Ruth Quinn
The Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot will be run over six furlongs from 2026, as well as being restricted to two-year-olds whose sire won a race over at least seven furlongs (1400m) at the age of two, or at least a mile (1600m) at the age of three and upwards. The changes were announced on Tuesday by the British Horseracing Authority's Flat Pattern Committee (FPC) and follow the Group 1 upgrades announced in February by the European Pattern Committee (EPC), with the aim of safeguarding the production, retention and...
Ascot Racecourse announced on Sunday that prize-money at the track will reach a record £17.75 million in 2025, with the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes scheduled to be run for £1.5 million to make it the richest race ever staged at Ascot. The King George, which was worth £1.25 million in 2024, will also become a 'Run For Free' race, with connections of all horses that run (except supplementary entries) refunded their entry fees in full. Ruth Quinn, director of international racing and development at the British...
Twelve fewer black-type races will be run in Europe in 2024 following the approval of the programme by the European Pattern Committee (EPC) which sounded a note of caution regarding "the reported increasing exports of quality horses overseas". France's Prix Saint-Alary will has been downgraded from Group 1 to Group 2 status and is one of five Group races to have been demoted, while Britain's G3 Sovereign S., traditionally run at Salisbury, will not be staged. In Ireland, the Salsabil S. has been upgraded from a Listed race to a...
The winners of the Devonshire and Dominion bronzes were announced by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association on Wednesday. Prominent owner/breeder Anthony Oppenheimer was awarded the Andrew Devonshire Bronze, which is awarded for outstanding achievement and contribution to the British Thoroughbred industry. The owner of Hascombe and Valiant Stud, Oppenheimer has celebrated homebreds the likes of G1 Epsom Derby hero Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and MG1SW Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}), as well as G1 Irish Oaks heroine Star Catcher (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), just to name a few. "It...