Kempton

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...

7.00 Kempton, Novice, 3-5yo, f/m, 10f 219y (AWT) BRILLIANT STAR (GB) (Cracksman {GB}) was engaged in the afternoon's Cheshire Oaks, but understandably the Gosdens prefer to spare her a clash with their exciting I'm The One and head here for an easy target. Successful by 10 lengths at Yarmouth last month, Anthony Oppenheimer's daughter of his Irish Oaks, Prix Vermeille and British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes heroine Star Catcher (Sea The Stars) should have too much class for her seven rivals here.

One of Charlie Appleby's quartet of 2,000 Guineas entries, King's Trail (Sea The Stars) put his hand up for consideration with a smooth win in Saturday's conditions event at Kempton. Off the mark over the same course and mile trip on debut in December, the 4-7 favourite was positioned off the early speed by Billy Loughnane and when given the command brushed aside the similarly unexposed Conclave (Sioux Nation) to score by a length. This race used to hold Listed status when it was the Easter Stakes, a recognised 2,000...

Big-time Brit Constitution Hill drew the crowds to Kempton on Wednesday evening and left them thoroughly satisfied with another easy win on his Flat renaissance. Coming off a moderate pace to overwhelm the unexposed Andrew Balding-trained Classical Allusion (Ulysses) a furlong out, the 1-7 favourite made the winning distance two lengths at the line. Ryan Moore was impressed. "He's a gentleman," he said of the nine-year-old who bar jumping frailties would by now have been a legend in the other sphere. "He moved well and I think there's a bit...

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 former star hurdler Constitution Hill. 7.30 Kempton, Cond, 4yo/up, 12f 219y (AWT) CONSTITUTION HILL (GB) (Blue Bresil {Fr}) continues his late-career Flat odyssey in this eight-runner affair with barely any meaningful competition if he is to repeat his antics at Southwell last month. One of the...

Following in the steps of Notable Speech (Dubawi) and Opera Ballo (Ghaiyyath), Godolphin's Hidden Force (Frankel) lived up to expectations in providing Charlie Appleby with a third straight "European Road To The Kentucky Derby" Conditions Stakes at Kempton on Wednesday. Languid out of the stalls, the chestnut who had won on debut over here in December was allowed to saunter behind his three rivals throughout the early stages before being cajoled upsides soon into the straight. In front a furlong from home, the 1-4 favourite dismissed Venetian Prince (St Mark's Basilica)...

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 relative of Thunder Snow. 7.10 Kempton, Cond, 3yo, 8f (AWT) HIDDEN FORCE (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is the chosen one from Charlie Appleby's armada for this important "European Road To The Kentucky Derby" Conditions Stakes won in the last two years by the stable's future stars...

Winter Watch returns from a brief hiatus to recap some of the key action that you might have missed during what always feels like the longest month of the year. In truth, if there was ever a good time for this column to take a break, then January was probably it, with several of the biggest trainers in the sport having essentially shut up shop during the first few weeks of the new year. John and Thady Gosden, for example, followed a hugely successful December (10 winners from 24 runners)...

Wednesday, Kempton, post time: 18:10, THE UNIBET WILD FLOWER STAKES-Listed, £50,000, 3yo/up, 11f 219y (AWT) Field: Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}), Shader (GB) (Shamardal), Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), Claymore (Fr) (New Bay {GB}), Lion City (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), West Wind Blows (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). TDN Analysis: Dubai Honour prepares for another journey to Australia and the four-time Group 1 winner probably only needs a repeat of his defeat of Juddmonte's Shader in last month's Listed Churchill Stakes to make it career success number 11. Ancient Wisdom is...

As the betting suggested, Kempton's mile novice on Wednesday evening was not supposed to present a serious test to Godolphin's Nation's Hope (Ghaiyyath) and that proved to be the case. Sent off at 1-16 having earned TDN Rising Star status on debut over this course and distance last month, the half-brother to the stable's multiple Grade I-winning Nations Pride (Teofilo) was put on the front end by James Doyle with none of his four peers able to stride on. Stretching clear from two out, the Charlie Appleby trainee put six lengths between...

John and Thady Gosden like to unveil one of their nicer Classic prospects at Kempton and Wednesday evening saw the pricey newcomer Asmeralda (Night Of Thunder) follow the trend. Always travelling easily for Oisin Murphy in division one of the seven-furlong fillies' novice on the card, Imad Al Sagar's €640,000 Goffs Orby Book 1 graduate moved to the front approaching two out with only the 5-6 market-leader Pierchic (Palace Pier) to beat. Always comfortably holding that half-sister to the Oaks runner-up Dance Sequence (Dubawi), the 11-10 second favourite held a...

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 half-brother to Big Evs. 18.40 Kempton, £11,000, Nov, 2yo, 6f (AWT) Jaber Abdullah's MILLION GOLD (GB) (Earthlight {Ire}) is a half-brother to GI Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint hero Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and represents the same Michael Appleby yard here. The April-foaled...