Sky Bet Sunday Series: Goldie eyeing £100k bonus with Letsbefrank

The Sky Bet Sunday Series continues at Thirsk on Sunday May 31st, for the fourth fixture of the 2026 series. Jim Goldie’s Letsbefrank again the headline act, bidding to replicate what he achieved at Pontefract in August 2024, and scoop the sponsors £100,000 bonus for being the first horse to win three races in this year’s series. 

Letsbefrank, a half-brother to the dual Group 1 winner Fascinating Rock – Qipco Champion Stakes (2015) and Tattersalls Gold Cup (2016) – finished third in a 1m2f Epsom novice on sole start for John Butler, prior to joining Jim Goldie for 35,000guineas from the Newmarket Autumn Sale (October 2023). As Goldie explains; “It was the pedigree that first drew us to Letsbefrank, he’s well-bred, his sire was Frankel. It was Ted Durcan (Durcan Bloodstock) that spotted him, so I’ll give Ted the credit.” 

As is his usual philosophy, Goldie brought Letsbefrank along steadily, “he’s always been a work in progress,” gaining vital experience on the All-Weather at Newcastle before switching back to turf for handicap debut at Musselburgh. From there, plans for the 2024 Sky Bet Sunday Series were formed. Those plans coming to fruition, wins at Hamilton Park (1m3f; OR 60), Thirsk (1m6f; OR 66), and Pontefract (2m1f; 76) ensuring that Letsbefrank became the first horse to ever scoop the sought after £100,000 Sky Bet Sunday Series bonus. 

The exertions of 2024, coupled with a steady weights rise, meant that Letsbefrank endured a fairly low-key season (0-10) in 2025, with Goldie explaining; 

“The ground was quick enough at Pontefract, and that race probably jarred him up a wee bit, but it was job done from the perspective of the bonus. Letsbefrank is a versatile horse, which serves him well, but you also need a little luck. American Affair tried to do it and couldn’t, and he’s a Group 1 horse! He came close, but there’s a lot of wee things, and different courses, to consider, including the draw biases for sprinters.” 

“The Sky Bet Sunday Series is a fun series, the narrative builds, generates interest, and draws the public in. The great thing about horses is that there’s always a story behind them, folk follow them, and that’s part of the appeal. It isn’t all about spending a fortune at the sales, the Sky Bet Sunday Series offers opportunities for horses at a different level of competition, the mid-rated, progressive types and, in fairness to other trainers, I’ve found myself with a number of suitable horses for these races, and then you need to try and get lucky. You don’t win the lottery without buying a ticket!” 

“It’s a big help for us that the series starts at Musselburgh and includes fixtures at Ayr and Hamilton. We’re on home ground, so to speak. The fact that the second Ayr fixture ended up being run at Musselburgh suited us because we were worried that the ground would be too soft for us at Ayr. I’ve been quite lucky.” 

Stable claimer Lauren Young has partnered Letsbefrank to his two series wins in 2026, first delivering at Musselburgh (12.5f; OR 69) and then swooping late at Hamilton Park (1m3f; OR 73) a fortnight ago. Goldie is keen to acknowledge the importance of a team-based ethic at his Lanarkshire base, explaining that when ‘Frank’ won at Thirsk (in 2024), Amie Waugh won the jockey of the day prize there, earning herself a well-deserved £10,000. Furthermore, Paul Mulrennan plays a key role, with Goldie explaining, “Paul has a great memory, he does his homework, and whatever he’s riding, he’ll know the formbook from back to front.” 

With a different twist of fate, it could easily have been another Goldie-trained runner seeking the bonus at Thirsk this weekend, stablemate Krissy runner-up to Letsbefrank in that Hamilton Park contest. As Goldies notes; 

“Krissy is improving, and she’s capable but whether there’s another two races for her now is interesting. The bad news for her was that soon after Hamilton, she won by seven-and-a-half lengths at Musselburgh, and the handicapper had a say (raised her 11lbs to a mark of 70). She could go for the mile 0-85 fillies’ handicap at Thirsk. We’ve also got Montezuma, who could still complete the feat but hopefully, we’ll get the job done with ‘Frank.’ That Hamilton race was an apprentices’ contest, and he runs from the same mark.” (*raised 5lb since to 78) 

“Letsbefrank is very straightforward at home. He doesn’t particularly like the stalls. I put him in at home, and he doesn’t mind them there, but he doesn’t seem to know what they’re about on a racecourse – he tries to walk, or trot, out of them, and gives the others a start, so that’s why we have to ride him from off the pace.” 

Win, lose, or draw, there promises to be plenty more to the Letsbefrank story over future years. The six-year-old has amassed five wins (all in the Sky Bet Sunday Series) from his 21 starts and Goldie is well-known for running horses in advancing years, as the likes of Euchen Glen and Sir Chauvelin testify. His trainer taking great pleasure from the fact that veteran stablemate Ayr Poet produced a career-best effort at the age of 11 when runner-up at Ayr recently. 

Jim Goldie expressed himself as being hugely satisfied with the run from stable star American Affair in the Group 2 Temple Stakes at Haydock Park on Saturday. The six-year-old was dropping back in trip there, having raced enthusiastically on his return from a lengthy absence at York ten days earlier. 

“We made the decision to let him run, and he didn’t half run. I think the holding, drying, dead ground caught him out a wee bit, but he still ran a blinder.” 

“You might say that Saturday was nearly a career-best, the first four are very good horses. The fourth horse (Jakajaro) won against a draw bias at York, so given how he managed to do that, we thought he might have a stone up his sleeve, and the winner (Night Raider), he’s a fair horse as well.” 

“He came out of Haydock fine, so we’ll just keep him ticking over now prior to the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot.” 

16th August – Pontefract, live on Racing TV!