Veteran trainer John Dunlop is to end his glittering career at the end of the current Flat season. Twice the winner of the Epsom Derby with Shirley Heights (1978) and Erhaab (1994), Dunlop, 73, also saddled the winners of three St Legers, three Thousand Guineas and two Oaks. Only the… Read More »
Outstanding sprinter-miler Mufhasa has been named New Zealand Horse of the Year for a second time. Mufhasa, who has won more than $3 million in his career, attracted 37 of the 43 votes on offer to repeat his award of 2010. Last season, the seven-year-old won two Group One races… Read More »
Excelebration and Farhh are set to clash in Sunday’s Prix du Moulin at Longchamp. The pair would both have considerably more Group One victories to their name if it were not for the existence of Frankel, but for once Sir Henry Cecil’s champion is not among the field. Excelebration won… Read More »
Mick Kinane took the honours on Patriotic with a narrow win in the Legends Classified Stakes at Doncaster. A field of 16 ex-jockeys had gathered for the only charity race held in Britain under the Rules of Racing and the man who came home in front was perhaps the most… Read More »
Frankel is to have a racecourse gallop at Newmarket on Saturday week as he builds up to what is likely to be the final start of his career. Trainer Sir Henry Cecil has decided against giving the unbeaten superstar a run between last month’s Juddmonte International Stakes and the Champion… Read More »
Dual Group One winner Jukebox Jury has been retired after suffering a setback. The six-year-old dead-heated with Duncan in last year’s Irish St Leger and also won the Group One Preis Von Europa in Germany in 2009. He has not run since finishing 20th in the Melbourne Cup last November… Read More »
Aidan O’Brien admits it will be a nervous few days as Camelot prepares for his date with destiny in Saturday’s St Leger at Doncaster. The Montjeu colt will bid to become the first horse since Nijinsky in 1970 to win the Triple Crown of the 2000 Guineas, Derby and Leger…. Read More »
Legendary jockey Mick Kinane is looking forward to getting back in the saddle for a good cause at Doncaster on Wednesday. Kinane brought an illustrious 34-year riding career to an end in December 2009, the same year he partnered the brilliant Sea The Stars to win six Group One races… Read More »
Sky Lantern produced a fine turn of foot to record an impressive victory in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh. The Richard Hannon-trained filly had posted a Listed success at Naas on her previous visit to Ireland but she had finished second at Group Three level in both her… Read More »
John Gosden is eagerly anticipating a crack at next month’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Nathaniel following his excellent run in defeat in Saturday’s Irish Champion Stakes. Having won the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on his seasonal return before going down by just a nose to Danedream in the… Read More »
Australian jockey Zac Purton took riding honours on the first day of the new season’s racing in Hong Kong with a treble which included the feature race, the Chief Executive’s Cup. The meeting at Sha Tin attracted a crowd of 63,570, the biggest first day attendance for almost 20 years…. Read More »
Glamour mare Snow Fairy has stolen the show at Leopardstown with an emotional victory over fellow British raider Nathaniel in the Irish Champion Stakes. The globe-trotting mare settled nicely for Frankie Dettori and always looked to have Nathaniel covered as he was driven to overhaul pacemaker Daddy Long Legs rounding… Read More »
Australian mare Ortensia has suffered an injury during her unplaced effort in the Group One Sprint Cup at Haydock. The winner of the Nunthorpe Stakes last month, Ortensia was the 5-2 favourite to win a second Group One in England but sustained an inch-long cut to her fetlock and finished… Read More »
Aidan O’Brien has declared Snow Queen and Magical Dream among a final field of 13 as he seeks to win the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday for a seventh time. The Ballydoyle trainer’s successes in this Group One over seven furlongs for two-year-old fillies has included the… Read More »
William Haggas has confirmed Guarantee an intended runner in the St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday week after a pleasing workout. The son of Authorized did not make his debut until finishing second at Windsor in mid-June, since which he has run up a hat-trick of impressive victories. He marked… Read More »
Trainer Ed Dunlop believes “all the signs are good” for Snow Fairy as she bids for a seventh Group One success in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. The five-year-old mare added even more value to her incredible CV when she made a perfect return from a career-threatening injury in… Read More »
Strong Suit could be the joker in the pack for the Sprint Cup at Haydock. Australian confidence will be at near hysterical levels on Merseyside as Ortensia bids to become just the third horse since 1990 to complete the Nunthorpe-Sprint Cup double. Make no mistake, Paul Messara’s mare is a… Read More »
Connections of Main Sequence will wait until next week before deciding whether to aim the Derby runner-up at the English St Leger. The colt will be confirmed on Monday for the oldest of Britain’s five Classics at Doncaster on Saturday week, in which he would meet his Epsom conqueror Camelot…. Read More »
British raiders Nathaniel and Snow Fairy feature are among a final field of six declared runners in Saturday’s Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. The 10-furlong (2000m) Group One prize has been dominated by home-trained runners for the last decade, with Saeed bin Suroor’s Grandera the last British winner in 2002…. Read More »
Sans Frontieres, winner of the 2010 Irish St Leger, has been retired due to the recurrence of a tendon injury. His St Leger victory made him one of the favourites for the 2010 Melbourne Cup but injury prevented him making the trip to Australia and he has not raced since…. Read More »
