Hidden Force too strong in Kempton’s European Road to Kentucky Derby race

Feb 26, 2026 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Hidden Force flashed budding star potential in the European Road to the Kentucky Derby race at Kempton (Photo courtesy of Kempton Park Racecourse)

Godolphin’s homebred Hidden Force showed his powerful acceleration in a last-to-first rally in Wednesday’s European Road to the Kentucky Derby conditions race at Kempton.

The prohibitive odds-on favorite, Hidden Force, was coming off a debut victory over this Polytrack course on Dec. 1. The Charlie Appleby trainee was even more convincing here, despite getting away slowly at the start.

Hidden Force was confidently handled by jockey William Buick, who kept him at the rear of the four-horse field early. The son of unbeaten phenom Frankel always appeared to have the measure of his rivals whenever Buick asked him to put the race away.

Up front, longshot Utmost Good Faith led the way, tracked by Venetian Prince, with Tadej stalking on the inside. After making the right-hand turn for home, Hidden Force angled out and readily imposed his authority.

Wow!

Hidden Force dominates in the "European Road To The Kentucky Derby" Conditions Stakes, following in the footsteps of Opera Ballo and Notable Speech 🔵 pic.twitter.com/FnnKVD0kZU

— Kempton Park Racecourse (@kemptonparkrace) February 25, 2026

The official margin of victory was 1 1/2 lengths, in hand, in a final time of 1:39.44 for the mile. Venetian Prince was best of the rest by 1 1/4 lengths from Tadej, and Utmost Good Faith dropped back to last of the quartet.

Although the Kempton race was worth points on the 20-10-6-4 format, no one in the field was nominated to the Triple Crown by the early deadline.

Hidden Force gave Appleby his third straight win in this contest, and fifth in the past six years. His two previous winners here, Notable Speech (2024) and Opera Ballo (2025), both went on to become top-class performers on turf. Hidden Force, now 2-for-2, could well be on a similar trajectory.

The British-bred colt is out of the Shamardal mare Winter Lightning, who won the 2018 UAE 1000 Guineas on the dirt at Meydan. Winter Lightning is a half-sister to $16.5 million-earner and multiple Group 1 star Thunder Snow, best remembered for his globetrotting exploits on dirt.

Two races remain on the Euro/Mideast Road, Friday’s Patton at Dundalk and the decisive UAE Derby (G2) at Meydan on March 28.