Doncaster

He's back. Godolphin's 2021 Derby and King George hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) enjoyed what was an exercise gallop with prize money at Doncaster on Thursday as he marked his low-key comeback in the 10-furlong Hilton Garden Inn Doncaster Conditions S. with a cruise around Town Moor. Settled last of the trio early by William Buick, the 2-7 favourite moved to Masekela (Ire) (El Kabeir) with ease two out and without any prompting bulldozed that rival by 3 3/4 lengths. "You are always a bit apprehensive after so much time...

Providing a timely boost to Saturday's St Leger protagonist Haskoy (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), George Strawbridge's Mimikyu (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) dominated Thursday's G2 Coral Park Hill Fillies' S. to bring up back-to-back editions of Doncaster's "Fillies' St Leger" for her owner-breeder following the romp of Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) 12 months ago. Only seventh behind that Juddmonte homebred in the Aug. 18 Listed Galtres S. at York, the 13-2 shot was anchored in last early with Frankie Dettori happy to track the every move of Shadwell's 6-4 favourite Eshaada...

There was a surprise in store in Thursday's G2 Cazoo May Hill S. at Doncaster as The Megsons' 21,000gns Book 2 bargain Polly Pott (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) registered a 40-1 success for the soon-to-be-retired Harry Dunlop. In an outcome almost scripted by the racing gods, the winner of nurseries at Nottingham and Salisbury last month burst some bubbles as she swooped from rear under Danny Tudhope. Taking the measure of Novakai (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) from the furlong pole, the bay readily asserted to upstage that rival by 1...

It may be the least lauded of all the British festivals, but Doncaster's St Leger meeting is arguably the most varied with its cherished feature race still held in the highest regard by its many ardent fans. While Town Moor hosted day one of the festival on Wednesday, the relatively low-key action served mainly as a prologue or appetizer to the major upcoming events. Perhaps this week's jewels are the 2-year-old races, which lean more towards next year's Classics than those at Ascot, Newmarket, Goodwood and York and one of...

Godolphin's 2021 G1 Derby and G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) has been entered in the 10-furlong Hilton Garden Inn Conditions S. at Doncaster on Sept. 8. After taking the King George last June, the bay was fourth in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October, and dropped to fifth in Ascot's G1 Champion S. on QIPCO British Champions Day on Oct. 16. The 4-year-old's 2022 campaign has not been straightforward, however. Adayar had been due to make his 2022 bow...

Few, if any, trainers have been in more consistent form this season than William Haggas, who now finds himself atop the table in Britain, with a strike-rate of 27% for the season. His earnings of £4,611,340 at the time of writing place him narrowly ahead of reigning champion Charlie Appleby. Top of the Somerville Lodge list of horses, and the earner of roughly a third of the yard's prize-money this year, is of course arguably the best horse in the world, Baaeed (GB), around whom continues to swirl uncertainty as...

George Boughey is rarely seen without his right-hand man, Sam Haggas, and the pair sat down with Brian Sheerin at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale at Doncaster this week.    From making the Classic breakthrough with Cachet in the 1,000 Guineas, to recruiting Missed The Cut and Inver Park for relatively small money to win at Royal Ascot, Boughey and Haggas provide a fascinating insight to what goes on behind the scenes at one of the most impressive outfits in Britain and Ireland.  Brian Sheerin: I saw this week...

With another 60 yearlings standing out in the field at home in Westmeath, it was important for the team at Tally-Ho to begin the domestic sales season with a bang, and that's exactly what they did in sending out the top lot at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale--the Blandford Bloodstock-bought lot 278, a filly by Night Of Thunder (Ire).  Mark McStay went to £230,000 to secure a colt by the stallion [170] on Tuesday but it was Tally-Ho's first foal out of the five-time winner and listed-placed Thiswaycadeaux (Ire)...

Boardsmill Stud's first-season sire Poet's Word (Ire) (by Poet's Voice {GB}) is off the mark after his daughter Zabbie (GB) took Thursday's William Hill Build Your Odds Racing League Nursery H. at Doncaster. Placed three times before a disappointing ninth in a Southwell maiden July 29, the Richard Hannon-trained 9-1 shot raced towards the fore of the main group uder Sean Levey before earning the lead with half a furlong remaining and beating X J Rascal (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) by a head.

The Sept. 10 G2 Champagne S. is next for the unbeaten Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), according to trainer Brian Meehan. Owned by the Manton Thoroughbreds VII partnership led by Sam Sangster, the chestnut won at Newbury on debut, and followed up in the July 9 G2 Superlative S. If the colt continues to progress, a crack at the G1 2000 Guineas is on the horizon next spring. "We put him in the Champagne S. at Doncaster and that is probably likely to be his next spot," said...

The 433-strong catalogue for the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale at Doncaster is now online. Set for Aug. 23-24 at 10 a.m. each day, the sale has enjoyed a good run of late with its alumni, with G2 Superlative S. hero Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) the latest poster child. The 2021 edition has already yielded 43 winners sold through the ring last year, tops of all juvenile sales up to this point in the season. Some of the highlights include an Al Kazeem (GB) half-brother to Isaac...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features a half-brother to Group 1 winner Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}). 1.42 Newmarket, Mdn, £8,000, 2yo, f, 7fT ZAAKARA (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) represents a rare link-up between Kirsten Rausing and Sir Michael Stoute, but the Freemason Lodge handler was at one time responsible for this debutante's half-brother...