one mile and one furlong. The race is open to three-year-olds and older horses and carries £200,000 in prize money. The extended distance presents a different challenge from the shorter contests earlier in the afternoon. The runners will need to conserve their energy through the middle stages before producing a sustained effort towards the finish. The race also brings older and younger horses together, adding variety to the Newmarket card.
At 4:15pm, the programme continues with the Blandford Bloodstock 25th Anniversary EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes. This Class 2 contest is for two-year-old fillies and will be run over seven furlongs. The race carries £25,000 in prize money and is designated as a GBB race. The seven-furlong distance provides the young fillies with an opportunity to demonstrate both their pace and developing stamina. As a maiden contest, it also gives the runners an important opportunity to gain experience over the Newmarket course.
The final race of the afternoon is the Hunt Family Fund Handicap Stakes, scheduled for 4:50pm. The Class 2 contest is open to three-year-olds and older horses and will be run over seven furlongs. The race carries £40,000 in prize money and is restricted to horses rated 86-105. The seven-furlong trip provides a balanced test, requiring the runners to maintain their pace while also producing a strong finish. The contest will bring the seven-race programme to a close.
The Newmarket meeting on September 26 offers a varied programme, with two-year-olds featuring prominently throughout the afternoon. The Royal Lodge Stakes provides a one-mile challenge, while the Cheveley Park Stakes and Middle Park Stakes both take place over six furlongs. The Jersey Lily Fillies’ Nursery and Blandford Bloodstock EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes are staged over seven furlongs, providing further opportunities for the younger generation.
The Cambridgeshire provides the longest test on the card at one mile and one furlong and brings together three-year-olds and older horses. Its £200,000 prize allocation makes it one of the major races of the afternoon. The concluding Hunt Family Fund Handicap then returns to seven furlongs and completes a programme featuring a range of distances and race classifications.
With racing beginning at 1:22pm and continuing until 4:50pm, Newmarket is set for a full afternoon of racing on Saturday, September 26. The two Group 1 contests, Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes, the Cambridgeshire and the supporting Class 2 races provide a varied schedule covering different age groups and distances. The meeting will showcase two-year-old talent alongside experienced three-year-old and older runners across the seven-race card.
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