Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien believes St Nicholas Abbey will find the sun-baked turf track at Santa Anita to his liking when he defends his Breeders’ Cup Turf title. Last year at Churchill Downs, St Nicholas Abbey made O’Brien’s son Joseph O’Brien the youngest jockey to win a Breeders’ Cup race… Read More »
Former Australian Starspangledbanner is being monitored closely ahead of his bid for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita on Saturday (Sunday AEDT). Trainer Aidan O’Brien admitted slight concern about the six-year-old’s legs since he arrived in California from Ireland but hoped the problem would be successfully treated. “Since… Read More »
Kauto Star’s legendary career has come to an end with the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, described as a “once-in-a-lifetime horse” by his trainer Paul Nicholls, officially retired. Regarded as one of the greatest horses in jump racing history, Kauto Star won the Gold Cup in 2007 and 2009 and… Read More »
Game On Dude drew the fifth post and was installed as the early favorite for the Breeders’ Classic, highlight of the $US25 million ($A24.31 million) Breeders’ Cup card. The multiple Grade One winner, trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, was run down in the stretch of the Classic last… Read More »
Richard Hughes was at it again at Leicester with a 346-1 four-timer. Hot on the heels of riding seven of the eight winners at Windsor two weeks ago, the champion jockey-elect gave the bookies a real fright by landing the first three races in the Midlands. Hughes and Intrigo (5-1)… Read More »
Dermot Weld believes the conditions of the Breeders’ Cup Marathon could spark a revival in the fortunes of Sense Of Purpose. The five-year-old mare has failed to show her best form in three starts this season, all run on her unfavoured soft ground. Weld, who is trying to win the… Read More »
Joseph O’Brien will be crowned Irish champion jockey for the first time when the Flat season ends next weekend. Rival Pat Smullen signed off for the season with a treble at Leopardstown but will be riding at the Breeders’ Cup meeting in America when the final meetings are run. Smullen’s… Read More »
Famous Name farewelled the racetrack with his 20th stakes success at Leopardstown on the same day his little sister Big Break won her first. Despite giving weight away to all his rivals, the Dermot Weld-trained Famous Name had little difficulty winning the Trigo Stakes for the third time. Immediately after… Read More »
Former Australian Starspangledbanner remains on target for a trip to the United States for the Breeders’ Cup despite his fourth to Balmont Mast in the Listed Mercury Stakes at Dundalk. The four-time Group One winner is being primed for the Breeders` Cup Turf Sprint but did not find a great… Read More »
Jamie Spencer has been confirmed as the retained jockey for Sheikh Fahad Al Thani’s Qatar Racing operation. Sheikh Fahad is the owner of Dunaden, winner of the 2011 Melbourne Cup and last week’s Caulfield Cup. David Redvers, the owner’s racing manager and bloodstock advisor, has confirmed Spencer has signed a… Read More »
Aidan O’Brien is looking to see a much improved performance from Starspangledbanner in the Mercury Stakes at Dundalk tomorrow evening (Saturday AEDT) ahead of a trip to the United States. The former Australian multiple Group One winner has failed to recapture those glory days since returning to O’Brien from a… Read More »
Danedream faces her D-Day on January 1 when she will be tested again for equine infectious anaemia (EIA). A horse tested positive for EIA, also known as swamp fever, at Cologne racecourse where Danedream was being trained for her defence of her Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe title. Because of… Read More »
Bookmakers intend to put their full weight behind a campaign to have Frankel and his trainer Sir Henry Cecil’s achievements marked across the general sporting world. In 2010 racing pulled together to help champion National Hunt jockey Tony McCoy to become Sports Personality of the Year. Now a similar task… Read More »
Frankie Dettori could bid to become champion jockey for a fourth time after ending his long association with Godolphin. The Italian is going freelance in 2013 after being retained by Sheikh Mohammed’s operation for the last 18 years, during which time he won the title three times in 1994, 1995… Read More »
America’s leading female jockey Chantal Sutherland has announced her retirement at the age of 36. Sutherland went home to Canada to ride in the final races of her career on Sunday and then announced her retirement in a lengthy statement on her website. There was no fairytale ending with Sutherland… Read More »
The Breeders’ Cup Mile is likely to be the next mission for Excelebration as Aidan O’Brien believes the horse is still “on the upgrade” after the four-year-old ran out an impressive winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot. Trainer Aidan O’Brien said there was still improvement in the… Read More »
Cirrus Des Aigles is likely to have another crack at the Hong Kong Cup in December after his fighting second to Frankel in the Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. Trainer Corine Barande-Barbe is keen to give her stable star another chance at the mile-and-a-quarter (2000m)feature after he was fifth… Read More »
Italian jockey Frankie Dettori has ended his 18-year permanent association with Godolphin, Sheikh Mohammed’s famous horseracing stable. Dettori, who has ridden nine English Classic winners for Godolphin, says he needs a “new challenge” but will still compete in the stable’s blue silks on a freelance basis. Dettori said on Sunday… Read More »
Frankel will slowly prepare for life as a stallion at Banstead Manor Stud near Newmarket after bowing out with a perfect record of 14 wins from 14 starts in the Champion Stakes at Ascot. It was not as pretty to watch as so many of his other majestic performances but… Read More »
Dermot Weld showed why he has such a tremendous record around the world by displaying his unique art with a double on Champions Day at Ascot. The master Irish trainer has captured major global events such as the Melbourne Cup twice and the Belmont Stakes in America, as well as… Read More »
