Item

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...

Juddmonte's Item has been rated 117p by Timeform for his York heroics. The son of Frankel won the G2 Dante Stakes earlier this week. He is rated one pound below G1 Betfred Derby rival and G3 Chester Vase hero Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel). Below the top two are Listed Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes one-two Maltese Cross (Sea The Stars) and Bay Of Brilliance (New Bay). Timeform's senior analyst Rory King said, "Item's success in the Dante means he'll head to the Derby, trailing only Benvenuto Cellini in the ratings, with the...

The prospect of testing conditions for Saturday's William Hill Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster could scupper plans for two of the four entries not trained by Aidan O'Brien, including the Andrew Balding trainee Item, who is set to bypass the final Group 1 of the British Flat season if the ground is heavy. The son of Frankel is unbeaten in two starts to date, having followed up his debut victory at Kempton with a dominant performance at Bath last time, drawing right away in the final furlong to win by...

Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel) is one of nine Aidan O'Brien-trained colts to stand his ground for the G1 William Hill Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster on Saturday. The impressive Killarney winner went on to take the G2 Champions Juvenile Stakes. Other entrants hailing from Ballydoyle include G3 Zetland Stakes hero Pierre Bonnard (Camelot), the group-placed Action (Frankel), the stakes-placed Frescobaldi (No Nay Never), G2 Beresford Stakes winner Hawk Mountain (Wootton Bassett), New Zealand (Frankel), G3 Killavullan Stakes victor Dorset (Wootton Bassett), Piazza San Marco (St Mark's Basilica), and G3 Eyrefield Stakes...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features a Godolphin newcomer. 19.00 Kempton, £11,000, Mdn, 2yo, 7f (AWT) Godolphin's €650,000 Arqana May Breeze-Up purchase DEVON ISLAND (Practical Joke), from the family of G1 Middle Park and G1 Dewhurst runner-up Green Perfume (Naevus), encounters 11 rivals in this debut for the Charlie Appleby stable. They...