Jason Watson

Balding Dynasty Lands Another Derby Italiano with St Mark's Basilica's Venetian Prince

Forty-five years on from the success of the Ian Balding-trained Glint Of Gold in the Paul Mellon silks forever synonymous with Mill Reef, Andrew Balding emulated his late father at Milan's San Siro Racetrack on Tuesday as the blue-blooded Venetian Prince (St Mark's Basilica) emerged victorious in a pulsating finish to the G2 143rd Derby Italiano. German challenger Salitos (In Swoop) and last month's G3 Premio Parioli (Italian 2,000 Guineas) hero Grand Son Of Dark (Dark Angel), bidding to keep the prize on home soil, looked to have the race...

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'The Old Man Will Be Looking Down': Hills Basks In QEII Win Of 100-1 Shot Cicero's Gift

Adding another bizarre twist to the 2025 Qipco British Champions Day, the 100-1 shot Cicero's Gift (Muhaarar) swooped under Jason Watson to conquer for the sport's revered Hills family in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Not really in the vicinity of the best of these on form, Rosehill Racing's gelding outstayed The Lion In Winter (Sea The Stars) in the final furlong to register the second of the card's major upsets by 1 1/4 lengths. Alakazi (Footstepsinthesand) was a neck away in third as the big favourites all failed...

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Latest TDN Rising Star for Dubawi as Formal Dazzles at Newbury

Simply a nice introduction and a placing would have been encouraging for Cheveley Park Stud as they unveiled their unraced homebred Formal (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in Newbury's seven-furlong maiden on Thursday evening, so an impressive win for the first foal out of their G1 Falmouth Stakes heroine Veracious (GB) (Frankel {GB}) made her instant TDN Rising Star material. Restrained initially by Jason Watson to race behind the leaders, the 6-1 shot was delivered to swamp Juddmonte's experienced 8-15 favourite Glistening (GB) (Frankel {GB}) without being asked a serious question at...

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Lord Glitters Lunges Late For International Glory

By Emma Berry SAKHIR, Bahrain--He's been a star of Royal Ascot and a star of Meydan, and on Bahrain's biggest race day the charismatic Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) triumphed once more, snatching the G3 Bahrain International Trophy from the Godolphin duo of Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) and Magny Cours (Medaglia d'Oro) with a perfectly timed late run.  His trainer David O'Meara had warned earlier in the week that his 8-year-old stable star comes alive in the heat of the Middle East and under an excellent ground-saving ride from Jason...

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