Derby

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 the Derby they may have felt pretty icy, too, but sensibly they were watching from afar in the warmer climes of Mallorca.  To the suggestion that he doesn't let himself get carried away by too...

William Haggas is weighing up an Irish Derby tilt with Maltese Cross but admitted a trip to France might be more likely for his Betfred Derby runner-up. The son of Sea The Stars was attempting to give the Somerville Lodge handler a second Derby victory on the 30th anniversary of his first ever runner in the race, Shaamit. There was to be no fitting fairytale on a wet and gloomy afternoon on the Surrey Downs, but Maltese Cross fought valiantly for the silver medal behind Aidan O'Brien's Christmas Day to...

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 their origins representing the broad spectrum, from a homebred for one-mare owner Jennifer Dorey to four colts representing the most powerful bloodstock operation in the world, Coolmore. Ten of them were sold either as a...

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 home" the day that Shaamit won the Derby for his parents William and Maureen 30 years ago. He plays a different role these days, as the buyer of his father's fifth Derby runner and racing...

Two special guests will make the pilgrimage to Epsom this weekend to mark the 150th anniversary of the Derby victory of the Hungarian-bred Kisber, a sporting achievement still lauded in the country of his birth. Andras Krebs, the deputy director of Kincsem Park racecourse in Budapest, will attend this year's Derby with his wife Linda, bringing with them commemorative coins of Kisber's great win, which will also be given as prizes for this year's Hungarian Derby. In what was an extraordinary era for Hungarian racing, Kisber was foaled the year...

Aidan O'Brien's seven-strong Betfred Derby team is headed by Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel) as 17 horses were left standing for the Epsom Classic at the latest forfeit stage on Monday. It was Dee Stakes winner Constitution River that led home an O'Brien-trained one-two-three in the French Derby at Chantilly on Sunday. Fellow Chester scorer Benvenuto Cellini is joined by Pierre Bonnard (Camelot), Action (Frankel), Causeway (Wootton Bassett), Endorsement (Wootton Bassett), Christmas Day (Camelot) and Proposition (Frankel) at the five-day stage. Although holding an exceptional hand once again in a race he...

His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen will attend Betfred Derby Day at Epsom Downs, the Jockey Club has revealed.   Their Majesties are joint Patrons of The Jockey Club, which owns and runs Epsom Downs Racecourse. Both Their Majesties are Honorary Members of The Jockey Club and became the organisation's joint Patrons in May 2024, succeeding Queen Elizabeth II who was Patron for 68 years, from 1954 until her death in September 2022.  Jim Allen, General Manager of Epsom Downs Racecourse, said, "We are honoured and thrilled that...

During the 2023 foaling season, Donamire Farm welcomed a group of nine foals. Among that foal crop were four colts sired by Constitution, Beau Liam, Dialed In and Blame. For the first time since their early days growing up in the field together, three of the four colts born that year—now known as Chief Wallabee (Constitution), Crude Velocity (Beau Liam), and Trouble Calling (Dialed In)—will have a 'reunion' Saturday, May 2 under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs. 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Chief Wallabee, runner-up in the GII...

Year in, year out we can appreciate the best horses of each generation but how often are we granted the privilege to witness one whose talent is so immense that his name will echo down the decades?  Those who made their way to Newmarket's traditional opening meeting 40 years ago likely came away with a favourable impression of Dancing Brave's win in the Craven Stakes but they could hardly have dared to dream of what was to come. For Guy Harwood, however, that dream was already alive, even on that...

Turbulente was a prophetic winner at Chantilly on Friday considering the events that would transpire less than 24 hours later across the Middle East. The Wertheimer-bred daughter of Australia from the family of a horse whose greatest exploits came in Australia - Americain (Dynaformer) - looks one to follow as the French Classic trials come around.  Super Saturday went ahead in Dubai amid early rounds of missile strikes and interceptions across the region as American and Israeli troops struck Iran and the inevitable retaliation ensued. Sheikh Mohammed demonstrated his own...

Following the publication of the entries on Tuesday, ante-post favourite Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) is among 88 colts in contention for the Betfred Derby, which takes place at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 6 and offers record prize-money of £2 million in 2026. Pierre Bonnard, who was last seen winning October's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud, features in a bumper list of 24 entries for Aidan O'Brien, the most successful trainer in the history of the Classic with 11 wins. The Ballydoyle contingent also includes the first three from last year's G1...

As old-fashioned as it may now seem, in this small corner of the bloodstock world a strong personal preference it still held for the Derby above all races. And by that, of course, we are talking about the original version, at Epsom, with that piece of wood at the end of the unique mile-and-a-half challenge which was made famous in a quote from the revered breeder Federico Tesio.  We can't all agree on everything though, can we? That would just be dull. But beyond the stifling and shouty sphere of...