Haydock

Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), a dual Group 1-winning sprinter in the colours of Hughes, Rawlings, and O'Shaughnessy, will shortly begin his fast work in preparation for the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on Sept. 9. Trained by Julie Camacho, the 3-year-old is eight-for-seven and claimed both the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and the G1 July Cup S. in July. "Shaquille is in really good form," said Camacho's husband and assistant Steve Brown. "We purposely gave him a quiet couple of weeks after Newmarket which was always...

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. Thursday's Observations features a grandson of King (Ire) (Danehill). 18.05 Newbury, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, c/g, 6fT ARRAY (IRE) (No Nay Never) wins the award for the day's best-bred newcomer, being the sixth foal out of Juddmonte's prized mare Joyeuse (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who shares her famed dam Kind...

There must be something in the air at Haydock this month as Opulence Thoroughbreds and Teme Valley's newcomer Purosangue (GB) (Aclaim {Ire}--Avon Breeze {GB}, by Avonbridge {GB}) became the second TDN Rising Star on Thursday's evening fixture and the third in the last three meetings at the Merseyside venue. Unleashed by Andrew Balding having brought enough attention at April's Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale to fetch £125,000, the 5-1 shot proved a handful for Ray Dawson going to post and in the early stages before establishing a lead before halfway in...

Hot property at 1-3 for Thursday's Broad Oak Fillies' Novice S. at Haydock, Godolphin's Star Of Mystery (GB) (Kodiac {GB}--Mistrusting {Ire}, by Shamardal) made even those odds look generous as she registered a TDN Rising Star performance when breaking her maiden by 11 lengths. Having met a potentially top-class peer in the Crisfords' Carla's Way (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) on debut over nearly 6 1/2-furlongs at Doncaster 12 days previously, the Charlie Appleby-trained half-sister to Dark Angel's GI Summer S. winner Mysterious Night (Ire) and GI Just a Game S. and...

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. Friday's Observations features an auction star by Dubawi (Ire). 20.25 Haydock, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, 6f 212yT ANCIENT WISDOM (FR) (Dubawi {Ire}) caused a stir at last year's Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale when selling for €2 million and ending the auction as the second-highest-priced lot. Charlie Appleby has charge...

One of the premier sprints on the calendar, Haydock's G2 Betfred Temple S. went to the Clipper Logistics-owned Dramatised (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}--Katie's Diamond {Fr}, by Turtle Bowl {Ire}), who was just ahead of Equilateral (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) at the line. The 4-1 crowd's pick received weight from each of her rivals, and the in-form William Buick kept his filly within shouting distance of the vanguard, as Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) set the pace from the bell. Travelling well into the race, the 'TDN Rising Star'...

Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Westerberg's Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never--Adventure Seeker {Fr}, by Bering {GB}) overraced and encountered a rough journey when well back in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at the beginning of the month, but on livelier ground over Haydock's straight course, the even-money favourite ran out an open-length winner of the one-mile G2 Betfred Nifty Fifty Sandy Lane S. on Saturday. Always forwardly placed against the fence as last year's G2 Coventry S. hero and G3 Commonwealth Cup Trial S. third...

Six meetings have been confirmed for the 2023 Sky Bet Sunday Series (SBSS), Sky Bet announced on Wednesday. Worth £1.2 million, the series is an industry-wide collaboration between ITV, Racecourse Media Group, and Sky Betting and Gaming, which will showcase the sport in a Sunday twilight slot on terrestrial television during the summer. The schedule for the 2023 Sky Bet Sunday Series is as follows: Musselburgh, Apr. 30 Hamilton, May 14 Beverley, June 11 Pontefract, June 25 Haydock, Aug. 6 Sandown, Aug. 20 Steve Birch, Sky Betting & Gaming CCO...

1.30 Haydock, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, f, 7f 212yT CHERRY (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the first foal out of the G2 Ribblesdale S. runner-up Mori (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who debuts for Juddmonte and Ralph Beckett stable. A granddaughter of the celebrated Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), the February-foaled bay is met by fellow newcomer Eastern Empress (GB) (Dubawi {Ire), Denford Stud's granddaughter of Last Second (Ire) (Alzao) who represents the John and Thady Gosden stable.

Haydock missed the rain on Friday night and Saturday and so the depleted line-up for the feature G1 Betfair Sprint Cup needed a stimulant. It got that and then some in the form of Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who came to the fore in scintillating fashion to become yet another in a long line of star sprinters operating in the Shadwell livery. Looking ready for this career-defining moment when storming to success in Newbury's G3 Hackwood S. on a similarly fast surface over this six-furlong trip July 16, the 7-2...

   Sent off at 1-3 to extend his winning sequence in Saturday's Listed Ascendant S. at Haydock, Naval Power (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) overcame some trouble in running to add to Charlie Appleby's enviable recent tally in juvenile black-type races. With the stable dominant in the G2 Gimcrack S., Listed Stonehenge S., G3 Solario S. and G3 Prestige S. in the past fortnight and soon to garner the G3 Sirenia S. later in the afternoon, any other result than an easy success for the 6 1/2-length Listed Pat Eddery S. winner...

Britain's prolonged dry spell could be about to end on Saturday, with various connections either beckoning the rain gods or praying the wet stays away for another action-packed afternoon. Haydock's G1 Betfair Sprint Cup has often been played out on rain-softened conditions in the past and, given the time of year it is staged, some give underfoot is to be expected but whether there will be enough moisture to alter the current quick ground remains to be seen. One who has proven form on all types of going is Shadwell's...