Inisherin (GB)

Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal), an impressive winner of last month's G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, and last year's unbeaten two-year-old Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) head the sponsor's ante-post betting for the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes at Haydock on Saturday, September 7, with both horses featuring in a list of 35 as the first entries were released on Tuesday. Barry Orr, head of racing PR at Betfair, said, "This is a top list of entries, although there is a lot of water to pass under the sprinting bridge between...

It remains all systems go for the rematch between Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal) and Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) after both horses featured among 13 confirmations for Saturday's G1 My Pension Expert July Cup at Newmarket. Inisherin was an emphatic winner when the pair met in the G2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock in May and Kevin Ryan's colt followed that effort with another top-class performance when also winning the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last time. He is a general 7-4 favourite to confirm himself the outstanding sprinter in...

Royal Ascot winners Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal) and English Oak (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) both feature prominently in the betting for the G1 My Pension Expert July Cup after the latest entries were released on Tuesday. A total of 23 horses remain in contention for the first big clash of the generations at the six-furlong trip, which will be run at Newmarket on Saturday, July 13 and offers total prize-money of £600,000. Inisherin ran out a dominant winner of the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, having been sent off a...

Emerging from the 2,000 Guineas to take the crown as Sprint King, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal) put genuine star quality into a division that badly needed it when dominating Friday's G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. Doubts as to whether the long-striding homebred could adapt to this speed test on fast summer ground were instantly dispelled as he moved so comfortably near the front under Tom Eaves. Allowed to coast to the lead two out, the 9-4 favourite, who could be the best that Kevin Ryan...

If Tuesday's St James's Palace Stakes was a blockbuster, Friday's G1 Coronation Stakes offers just as much intrigue with the 1,000 Guineas winner Elmalka (GB) (Kingman {GB}) joined by the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Rouhiya (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and one who just might have won either had the fates not intervened. Following her scintillating display in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day, Ballydoyle's Opera Singer (Justify) looked the one to beat in the Newmarket Classic but a training setback meant that she missed the...

If you believe that Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is the best stayer to emerge from Ballydoyle since Yeats (Ire), then it could be said that all those that lined up for last year's G1 Gold Cup in his absence were granted a stay of execution. Back to Royal Ascot on Thursday with his severe injury woes behind him, the latest sakura from the ever-flourishing branch of one of Moyglare's great trees is one of the week's major stories. Aidan O'Brien described ahead of last year's G1 Irish St Leger bid...

Wednesday saw the draw made for Friday's two group 1 contests at Royal Ascot, with the 10 fillies set to contest the Coronation S. headed by Ballydoyle's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Opera Singer (Justify) and Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's 1,000 Guineas heroine Elmalka (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Opera Singer, who was returning from a setback when third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, has drawn an outside stall in nine for the mile feature while the Roger Varian-trained Newmarket Classic heroine is in seven. James Doyle takes over from Silvestre De...

Group 2 winner Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal) will be supplemented at a cost of £46,000 to the G1 Commonwealth Cup on Saturday, trainer Kevin Ryan has confirmed. The G2 Sandy Lane S. hero, who races for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, has won half of his four starts. He was a solid sixth in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas in May, prior to his Sandy Lane victory. "He is in good form," said Ryan. "He runs in the Commonwealth Cup." The colt will square off with dual Group 1 winner and...

Bouncing out of an increasingly-strong looking edition of the 2,000 Guineas, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal--Ajman Princess {Ire}, by Teofilo {Ire}) converted instantly and successfully to leading sprinter of his generation by taking Haydock's G2 Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Sandy Lane S. on Saturday. Producing sensational splits when beating the smart filly Kalpana (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}) in a mile novice at Newcastle in March before acquitting himself with credit when sixth in the Newmarket Classic three weeks ago, the Kevin Ryan-trained blueblood travelled strongly...

The unbeaten Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) features among 11 entries for Saturday's G2 Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Sandy Lane S. at Haydock. Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, Vandeek proved himself a high-class sprinting two-year-old in 2023 when he signed off with back-to-back Group 1 victories in the Prix Morny at Deauville and Middle Park S. at Newmarket. Already a short-priced favourite for next month's G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, Vandeek is set to warm up for that assignment on Merseyside this weekend, with Chris Wall, racing...

Adam Houghton picks out 10 once-raced three-year-olds with the potential to make an impact in Pattern races in 2024. INISHERIN (GB), c, 3, by Shamardal 1st Dam: Ajman Princess (Ire), by Teofilo (Ire) 2nd Dam: Reem Three (GB), by Mark Of Esteem (Ire) 3rd Dam: Jumaireyah (GB), by Fairy King Owner: Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum Breeder: Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum Trainer: Kevin Ryan Bred by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, Inisherin is the second foal out of the G1 Prix Jean Romanet winner Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), one of...

Adam Ryan, who assists his father Kevin at their Hambleton Lodge yard in Thirsk, has high hopes for Shamardal colt Inisherin and a rising star on the pony racing circuit. Proudest moment of 2023? Triple Time (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) winning the Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot. He was a horse who we'd always held in the highest regard and it was a proud achievement to not only achieve a Group 1 win but to do it on the biggest stage. He also went straight there without a run and...