Sir Michael Stoute

Newmarket's close-knit racing community has been deeply saddened by the passing of Coral Pritchard-Gordon after a long illness at the age of 73. Coral Pritchard-Gordon (née Harbord) was born and raised in the racing game as her father, Captain Paddy Harbord, founded the Curragh Bloodstock Agency in 1948. Based at Ranger's Lodge on the Curragh, the CBA had its English base at Crossways in the Avenue in Newmarket, and Coral Harbord spent her adult life in Newmarket. In 1970 she married Gavin Pritchard-Gordon, the assistant trainer to Harvey Leader who...

G1 Coronation S. winner Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), last seen finishing a short-neck second to Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Prix de Diane on July 5, could resurface in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Aug. 16 if ground conditions play to her liking. "If all goes according to plan she could go to Deauville, but we just need to keep an eye on the ground," said Alan Cooper, racing manager to owner/breeder The Niarchos Family. "There's very hot weather...

Aidan O'Brien will be looking to bring down more barricades on Saturday as he chases the record of Sir Michael Stoute in The Curragh's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks. With five wins in the mile-and-a-half Classic, he sits one shy of the tally wracked up over the decades by the Newmarket-based legend and it will be no surprise were he to join him in 2020. Four fillies contest the latest renewal from Rosegreen, with Evie Stockwell's G1 Epsom Oaks and G2 Ribblesdale S. runner-up Ennistymon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) the current standard-bearer...

'TDN Rising Star' Highest Ground (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was eye-catching while keeping his unbeaten record intact when winning a Haydock novice race on Wednesday, generating Derby whispers, but the Niarchos Family's homebred will bypass the July 4 G1 Investec Derby. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained son of Celestial Lagoon (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) is likely to target the G2 Dante S. at York on July 9 next. "The Derby comes too soon in his career," said Racing Manager Alan Cooper. "He's a nice horse in the making. He only ran two days...

The Niarchos Family's homebred Highest Ground (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who earned 'TDN Rising Star' status in his debut at Leicester last year, faced fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Waldkonig (GB) (Kingman {GB}) for his seasonal return in Wednesday's Racecourse Live Streams On Racing TV Novice S. at Haydock and maintained his perfect record with an impressive success. 1st-Haydock, £5,400, Nov, 6-24, 3yo/up, 10f 100yT, 2:11.25, g/s. HIGHEST GROUND (IRE) (c, 3, Frankel {GB}--Celestial Lagoon {Jpn} {SP-Fr}, by Sunday Silence), who bounded to TDN Rising Stardom after enduring a bloopers moment at...

American and English champion Conduit (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}-Well Head {Ire}, by Sadler's Wells) passed away last week after a short illness at Tullyraine House Stud, Racing Post reported on Wednesday. The Ballymacoll Stud homebred was 15. "Three weeks ago he was bouncing and his usual self, but within a short space of time it became apparent he had suffered a very acute brain injury, " Hugh Suffern, principal of Tullyraine House Stud, told Racing Post. "He fought very hard for around three weeks, but eventually he succumbed in the middle...

The Niarchos Family sophomore's Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) returned from their winter break in good order and connections begin to look ahead toward Classic campaigns in 2020. Both fillies are trained by Jessica Harrington. Winner of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and the G3 Airlie Stud S. last fall, Albigna finished fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita. The daughter of Freedonia (GB) (Selkirk), who is the early favorite at 14-1 for the G1 1,000 Guineas at...

MG1SW Poet's Word (GB) (Poet's Voice {GB}--Whirly Bird {GB}, by Nashwan) will move to Boardsmill Stud in Ireland for his second season, the stud announced on Tuesday. A fee will be set later. A winner of the G1 Prince Of Wales's S. and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. last term for Saeed Suhail and Sir Michael Stoute, the 300,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 yearling ran second to Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy) in the G1 Juddmonte International S. "Poet's Word is an exciting addition to the stallion ranks...

Mirage Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has been sold to race in Australia, with new connections already eyeing outings in the G1 Caulfield and G1 Melbourne Cups. Trained by Sir Michael Stoute in Britain, Mirage Dancer won four of his 16 starts and was last seen when finishing 2 1/4 lengths second in the G3 Glorious S. at Goodwood last week. The 5-year-old will join the yard of training partners Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young after he jets out of Newmarket next month. Busuttin told www.racing.com, "He's been bought for Caulfield...