John and Thady Gosden

In one of the very finest of Gold Cups, Scandinavia (Justify) ousted Trawlerman (Golden Horn) to provide a fitting crowning moment for Aidan O'Brien as the Ballydoyle maestro reached 100 Royal Ascot winners. Coming of age in the race that draws unusual sentiment, the 11-8 favourite needed every yard of the two-and-a-half mile trip to wear down the Gosdens' gallant title-holder and for most of it looked unlikely to do so. But, with Ryan Moore at his formidable best, Scandinavia got it done very late to add suitable drama and...

The money spoke for Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) ahead of Wednesday's G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes and by the line the 11-10 odds were looking generous as the Godolphin kingpin romped to glory. Becoming the first to win more than one of this Royal Ascot feature since it was turned into an elite contest, the market-leader turned what had been long touted as a match with Daryz (Sea The Stars) into a one-sided affair with a four-length success. Last year's Arc winner failed to see off the Arc runner-up Minnie...

Coming back from a break under a penalty, Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) would have been forgiven an honourable defeat in Thursday's G3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes but duly showed his class to land the spoils ahead of his big test at Royal Ascot. Runner-up in this to Almaqam 12 months ago, the John and Thady Gosden-trained triple Group 1 winner was 2-5 to deliver and after a tussle with the progressive Gethin (Ghaiyyath) had a neck to spare at the line. There was another three-length margin back to Almeric (Study Of Man)...

George Strawbridge's Water To Wine (Kingman) had impressed on debut at Newbury last month and came back from a minor setback to continue his march towards Royal Ascot on Wednesday. Sent off the 1-12 favourite for the 11-furlong novice on Kempton's Polytrack, the John and Thady Gosden-trained blueblood sauntered along on the front end under Ryan Moore and when wound up in the straight opened up to score by 11 lengths. Connections had stated beforehand that the winner would likely tackle the G2 King Edward VII Stakes next month. "He's...

Water To Wine and Saxon Street are both headed to Royal Ascot, according to co-trainer John Gosden, who spoke during Epsom's pre-Derby Festival gallops morning. The duo are likely for the G2 King Edward VII Stakes, also known as the Ascot Derby. The latter, a Marcstown-owned son of Saxon Warrior, won the Listed Blue Riband Trial Stakes in April. He ran third in the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood on May 23. Gosden, who trains with his son Thady, said, "Saxon Street is Ascot-bound, I think and I've learned...

A Tuesday inspection of Haydock Park's inner course found the surface unsuitable for racing and the May 29-30 cards have been abandoned, the racecourse announced on social media. During Saturday's G2 Temple Stakes card, John and Thady Gosden's Friendly Soul (Kingman) took a false step on the inner course in the day's first race, the Listed William Hill Epic Boost British EBF Hedge Of Oak Stakes. A trio of inner course races were abandoned as a result. A statement posted on X read, "Fixtures scheduled to take place on Friday...

Former G1 Betfred Oaks favourite I'm The One (Sea The Stars) will not compete in the Epsom Classic, according to John and Thady Gosden. The Cayton Park Stud colourbearer won her Newbury debut and was second in the Listed Cheshire Oaks to the Coolmore partners' Amelia Earhart (Camelot) earlier this month. John Gosden said of the 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', "I spoke to the owner this morning. We're a little bit unhappy, just a little bit concerned about her since the race and it just hasn't come right....

From the immediate family of Frankel, Juddmonte's Legacy Link (Dubawi) put herself in the Oaks picture in Wednesday's G3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York. Not seen since finishing fourth in the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket in October, the John and Thady Gosden-trained granddaughter of Kind travelled smoothly tracking the front pair early. Committed three out by Colin Keane, the 6-4 favourite was joined soon after and headed by Felicitas (Teofilo) but battled to regain the advantage and forge ahead for a 3/4-of-a-length success. The Aykroyds' K Sarra (New Bay) was a further...

Field Of Gold is set to be reassessed in the next few days as he continues his recovery from the bacterial infection that ruled him out of Saturday's G1 Lockinge Stakes, with Barry Mahon, Juddmonte's European racing manager, adding that "it could be tight enough" for the son of Kingman to make Royal Ascot. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Field Of Gold was a dual Group 1 winner last year, having followed a runner-up finish in the 2,000 Guineas with impressive victories in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St...

Saxon Street's sire Saxon Warrior failed to handle Epsom's unique terrain when losing out in the 2018 Derby, but it proved no problem for him as he gained an automatic entry to the main event in Tuesday's Listed Blue Riband Trial Stakes. Seen only once last term when belying greenness to win over a mile at Chelmsford just before Christmas, Marcstown's €170,000 Goffs Orby Book 1 purchase from the family of Shraaoh (Sea The Stars) was happy to track the leaders early under William Buick. Tackling Ballydoyle's ultimately disappointing 4-5...

She may have had very little to beat, but Anthony Oppenheimer's Brilliant Star (Cracksman) did it in style to break her maiden at Yarmouth. Sent off the 2-9 favourite for the extended 11-furlong novice, the daughter of the Irish Oaks, British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes and Prix Vermeille heroine Star Catcher (Sea The Stars) cracked 12 seconds for each of her last four furlongs for an impressive 10-length success in track record time. "She was always going to improve from two to three, but I don't think she's beaten a...

Whether the Classic picture is any clearer this week than last is debatable but what the last seven days have brought us is some truly impressive performances to savour. And it is hard to pick just one, though it has to be said that Portcullis's Wood Ditton run was visually the most spectacular for all that you could see the colt learning with every stride he took, from being left at the start, to bounding through then clear of his rivals.  His maiden success for the King and Queen played...