Allez France

Those of us most despondent to see the winner of the first leg sitting out the second can console ourselves, precisely on grounds of tradition, that an abbreviated GI Belmont Stakes would never have allowed a "proper" Triple Crown anyway. Even so, with Curlin obviously deploying a rather more important son at Saratoga this weekend, we can be indulged in neglecting his contribution to one of the more intriguing winners of a relatively quiet week. Original Sin is a slower burn than Golden Tempo, but appears to be thriving with...

There is no question that world racing will be all the poorer in 2021 without those marvelous mares, Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). For all of us with a keen interest in breeding, their future careers will be watched with great interest, Enable starting off with a visit to Kingman (GB) and Magical going to Dubawi (Ire). But how have brilliant racemares fared in their second career down through the years? They are certainly a select bunch with only 42 having attained a Timeform mark of...

For Christmas 1973, I received a green sports jersey and a pair of white shorts, a white they'd never be again. We lived in Kilmallock and those were the colours of our county, Limerick. My younger brother was far from as fortunate and less than enamoured with his red and white of Cork, our neighbouring county and foe, just a few miles up the road. I'd also got a book, an annual of the sporting year. It was hardback, thick and as big as me. I was six and, by...