Royal Ascot

The furore surrounding the changes to the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes shows no signs of abating, but for this year at least the six two-year-old races at Royal Ascot remain much as they've always been, which is beneficial for trends followers studying the data in an attempt to find winners next week. We lost one of the so-called bankers when Albert Einstein, last seen winning the G3 Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh, was ruled out of the meeting due to a sprained joint, but his absence shouldn't detract too...

TwinSpires.com will hold an inaugural Royal Ascot Challenge Series, which will offer horseplayers opportunities to compete for cash prizes as well as potential seats at upcoming tournaments, the company announced Thursday. The first four tournaments, scheduled for Tuesday, June 17, through Friday, June 20, will serve as Royal Ascot "feeders" for the grand finale, the Royal Ascot Challenge held Saturday, June 21. Prizes for the Royal Ascot Challenge include cash and a potential seat in the upcoming Stephen Foster Betting Challenge June 28. "Each year American horseplayers have become increasingly...

NEWMARKET, UK -- It's that time of year again, when Newmarket welcomes the international visitors ahead of Royal Ascot, and there are few with a more international profile than Carl Spackler. The son of Lope De Vega was bred in Ireland and has visited Newmarket before when offered at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, but the treble Grade I winner has thus far spent his entire racing career in the United States with Chad Brown. From one of America's leading trainers he now passes to the care...

NEWMARKET, UK -- Colin Keane, Juddmonte's newly retained jockey, has wasted no time in familiarising himself with one of his leading mounts for Royal Ascot and was in Newmarket on Wednesday morning to ride Lead Artist for the first time ahead of Tuesday's Queen Anne Stakes. The four-year-old son of Dubawi, last seen winning the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, stretched out on the July Course in company with Wathnan Racing's Torito (Kingman) and Kieran O'Neill. The latter is an intended runner in the Wolferton Stakes. "He was very good in...

NEWMARKET, UK - In the words of John Gosden, a "humdinger" of a Queen Anne Stakes awaits those in attendance for the opening day of Royal Ascot, with Lead Artist appearing primed to spearhead a two-pronged attack from Clarehaven Stables after the son of Dubawi enjoyed a getting-to-know-you exercise with Colin Keane at the July Course on Wednesday morning. With the trainer no longer having to ruminate on jockey arrangements for the Juddmonte bluebloods in his care, the attentions of the press pack swiftly switched to challenges outside of Gosden's...

Bloodstock agent Mike Ryan has picked out dozens of Grade I winners over the years. He has also bred Grade I winners, most notably Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) and his half-sister Hot Dixie Chick (Dixie Union), and he's even raced a few, including 2008 GI Spinaway Stakes victress Mani Bhavan (Storm Boot) and 2019 GI United Nations Stakes winner (Tiz Wonderful) But this year's GI Gamely Stakes marked a particularly special victory for Ryan when 'TDN Rising Star' Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), a horse that he...

Jake Ballis didn't know quite what to expect when he sent Crimson Advocate (Nyquist) to the 2023 Royal Ascot meet, where she won the GII Queen Mary Stakes. He says now it was one of the most exciting days of his life, and he has vowed to get back there every day since. Ballis, who heads the Black Type Racing partnership, couldn't find a runner in 2024 that he thought could win at one of the most competitive meets in the world. But he never stopped looking. "It was probably...

David Marnane knows a thing or two about taking aim and plundering big-race riches at Royal Ascot but the trainer admitted that success with his juvenile Gavoo could potentially beat all given the Coventry Stakes outsider is bidding to provide his owner-breeders with an emotional fillip next week. A recent winner at Listowel, Gavoo (Elzaam) was bred in County Roscommon by Seamus and Bernadette Gormley. Sadly, Bernadette passed away earlier this year and Marnane has commended the A Touch Of Leather Syndicate, which is made up by family and friends...

Trainer Wesley Ward has sent some very good horses to Royal Ascot over the years and has won 12 races there. Win No. 13 looked to be well within his reach as he was planning on sending Outfielder (Speightstown) to the GII Norfolk S. on June 19. The horse was so impressive when winning his debut that some believed he could be the best horse Ward ever sent to Ascot. But a Tuesday morning workout at Keeneland yielded a minor injury that will keep the two-year-old home. "We breezed him...

Economics (Night Of Thunder), the winner of last year's Irish Champion Stakes, has been ruled out of the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot after pulling a muscle, according to a report by the Racing Post on Tuesday. Trained by William Haggas, Economics went unbeaten in his first four starts as a three-year-old, culminating with his maiden top-level victory at Leopardstown, before signing off with a below-par effort when sixth in the G1 Champion Stakes at Ascot in October. His return to action at Royal Ascot had been...

A 10% share in Royal Ascot contender Brosay has been added to the Tattersalls Online June Pop-Up Sale, which takes place between the hours of 10am and 12pm on Thursday, June 12. Consigned by Racing Club, the three-year-old son of Tasleet is currently in training with Lambourn trainer Paul Attwater and the syndicate are targeting the Palace of Holyrood Stakes on the Friday of Royal Ascot for his next appearance. Last seen filling the runner-up spot in a five-furlong handicap at Sandown in April, he will be offered with a...

Multiple Group 1 winner Porta Fortuna will miss a start at Royal Ascot later this month after picking up a "small injury", according to trainer Donnacha O'Brien who announced the news on Instagram. Connections had been mulling a start in either the G2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes or the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Ascot. A runner for Barry Fowler, Medallion Racing, Steve Weston and Reeves Thoroughbreds, the 4-year-old will be away from the races until later this year. "Unfortunately Porta Fortuna has picked up a small injury and will...