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Described by trainer William Haggas last week as being "eminently more sensible than me", owner-breeder James Wigan is nonetheless allowing himself to dream of bigger and bigger things with star filly Lilt (Lope De Vega), the impressive winner of Friday's Listed Sky Bet Fillies' Stakes at York. "I was really pleased with her," added Haggas on Friday, watching on from afar at Newbury. "I'm really thrilled for James, he puts such a lot in. I've put her in the Coronation, so I suspect we've got nothing to lose by having...

Godolphin Flying Start has announced the latest intake of trainees for its two-year Thoroughbred Industry Management and Leadership Programme. The class of 2026-2028 comprises trainees from eight countries: Ireland, the UK, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, India, Hong Kong and the UAE. Godolphin Flying Start executive director Clodagh Kavanagh said, "We are thrilled to announce the 24th intake of Godolphin Flying Start trainees for the class of 2026 to 2028. They will commence their scholarships on August 17th at Kildangan Stud in Ireland where they will lay the foundation of...

Stratford's popular hunter chase meeting scheduled for Friday, May 29 has been abandoned as the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) implements further precautionary measures following a continued rise in reported equine influenza cases in the non-thoroughbred population. The BHA announced on Monday that, from Wednesday this week, only horses from licensed training yards will be permitted to enter racecourse property on a raceday, with all hunter chase races abandoned and other equine activities - including ex-racehorse parades, petting farms and pony rides as part of family fun day entertainment - cancelled....

Trainer Karl Burke unveiled subsequent G3 Albany, G2 Duchess Of Cambridge and G1 Prix Morny heroine Venetian Sun (Starman) in last term's British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes at Carlisle and he unleashed another Royal Ascot contender in this year's renewal. James Doyle made the long journey north to partner Wathnan Racing's 300,000gns Craven Breeze-Up graduate Wild Blossom (Mehmas) at the Cumbrian venue and she returned with a TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard, rosette after routing her three rivals by 10 lengths and more in the five-furlong contest,...

Distant Storm (Night Of Thunder) and Abashiri (Frankel) are in contention to represent Godolphin in the first Irish Classics of the season at the Curragh this weekend, with both having pleased Charlie Appleby since their respective outings at Newmarket earlier this month. Distant Storm finished third behind Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder) and Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) when sent off the 3/1 joint-favourite for the 2,000 Guineas and could be given the chance to upgrade that finishing position in the Irish equivalent on Saturday. Appleby won the 2022 edition of the Irish...

Embroidery (Admire Mars) confirmed her standing as the outstanding older female in Japan with a dominant victory in Sunday's Victoria Mile at Tokyo. The Group 1 is a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Produced to lead by Christophe Lemaire with a furlong to run, Embroidery quickly asserted from there to register her third Group 1 success, having previously won both the Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) and Shuka Sho in 2025. At the line she had 1 1/4 lengths to spare over...

Marking her return to action on Sunday with a hard-fought win in Naas's G3 Goffs Lacken Stakes, Havana Anna (Havana Grey) booked her ticket to Royal Ascot. While the even-money favourite Charles Darwin (No Nay Never) proved a major disappointment fading out of contention to be last of the eight runners, the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Cheveley Park Stakes runner-up took full advantage to edge a four-way go. In the firing line from the outset under Gavin Ryan, the 9-4 second favourite who had won both her starts here at two held...

Carrying TDN Rising Star status into Sunday's G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes at Naas, Ballydoyle's Victorious (Wootton Bassett) lived up to her name by edging Amo Racing's debutante Controlla (Night Of Thunder) to deny another upset on a card full of them up to this point. Sent off the 10-11 favourite following her debut win over course and distance last month, the relative of the yard's luminaries Minding and Tuesday was made to battle after taking over approaching the furlong pole but responded to Ryan Moore's urgings to prevail...

Darius Racing's bargain buy Pashang (Isfahan) justified his entry in July's G1 157th Deutsches Derby with a scintillating display in Sunday's Preis vom Gestut Auenquelle at Mulheim to become his sire's first TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard. The €24,000 BBAG September graduate was doing all his best work at the business end of a Dortmund all-weather maiden, when runner-up to subsequent G3 Dr Busch Memorial-winning stablemate Asker (Aclaim), in December and shed maiden status in emphatic style over 12 furlongs in this turf debut. "He's a very talented horse...

Sunday, Naas, post time: 16:26, COOLMORE STUD IRISH EBF FILLIES SPRINT STAKES-G3, €42,000, 2yo, f, 5f 205yT Field: Controlla (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Dancing Destiny (Ire) (Magna Grecia {Ire}), Maria Quiteria (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), Velozee (Ire) (Sioux Nation), Victorious (Ire) (Wootton Bassestt {GB}), Vollering (Ire) (Sioux Nation). TDN Analysis: TDN Rising Star Victorious bids to follow in the steps of fellow Ballydoyle winners Fairy Godmother and Meditate as she heads towards Royal Ascot. Velozee has more to contend with than she did when winning the First Flier, for which the...

Four-time Group 1 victor Ivanhowe sired the top two lots for a combined €830,000 during Arqana's Grand Steeple Sale at Auteuil on Saturday. Leading the way was lot 13, Isaac Of York, who sold for €500,000 to Ryan Mahon, Dan Skelton Racing and Manresa Agency. Offered by trainer Mathieu Pitart, the listed winner over jumps also finished second in the G2 Prix Amadou over this course in April. Under the Group 2-winning second dam is group scorer Tertullus (Monsun), while farther back are the group-winning sires Turfkonig and Tiberius Caesar....

Godolphin's Opera Ballo will not contest the G1 Prix Aga Khan IV versus the Aga Khan Studs' Daryz (Sea The Stars), and will instead be aimed at the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, according to trainer Charlie Appleby. "We were looking towards the Prix Aga Khan IV (Prix d'Ispahan) but we're now going to go straight to the Queen Anne," said Appleby of the G1 Jebel Hatta-winning son of Ghaiyyath, who landed the G2 Mile at Sandown in April. "There are a couple of reasons behind it, firstly...