COUNTY DURHAM, England (July. 23, 2026) – Rebecca Menzies will enjoy a first trip to Goodwood next week with her unbeaten 2-year-old Adonius (IRE), who will bid to record a fourth straight career success in the Molecomb Stakes (G2). The winner of this year’s race will receive an automatic berth into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races, the winners of which receive automatic starting positions with fees paid into a corresponding race of the 2026 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, to be held Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland Race Course.
The County Durham-based trainer has seen her yard go from strength-to-strength in recent years, and could now have a genuine Group 1 horse on her hands in the shape of Adonius.
Watch Rebecca Menzies and Adonius at work.
Menzies said: “Adonius has been shaping up brilliantly ahead of the Molecomb Stakes. We had our two engagements a couple of weeks ago, but he did a piece of work the week before and we weren’t one hundred percent happy with him. He had his first proper gallop back last week. He was very, very good. He’s come out of that piece of work brilliantly. We’re working him again this week, but I can’t be any happier with him.”
The son of Soldier’s Call (GB) made a striking impression on debut when a comprehensive seven-length winner at Musselburgh on April 4. Since then, Adonius has added two further wins to his profile, including when a comfortable winner of the CAA Stellar Lily Agnes EBF Conditions Stakes at Chester in May.
Menzies commented: “Adonius is very highly strung. He’s probably not trained as we would train a normal horse. He does a lot of work on his own. I think the key with Adonius is the rider. Andrew rides him most days, and the two of them get on very well together, and he keeps the horse very relaxed. He locks onto the bridle, he’s very keen, and to keep a lid on him it can be quite difficult sometimes. We just try and keep him as calm as possible.”
After his second career win, Adonius was part-bought by U.S. owners Riverdee and West Paces, headed up by Sean Clancy. That connection makes the American dream of a Breeders’ Cup win even more special.
Menzies added: “The U.S. connection came through Matt Coleman of Stroud Coleman Bloodstock. I expressed to him that the horse potentially was for sale. The owner, Michael Hughes, really wanted to keep him, and it’s worked brilliantly for me that somebody’s come in and purchased half, so we can keep him till the end of the year. This will be the first time Adonius’s American owners have seen him in the flesh, and it’ll be the first time I’ve met them too, so we’re really looking forward to that.”
Menzies went on record earlier this season in saying she was working back from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint with Adonius and she has a clear plan in her head of how the gelding’s campaign will look between now and then. She said: “Between now and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, we’d have to pick our battles very carefully. We wouldn’t just be looking in this country. There’s a couple of races in France.”
Menzies added: “Not having the worry of travelling the horse, it would definitely aid us in where we go. He has won on soft ground, and he’s won on very quick ground. I don’t think we need to take too much into consideration. The Win and You’re in initiative is massive. Winning next week would be magical and any help getting to the Breeders’ Cup would be a huge bonus.”
