1000 Guineas

If Saturday had been all about the local heroes, by Sunday the major prizes were scattered more widely as first Jancis then True Love smuggled the silverware across the Irish Sea.  For the combined team of Ballydoyle and Coolmore, winning European Classics has become almost commonplace - a key part of the mechanism that keeps the wheels turning on the largest and most successful breeding operation in the world. The 2,000 Guineas was just missed but the 1,000 Guineas was in the bag.  The magnificent specimen that is True Love...

NEWMARKET, UK -- On the kind of morning one dreams about all winter, the wraps came off a clutch of Guineas hopes as George Boughey and Charlie Appleby made good use of the Rowley Mile ahead of the start of the three-day Craven meeting.  Boughey, who trains less than a mile from the racecourse in his new base at the appropriately named Craven House Stables, declared himself to be thrilled with the progress of Betfred 2,000 Guineas favourite Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder), who is already familiar with the track...

Ghaiyyath is still awaiting a major winner in Britain and Ireland but he is compiling an interesting record in other parts of the world, including Australia, and to his G1 VRC Derby winner Observer was added Saturday's G2 Tulloch Stakes winner Storm Leopard. Most exciting of Ghaiyyath's second European crop last year was Godolphin's My Highness, who went unbeaten through four starts for Andre Fabre, culminating in an impressive victory in the G2 Sumbe Prix du Calvados last August.  Notably, amid a flurry of French Classic entries for the Fabre...

Ace Stud has bought G2 Lowther Stakes winner Royal Fixation to join Karl Burke's stable in Middleham. The daughter of Palace Pier was also third in the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes for her former trainer Ed Walker and Opulence Thoroughbreds. Paul Curran, bloodstock and racing manager for Newmarket-based Ace Stud and European representative for the primarily Australian-based Yulong Investments, said, "We bought her a couple of months ago and she's heading to Karl. She's a good filly and hopefully one who can be lucky for us. "We'll take a good look...

Following Monday's confirmation stage, 17 colts remain in contention for Saturday's Betfred 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, headed by the impressive G3 Craven Stakes winner Field Of Gold (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). The potential field is down from the 24-strong group who stood their ground at the latest entry stage, with last year's G2 Coventry Stakes scorer Rashabar (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and G1 Futurity Trophy hero Hotazhell (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) featuring among those who were taken out of the race on Monday. Aomori City (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}),...

Ante-post favourite Field Of Gold (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) could be Juddmonte's sole representative in the Betfred 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, Barry Mahon revealed on Wednesday. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Field Of Gold is currently one of four entries for Juddmonte in the first British Classic of the season, alongside stable-mate Detain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Andrew Balding's G3 Greenham Stakes winner Jonquil (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and the unbeaten Cosmic Year (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who made it two from two for the Harry Charlton yard when recently...

The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was the most notable absentee as the latest entries for the first two British Classics of the season were released on Tuesday. A total of 24 colts remain in contention for the Betfred 2,000 Guineas, while the number of possible runners in the Betfred 1,000 Guineas has been whittled down to 17, before any supplementary entries. Aidan O'Brien confirmed last week that The Lion In Winter was an unlikely runner at Newmarket, with all roads instead leading to the G2 Dante...

NEWMARKET, UK -- Beyond the action on the racecourse at Newmarket this week, there are plenty of pointers to the first two Classics of the season to be found in the mornings and Charlie Appleby took to the Rowley Mile early on Wednesday with a team which included his two best juveniles of last year. Desert Flower (Ire), the unbeaten G1 Fillies' Mile winner, was by far the most visually impressive of the Godolphin workers as she powered through the dip and up the hill under William Buick. Her efforts...

The five Classic races staged in the UK - the oldest of their kind in the world - are being branded the Betfred British Classics in an agreement between sponsor Betfred, The Jockey Club and Arena Racing Company (ARC). The newly created logo and title will be "used to help to educate racing and sports fans about each of the races' rich history and backstories". This year, Betfred has stepped in as sponsor of the first two Classics of the season, Newmarket's 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas, following the end...

An unusually dry March, with those conditions carrying on into April, will be causing headaches for trainers and clerks of courses alike, and it is one reason that we will be seeing the return of Juddmonte's Cosmic Year (GB) (Kingman {GB}) at Kempton instead of in Saturday's G3 Greenham Stakes. The colt's trainer Harry Charlton has taken advantage of the BHA's interactive race programme, which saw the installation of an extra 7f novice contest this Wednesday evening, in order to give the half-brother to former stable star Time Test (GB)...

Fairy Godmother (Ire), who has been off the track since winning the G3 Albany Stakes for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners last June, has been retired from racing following a training setback. The news was first reported by the Irish Field. With entries in the 1,000 Guineas in Britain and Ireland, she had been as short as 6/1 for the Newmarket Classic on May 4. Bred by Paul and Marie McCartan's Ballyphilip Stud, the daughter of Night Of Thunder (Ire) fetched 425,000gns when sold to MV Magnier at Book...

Rising star of the training ranks Ollie Sangster says he is eyeing a tilt at the 1,000 Guineas with Simmering (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and revealed that his chances of bagging a breakthrough success at the highest level this season have been bolstered by the return of 2023 Fillies' Mile runner-up Shuwari (Ire) (New Bay {GB}). Simmering came to the boil with a Group 2 success in the Prix du Calvados at Deauville before confirming herself a genuine top-notcher when chasing home Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the...