Silvestre de Sousa

Silvestre de Sousa has ridden his 2,000th winner in Britain with the success of Neyva's Angel (Harry Angel) at Yarmouth on Thursday. De Sousa has been champion jockey three times there in 2015, 2017 and 2018. Currently 45, De Sousa had a long association with Mark Johnston, and was a retained rider for Godolphin from 2012-2015 prior to riding as number one jockey for King Power Racing. Other riders to have ridden at least 2000 winners in Britain include Ryan Moore, Luke Morris, Jim Crowley, Jamie Spencer and William Buick....

The Johnston barn had not annexed Newmarket's Listed Pretty Polly Stakes since Marie De Medicis won in 2010 and bridged a 16-year gap with an impressive front-running performance by Russell Trew and Townbraccan's Jennifer Jane (New Bay) in the 10-furlong Oaks trial at HQ. "I wasn't certain the step up in trip would work, but you have to be adaptable and think on your feet," said Charlie Johnston. "The plan at that point was to start in the [Listed] Michael Seely [Memorial] at York in a couple of weeks, but...

Ghostzapper's Banishing capitalized on the early exertions of Commissioner King (Commissioner) to run out a 2 1/4-length winner of the G2 Godolphin Mile Sponsored by EMAAR at Meydan on Saturday. The David Jacobson trainee was coming off an eighth-place run in the G1 Saudi Cup for Sharaf Mohammed Al Hariri, Jacobson and Larry Roman. The final time for the 1600 meters was 1:38.23. Finding space next to Mendelssohn Bay (Mendelssohn) just off the rail, the duo shadowing Commissioner King from the bell. The pacesetter scorched an internal quarter of :21.4...

Racing at Abu Dhabi was abandoned after an incident involving five horses in the Listed Abu Dhabi Championship, the Emirates Racing Authority (ERA) announced on Saturday afternoon. The race was the seventh of eight on the programme and won by  Stormy Ocean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) with Sam Hitchcott aboard for trainer Ahmad bin Harmash. The incident occurred near the 900-metre mark, with five jockeys being unseated from their mounts. Jockeys Tadhg O'Shea, Richard Mullen and Qais Al Busaidi were sent to the hospital to be evaluated, while Silvestre de Sousa...

The Godolphin-owned Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) rolled back the years in more ways than one to win the G2 Dubai Gold Cup and provide Saeed bin Suroor, the most successful trainer in the history of the World Cup fixture, with an opportunity to bask in the limelight after a number of years out in the cold. And there was a touch of brilliance to the training performance with the nine-year-old Dubai Future notoriously tricky to keep sound. But produced at concert pitch by the trainer, the talented veteran ran...

There was a sense of inevitability in the lead-up to Saturday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and for the vast majority of the mile feature as Nurlan Bizakov's Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Futoon {Ire}, by Kodiac {GB}) capped a near-perfect season at Ascot. Adding to his G1 Queen Anne Stakes and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois successes, the 13-8 favourite had only Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) to concern him late on but ultimately subdued his latest challenger to record a two-length success. Needing the occasional niggle from Silvestre De...

While Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was blowing her history bid at the start of Sunday's G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville, Nurlan Bizakov's G1 Queen Anne Stakes hero Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Futoon {Ire}, by Kodiac {GB}) was getting ready to do his thing and wrap up another top-level triumph in contrastingly straightforward fashion. After Cheveley Park Stud's mare had forfeited several lengths out of the gates, this was down to who would profit and the answer was the 9-10 favourite as he supplemented his...

The RP Racing-Michael Appleby axis annexed last year's edition of Goodwood's G3 Jaeger-Lecoultre Molecomb Stakes, with GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint hero Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), and connections struck again as the maiden Big Mojo (Ire) (Mohaather {GB}--Jm Jackson {Ire}, by No Nay Never) edged a three-way thriller in this year's renewal of the five-furlong dash. The 175,000gns Tattersalls December foal, who posted a debut second going five furlongs at Beverley earlier in the month, raced off the tempo in rear through the early stages. Making a...

Royal Ascot Tuesday got underway with an admirably professional Queen Anne display from Nurlan Bizakov's Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Futoon {Ire}, by Kodiac {GB}) as he finally plundered his Group 1 on the biggest stage. Runner-up in the G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury last month, the grey tracked that race's winner Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) throughout the early stages but whereas he wasn't able to get to him previously this time he was already rolling by with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining. Out in the clear under Silvestre De Sousa chased...

Silvestre de Sousa gained his third European Classic victory of the year on Sunday as he produced the Paolo Aragoni-trained Tomiko (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) with a strong late run to land the G2 Oaks d'Italia Tattersalls at Milan's San Siro Racecourse, working the oracle on a filly who was remarkably gaining the first win of her career on her eleventh start. De Sousa--who'd already won the G1 1,000 Guineas on Elmalka (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and the G2 German 2,000 Guineas on Devil's Point (Ire) (New Bay {GB})--was riding Tomiko for...

Making all under an enterprising ride from Silvestre De Sousa, Clive Washbourn's Devil's Point (Ire) (New Bay {GB}--Hairy Rocket {GB}, by Pivotal {GB}) took Cologne's G2 Coolmore St Mark's Basilica German 2000 Guineas back to Britain on Monday. Last year's G1 Futurity Trophy runner-up, who had enjoyed a confidence-boosting win in a Goodwood conditions event earlier this month, was needing the line as Penalty (Ger) (Frankel {GB}) closed in down the centre of the track and it came in time for the David Menuisier-trained colt to prevail by a neck,...

Like Saturday's 2000 Guineas winner Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) introduced on the all-weather during the winter, Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's blueblood Elmalka (GB) (Kingman {GB}) arrived late on the scene to emerge triumphant in the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas and cause a second weekend surprise in Newmarket's mile Classics. Coming off her debut success at Southwell in late November to finish a staying-on third in the seven-furlong G3 Fred Darling S. at Newbury last month, the Roger Varian-trained daughter of the G1 Prix de l'Opera and GI Flower Bowl...