Epsom Downs

Shapoor Mistry's Thundering On (Frankel) has been rated 124 by Timeform for her G1 Betfred Oaks victory on Friday. The rating is on par with 2004 Oaks heroine Ouija Board (Cape Cross), with only Enable (Nathaniel) and Sariska (Pivotal)--both rated 125--rated higher this century. Timeform's Rory King, said, "We're in a high-class era of middle-distance horses in Europe, and Thundering On has put herself on the fringes of the top echelon of them with her really impressive success in the Betfred Oaks. "It's possible to pick holes in the form,...

Aidan O'Brien holds a strong hand for Friday's G1 Betfred Oaks, as Precise (Starspangledbanner) and Amelia Earhart (Camelot) are two of a dozen fillies remaining at the latest entry stage. Besides the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine and the Listed Chesire Oaks victress, O'Brien also fields Lingfield trial winner Cameo (Wootton Bassett), Beautify (Wootton Bassett), and Sugar Island (Dubawi). John and Thady Gosden will saddle G3 Musidora Stakes scorer Legacy Link (Dubawi). Gosden senior said on Saturday, "They're a good bunch of fillies and it looks like it's an exciting...

The meeting originally scheduled for Epsom Downs on April 21 has been moved to April 28 due to an ongoing issue with the irrigation system. The Listed Betfred Blue Riband Trial remains the feature race of the day. A burst in the irrigation system was discovered, and, as a result, watering has not taken place on the course since Monday, April 13. A solution which would have allowed for watering to recommence on Sunday (19th) in time for racing has met with a technical issue and it is not expected...

Cygames will sponsor the Listed Surrey Stakes during the 2026 Betfred Derby Festival at Epsom Downs, marking the Japanese-based company's first sponsorship agreement in the United Kingdom. The sponsorship sees Cygames further expand its international racing portfolio, having already sponsored Group 1 races in France and America. The Cygames Surrey Stakes will be run on Friday, June 5, the first day of the Betfred Derby Festival. Matthew Woolston, Assistant Racing and International Director at The Jockey Club, said, "The Jockey Club are delighted to play our part in the long...

The Jockey Club, the largest commercial group in British horseracing, has agreed an exclusive new 20-year deal with Levy, the sports and entertainment division of Compass Group UK & Ireland. The partnership will enable The Jockey Club to make a capital investment of £100 million to revolutionise the spectator experience across its UK racecourses, funded by a payment from Compass as part of the new deal. The Jockey Club's investment plans include a significant revamp of the main entrance to Epsom Downs Racecourse, home to the Betfred Derby Festival. A...

A contingent of U.S. racing investigators will take part in an intensive two-week tour of France and England beginning June 21 where they will visit their counterparts and exchange ideas about integrity issues. The inaugural trip last year included stops at Ballydoyle in Ireland and during Royal Ascot. The participants are members of the Organization of Racing Investigators and the schedule was put together by board member Jason Klouser of the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission, who will lead the group. Local hosts Samuel Fargeat in France and John Burgess...

The unbeaten Midak will represent the Aga Khan Studs in the G1 Betfred Derby on Saturday, June 7, after connections announced he would be supplemented for the Epsom feature. This year's edition of the race will be run in memory of the late His Highness Aga Khan IV. A homebred, the son of Footstepsinthesand won a maiden on the all-weather at first asking in March and prevailed over turf a month later in a conditions affair both over 2200 metres. He ran out a 2 1/2-length winner of the G3...

A total of 25 colts remain in the June 7 £1.5-million G1 Betfred Derby (In Honour of His Highness Aga Khan IV) at the latest scratching stage. Part of a seven-strong Irish-trained contingent is The Lion In Winter (Sea The Stars), who is still the narrow 5-2 favourite, for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners, despite running sixth in the G2 Dante Stakes behind 4-1 chance Pride Of Arras (New Bay), who is trained by Ralph Beckett. Other colts carrying the Coolmore partners' colours include G3 Leopardstown's G3 Derby Trial...

An injunction prohibiting acts of intentional disruption at The Jockey Club's Epsom Downs Racecourse has been extended an additional five years by a High Court judge, TJC announced on Wednesday. The injunction will be subject to an annual review. The original injunction was put in place in May of last year when protesters from Animal Rising made it clear that they planned to breach course security and stage a disruptive protest at the Derby Festival. Judge Sir Anthony Mann has ruled that the final injunction--sought by TJC to restrain acts...

In it seems no time at all, Coolmore's big horse City Of Troy (Justify) has gone from "our Frankel" to a colt carrying a huge symbolic question mark over a head that appeared poised to carry racing's crown. There have been few greater anti-climaxes in the history of Ballydoyle than that which accompanied his abject 2,000 Guineas performance and, following the roller-coaster experience of last year's Derby, we are unexpectedly back in familiar territory. What occurred at Epsom last June was heralded as a feat of training without equal as...

Following Monday's confirmation stage, there remains the possibility of a maximum field going to post for Saturday's G1 Betfred Derby at Epsom, with City Of Troy (Justify) the standout name among 20 colts still in contention for the Classic. Unbeaten in three starts as a two-year-old, City Of Troy is a short-priced favourite to provide trainer Aidan O'Brien with a record-extending tenth success in the Derby, despite disappointing on his return to action in the G1 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. O'Brien could field up to six runners at Epsom, with...

EPSOM, UK -- Some may not find an overcast morning in the middle of a deserted racecourse all that exciting but more fool them. Because all around the Epsom Downs the small temporary village that by this time next Friday will constitute the base for the Betfred Derby Festival is gradually being constructed and the sense of occasion is rising.  But of course there's no Derby without horses, and four potential contenders for the race that remains the highlight of every Flat season gained an early sighter of the course...