John and Thady Gosden
Frankie Dettori could afford to be at his showboating best at Newbury on Saturday, with TDN Rising Star Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in imperious mood as he gave his evergreen rider the ideal big-race thrill in the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. Hot property as the 1-2 favourite following his eight-length comeback success in the Apr. 23 G2 Sandown Mile, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's G1 St James's Palace S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois hero travelled typically smoothly in the early stages despite ending up towards...
Friday's Betfair Novice S. at Newmarket looked a strong heat on paper, but Juddmonte's Derab (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) turned the mile contest into a procession as he registered a 6 1/2-length success in the style almost demanded of a half-brother to Clarehaven's stellar Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). Just over an hour after the filly that beat him at Newbury last time, Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}), had proven such a disappointment at York the John and Thady Gosden-trained homebred was intent only on moving forward at a rate...
Bjorn Nielsen's triple G1 Gold Cup hero Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) halted the longest losing streak of his career with a first success in Wednesday's G3 Longines Sagaro S. tackling two miles of his favoured Ascot stomping ground. Backing up another Royal triumph by snaffling a fourth G1 Goodwood Cup in July, the homebred chestnut was edged out by ill-fated G1 Epsom Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in ParisLongchamp's G2 Prix Foy in September and was not disgraced when seventh back over the same course...
Following the exploits of stablemate Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) on Friday, the onus is on Clarehaven's longer-standing cult hero Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) to maintain the momentum for John and Thady Gosden in Wednesday's G3 Longines Sagaro S. at Ascot. Out earlier this year with some excess weight to shed ahead of his bid for a dream fourth G1 Gold Cup at the Royal meeting, the 7-year-old will be a warm order back in his favoured arena despite his 2020 campaign tailing off with a disappointing...
Sandown played host to the TDN Rising Star Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) on Friday and Clarehaven's heir apparent did not disappoint on his return in the G2 bet365 Mile. Still an unknown quantity despite wins in the G1 St James's Palace S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois last term, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's 4-11 favourite who signed off 2020 with a third in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot shadowed Shadwell's well-regarded Khuzaam (Kitten's Joy) throughout the early stages. Left in front passing three...
It has taken longer than initially expected, but Waldkonig (GB) (Kingman {GB}) finally got his Pattern-race win at the right end of his 4-year-old campaign in Friday's G3 Gordon Richards S. at Sandown. Labelled a TDN Rising Star at two, Gestut Ammerland and Newsells Park Stud's half-brother to Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) was winning for the first time subsequently in a handicap over this 10-furlong trip at Pontefract Apr. 6 and it was significant that he attracted support into 6-4 favouritism despite this looking competitive. Ridden up with the pace...
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. Today's Observations features the highly anticipated debut of Frankel's full-sister. 4.10 Sandown, Novice, £8,050, 3yo, f, 9f 209yT CHIASMA (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is the seventh foal out of Kind (Ire) (Danehill), making her a full-sister to the remarkable Frankel (GB) and to his G1 Champion S.-winning sibling Noble Mission...
Arguably the most exciting older horse in training in Europe sets out on his keenly-anticipated 4-year-old campaign on Friday, as 'TDN Rising Star' Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) takes in the G2 Sandown Mile. Escaping a penalty with his brace of Group 1 wins in the St James's Palace S. and Prix Jacques le Marois coming before the end of August, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's still-unexposed bay had excuses when bogged down in Ascot's testing conditions but still managed a respectable third in the G1 Queen Elizabeth...
Jockey Rob Havlin was banned for three weeks by the Lingfield stewards after finishing second aboard John and Thady Gosden's 16-1 second string Stowell (GB) (Zoffany {Ire}) on Wednesday evening. The Sky Sports Racing HD Virgin 535 Novice S. was won by fellow Gosden trainee Polling Day (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) with Frankie Dettori in the irons as the 2-9 crowd's pick. Havlin's mount met with some traffic throughout the race, but was making up ground while under a conservative ride to miss by a head. There was a...
Champion stayer Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will make his 2021 racecourse bow in the G3 Sagaro S. on Apr. 28, the Racing Post reported on Tuesday. The accomplished stayer captured the G1 Gold Cup on June 18 and July 28 G1 Goodwood Cup and ran second in the G2 Prix Foy in September. Cutting back to 1 ½ miles for the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the chestnut entire reported home seventh and was an uncharacteristic 12th in the G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup on Oct....
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 a full-sister to Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). 4.00 Newbury, Mdn, £8,050, 3yo, f, 10fT DARLECTABLE YOU (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) bids to build on her debut second on Newcastle's Tapeta at the start of December and uphold family honour as the seventh foal out of...
When we wrapped up last Flat season, the lofty assumption was that by the start of this new one we would be back to some semblance of normality. How wrong could we have been? After a brutal winter, the pandemic is only now easing to the point where a limited number of owners were permitted to attend racecourses in England and Scotland from yesterday (Monday). There are not too many areas within racing in which Britain is ahead of Ireland or France—witness the Irish domination of the Cheltenham Festival and...