The King must by now be on pretty friendly terms with Aidan O'Brien, the trainer who has spent more time than any in his counting house. On Tuesday he handed him the trainer's prize for the five-furlong sprint named in His Majesty's honour and 48 hours later another was dished out for the longest Group [...]

A daughter's wedding day ought to be one of the proudest moments of a father's life, and for James Hanly, the Greek wedding of his daughter Rosanna last year was indeed such an occasion, even if it meant that he missed what may then have felt like the pinnacle of his achievements as a breeder. [...]

They walked around the paddock one behind the other, like a little brother following his big brother around. The swaggering Gstaad led the more demure Bow Echo, looking as though at least a year separated them in age.  But when the time came to tussle there was no brotherly love lost as the pair fought [...]

It seems a mere blink of an eye ago, but the inaugural Goffs London Sale took place in June 2014 in groundbreaking fashion. War Horse made an appearance, and was for a few brief moments ridden by Johnny Murtagh, while the first foal by Frankel to appear in any sale ring was, understandably, a show-stopper [...]

Wesley Ward has been the greatest international supporter of Royal Ascot in recent years and the American trainer has dispatched a team of seven runners in a bid to extend his record at the meeting of 12 wins to date. The septet includes G1 Commonwealth Cup contender Outfielder (Speightstown), an imposing individual who was fourth [...]

“His work has undoubtedly got stronger” is undoubtedly a statement that rival trainers would not wish to hear from George Boughey when it comes to Bow Echo. The Irish and French champion trainers Aidan O'Brien and Francis Graffard won't be running scared as such, but despite the fact they will be bringing their own Guineas [...]

If you've had reason to chat to Stephen Hillen at the sales you will know that he's an agent who is measured to the point of coming across as though he has ice running through his veins. Had he and his wife Becky been at Epsom on Saturday to watch the horse they bred win [...]

Try as they might – and by golly the good folk at Epsom tried – you can't hold back the rain. A day which should have dawned full of hope and expectation after so much attention to detail in improving the Derby Day experience instead brought black clouds and bluster across the Epsom Downs. Good [...]

Shapoor Mistry is no newcomer to breeding. He's been at the game for 40 years in his native India where he owns Manjri Farm and has won his home Derby on several occasions. But he described winning the Betfred Oaks with his homebred Thundering On as being “like a dream come true”.  He said, “It's [...]

And so it comes down to this: 14 runners are set to go to post for the Betfred Derby, which, with a newly elevated prize fund of £2 million, is the co-richest race in Britain in 2026. Five British-breds will take on six horses born in Ireland, two in Germany and one in France, with [...]

He's run placed in the Blue Riband Trial and the Lingfield Derby Trial as well as partaking of the Derby gallops morning, meaning that no horse in the field for Saturday will have greater experience of the oddities of Epsom than Balzac.  His owner and trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam will be flying the flag not just [...]

The birdsong is briefly interrupted as a pair of colts gallop by. Nothing too strong now, for the major work is done. Maltese Cross and Tenability breeze on up Newmarket's Al Bahathri, giving rise to some contented muttering from the father-and-son team watching on. Sam Haggas was only three years old and was “left at [...]