Arena Racing Company Cesarewitch final 2026 - Runner-by-runner guide

Arena Racing Company Cesarewitch

The second Category One final of the year is the Arena Company Racing Cesarewitch, a race that has been won by Mark Wallis for the last two years with Garfiney Blaze. He also has the market leader in 2026 with Mongys Wild. A Hove trainer has won four of the last 10, including Richard Rees in 2023 with Cochise, that kennel is represented by Deadly Disco.

Best odds available have been used below. 

1 - Burgess Sophia - Nick Carter - Mr J French - 200/1

The outsider of the field, she has done well to make it into the decider with some very strong running displays. Hopefully she will put in another strong showing as Nick Carter's first Category One finalist in seven years but it is hard to see her making an impact on the result without a serious amount of luck in running. 

2 - Romeo Empire - Patrick Janssens - Mr D Firmager - 9/2

A slow starter on his inside should mean that he is able to quickly take control of the rails and that will give Mongys Wild something to clear in the early stages as well. He led up in the Regency final last August but found Mongys Wild four lengths too strong on that occasion.

731m around Central Park is as far as he has gone in his life but he made a notable step forward from heats to semis in terms of his finish time. Should be on the bunny here and his four-bend pace can see him make a very bold bid, but others are stronger late on.

3 - Mongys Wild - Mark Wallis - MWD Partnership - 4/9

The red-hot market leader to give Mark Wallis a hat-trick of wins in the race. He is a remarkable 21/26 in this country, though three of those five defeats have all come at the paws of Deadly Disco, including in the semi-final last week.

In his defence, he did remarkably well to only be beaten six lengths on that occasion having found all the trouble going, picking up well once he finally managed to get some space. No surprise to see him leading the market as he is the most talented stayer at present but as he has shown, he is not entirely bombproof. 

4 - Vacant

5 - Princess Matilda - Gemma Evans - Mrs M Jones - 20/1

Got beaten just half a length by Romeo Empire in the semis last week. She won two of her three starts over 750m at Romford in the autumn and the return to more of a test of stamina has worked well for her. That probably shouldn't come as a surprise given that she has Mongys Rach on her bottom line the same as Mongys Wild does.

In the form of her life at present, she chased home Fabulous Sonique twice over 575m at Romford in December before heading to Central Park. Still relatively unexposed over this sort of a distance and it would be no surprise if she were to outrun her current best odds of 20/1. 

6 - Deadly Disco - Richard Rees - Five Fellas - 4/1

Heads into battle with Mongys Wild for the third time in this competition with the score 1-1 between them so far. They met on a regular basis during 2025 with this boy having his day in the sun in the final of the George Curtis and Ballyregan Bob Memorial at Hove just before Christmas. 

Has come away well in both heats and semi here, as he did though all three rounds at Hove. That consistency is something that he has not had in the past, so fingers crossed for connections that he continues that for at least this run which could give us the pulsating final that we are all hoping for. 

Conclusion

This really is a super final in prospect. It is a shame for Michelle Brown that Crafty Prospero has to miss the race but the extra space will be no bad thing for Mongys Wild. He deserves to be the favourite to take the crown as there is little doubt that he is the best dog in the country over this sort of trip. Beaten just once in his first 17 starts in this country, he has been turned over four times in his last nine, however. 

This is as far as Romeo Empire wants to go but any trouble behind him early on could see him string these out. Deadly Disco has been showing more consistency from the boxes of late which has seen him take his form to a new level. Princess Matilda ended up on the inside of Romeo Empire on the straights in the semis and that could be the key. 

If Deadly Disco comes away, his early pace can see Romeo Empire put under pressure earlier than is ideal. Princess Matilda is going to be looking to take an inner line so Mongys Wild will have to be on his toes to avoid her. If that happens it could be that Deadly Disco, who will have the outside to himself, can gain enough of a lead to hold off Mongys Wild. Of course if Mongys Wild turns on the speed unscathed then it's all over, but at the prices, we'll take a chance that won't be the case. 

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