Ray Dawson

Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's G1 St Leger runner-up Rahiebb (Frankel) justified his entry in, and booked his ticket to, next month's G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot with a belated first black-type victory in Friday's 14-furlong G2 Boodles Yorkshire Cup on the Knavesmire. "That was lovely to watch, it was very smooth and he's a lovely horse," said Roger Varian. "He had a long year and was learning on the job all season really. He made his debut at Newcastle in February and finished up in the St Leger. He...

Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's Roger Varian trainee Saddadd (Pinatubo), who hit the board in September's Listed Foundation Stakes at Goodwood when last seen, found the necessary gears to claim a career high in Friday's G3 bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown. "He's an absolute darling of a horse and has the most delightful attitude," claimed trainer Roger Varian. "He won here like a really good horse last September and I think he was just over the top in a very strong Listed at Goodwood. I liked the way he put...

Unbeaten in four starts but absent since the Listed Prix Petite Etoile in December, Lady Of Spain (Phoenix Of Spain) was back with a bang on Saturday as she added Sandown's G3 Atalanta Stakes to her tally. Giving generously to Ray Dawson to subdue Blue Bolt (Blue Point) close home, the Roger Varian-trained 14-1 shot asserted to score by half a length. "Obviously she's not run for a while, had never been on turf and was encountering soft ground, so there were a lot of questions we asked of her...

There must be something in the air at Haydock this month as Opulence Thoroughbreds and Teme Valley's newcomer Purosangue (GB) (Aclaim {Ire}--Avon Breeze {GB}, by Avonbridge {GB}) became the second TDN Rising Star on Thursday's evening fixture and the third in the last three meetings at the Merseyside venue. Unleashed by Andrew Balding having brought enough attention at April's Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale to fetch £125,000, the 5-1 shot proved a handful for Ray Dawson going to post and in the early stages before establishing a lead before halfway in...

Godolphin's homebred 2-year-old distaffer Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}--Modern Ideals {GB}, by New Approach {Ire}) exhibited an impressive array of gears when earning 'TDN Rising Star' status by daylight in her May 14 debut over six furlongs at Newmarket's Rowley Mile venue and followed up with a second in Royal Ascot's June 17 G3 Albany S. in her only other start last time. Lining up as a 4-1 chance for Friday's bet365-sponsored G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. at HQ's July course, the G1 Moyglare Stud S. nominee bounced back...

A day before her GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf-winning half-brother Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is set to tackle the G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains, the juvenile Mawj (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) did her own bit for family pride when powering to TDN Rising Star status at Newmarket. Sent off the outsider of three Godolphin runners in the six-furlong Denbury Homes British EBF Fillies' Novice S. at 12-1, the Saeed bin Suroor-trained homebred tracked the leaders travelling strongly under Ray Dawson. Launched on the stand's rail to lead...

Improving again off her success in the G3 Princess Margaret S. at Ascot July 24, Saeed Al Tayer's Zain Claudette (Ire) (No Nay Never) made the three-pound penalty of Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) tell as she denied that G3 Albany S. and G2 Duke of Cambridge S. winner by a length in Thursday's G2 Sky Bet Lowther S. at York. Always in the perfect spot closely tracking the pace, the 6-1 shot was delivered on the front end by Ray Dawson with a furlong remaining as Kirsten Rausing's previously-unbeaten 6-5...

Entering Saturday's G3 Princess Margaret Keeneland S. off an impressive maiden win over this six-furlong trip at Newmarket June 25, Saeed Al Tayer's Zain Claudette (Ire) (No Nay Never) was produced in the nick of time by the young weighing room talent Ray Dawson to nose out Desert Dreamer (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in a brief rainstorm at Ascot. Held up towards the rear early racing alongside the eventual runner-up, the 15-2 shot came stand's side of the pack while that 9-4 favourite was taken far side in what amounted...