Royal Ascot

An injunction will not be sought at this time to cover the potential threat of disruption and trespass at Royal Ascot, the racecourse announced on Thursday. The racecourse is following legal advice and has been in direct communication with the Thames Valley Police (TVP). Ascot said in a statement, "TVP have powers in place within the existing legislation which are sufficient to be able to respond to any incidents of disorder or disruption. Peaceful protest is welcome as it always has been and will be accommodated outside the racecourse. "As...

Classic winner Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is pointing to either Royal Ascot's G2 Hardwicke S. later this month, or the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on July 8, according to Juddmonte's racing manager Barry Mahon. "The Hardwicke is a possibility," said Mahon of the Ralph Beckett trainee. "It's probably coming too soon, but it's a possibility. It's a toss-up between that and the [G1] Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, he'll run in one or the other of those hopefully." Last year's G1 Irish Derby hero ran fifth in the G1 King...

It never bodes well when a trainer starts an interview with the words, "I don't really like doing interviews." This, from Richard Fahey, was far less intimidating, however, than when TDN went to interview David Elsworth some years ago to be greeted by him marching across the yard and stating, "I'm in a murderous mood." I Having mercifully escaped from Egerton House Stables unscathed to live to annoy many more trainers, our recent mission to Malton was a comparative cakewalk.  For a start, it would be impossible for either interviewer...

Top breeze-up handler Katie McGivern has put Queen Mary favourite Born To Rock (Ire) (Soldier's Call {GB}) up there with the best horses that she has been associated with and described producing a two-year-old with leading Royal Ascot credentials as "ridiculously exciting". Born To Rock confirmed herself to be aptly named when romping to victory for trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam on debut at Yarmouth just 20 days after being sold by McGivern's Derryconnor Stud to Amanda Skiffington for 110,000gns at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale.  "To have a winner at Royal...

The rematch between Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) is on at Royal Ascot after Dermot Weld described the latter to have come out of her Irish 1,000 Guineas romp in splendid order.  Mawj had just a half a length to spare from Tahiyra in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket and, after Tahiyra made little fuss in the Godolphin filly's absence at the Curragh, a mouthwatering rematch between the Classic winners could take place in the G1 Coronation S. at the royal meeting.  Speaking at...

Officials at Ascot are liaising with authorities over security plans for the Royal meeting following the attempted disruption to Saturday's Betfred Derby at Epsom. Police arrested 31 people on Saturday, including 12 on the racecourse grounds, after Animal Rising announced their intention to "cancel or severely delay" the Derby in the lead up to the race, which went ahead as planned. Surrey Police confirmed on Sunday that Ben Newman, 32, from Hackney, east London, had been charged with causing public nuisance after running onto the track during the Derby itself....

Craven winner Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) will bid to bounce back from a disappointing effort in the 2,000 Guineas when lining out for the G1 St. James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot later this month.  The Karl Burke-trained colt could only manage 10th behind Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the Guineas, where the testing ground is reported to have been against Amo Racing's runner.  Spokesman for the operation, Tom Pennington said, "He's come out of the Guineas very well. The ground probably didn't play to his strengths at Newmarket. We've...

Ahmad Al Shaih's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion) will be pointed to the G1 Grand Prix de Paris with the possibility of a run at Royal Ascot in between, trainer Charlie Johnson said. The colt finished ninth in the G1 Betfred Derby on Saturday and was fifth in the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in his three-year-old debut last month. Dubai Mile holds engagements in the G2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot on Jun 23 and also the G1 Irish Derby at The...

Quatar Racing, Marc Detampel and Madaket Stable's Caravel (Mizzen Mast), winner of last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, will skip an expected trip to Royal Ascot for the June 20 G1 King's Stand S. and will instead aim for the June 10 GI Jaipur S. at Belmont Park, trainer Brad Cox confirmed Tuesday. The news was first reported by the Daily Racing Form's Dave Grening. "We just feel it's the right decision with getting her back to the Breeders' Cup," Cox said. Purchased for $500,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton...

While records were being broken at the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Sale on Friday, leading breeze-up handler Diego Dias showed that there is always another way to get a horse sold when sending out Gaenari (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}) to finish second in the opening maiden on Guineas weekend.  It was just over a month ago when Dias was forced to buy back Gaenari after she failed to put in the breeze he felt she was capable of doing. Devoid of any other options, Dias, backed by Star Bloodstock's Matt...

Looking to build on his 12 victories at Royal Ascot, trainer Wesley Ward sent out several horses with intended engagements at the prestigious meeting--all campaigned by Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables--for Friday morning breezes over the Keeneland turf course. Making his first appearance on the grass was American Rascal (Curlin), the first foal out of multiple Royal Ascot winner and Cartier Award-winning 2-year-old filly of 2016 Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy), who was accorded 'TDN Rising Star' status for his towering 10 1/4-length victory in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden over the Keeneland...

Classic hero Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who races for KHK Racing, Ltd., has exited his second-place effort in the G2 Yorkshire Cup in excellent order, and is pointing toward Royal Ascot's G1 Gold Cup. Trained by Roger Varian, the 4-year-old entire won the G2 Queen's Vase during the iconic meeting last year, and, after a fourth-place run in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris, won the G1 St Leger in September. Unplaced in the G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup, Eldar Eldarov was conceding anywhere from two to five...