Cheval has the X Facteur on heavy ground October 15, 2024 SINCE being introduced in 2011, Ascot’s British Champions Day fixture has provided the chance to see many stars of the Flat season for a final time before attention turns to the Jumps. Recent rain has turned the Ascot going soft and with up to 17mm of rain forecast for Friday, the conditions could be attritional [...]
More rain the better for Iresine and Quantanamera October 15, 2024 SATURDAY’S feature race, the Group One Champion Stakes (3.55pm), sees an intriguing clash between the hugely exciting Economics and emphatic Royal Ascot winner Calandagan. The former broke through at the highest level in the Irish version of this last time, while the latter was the only one to ruffle City Of Troy’s feathers in the [...]
Dawn ready to Rise in the Cesarewitch October 8, 2024 AFTER Longchamp’s Arc weekend the top-class racing continues this week, with Group One contests on both Friday and Saturday’s cards at Newmarket. Saturday’s Dewhurst traditionally provides key Classic clues for next season and, at the moment, Ballydoyle and Godolphin hold seven of the eight entries. With Aidan O’Brien accounting for five, and most of those [...]
Stoute’s Anna set to deliver Fillies’ Mile Swan song October 8, 2024 SIR Michael Stoute’s career has been littered with remarkable training performances, but managing to win a Group One with one of his final top-level runners would be some feat. The master of Freemason Lodge is set to retire at the end of the season and is due to run the unbeaten ANNA SWAN in Friday’s [...]
Salt can keep them at Bay on soft ground October 1, 2024 ASCOT hasn’t avoided the country’s torrential downpours, having been pelted with 40mm in the past seven days, making the going currently soft, heavy (in places) on the Round Course and soft on the Straight Course ahead of Saturday’s card. Things look to be drying up as we head into the weekend but conditions at the [...]
Los Angeles ticks Arc boxes for all-powerful Ballydoyle October 1, 2024 A BIG run could be on the cards for LOS ANGELES, who stands out as a top contender in Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (3:20pm). As a three-year-old representing Aidan O’Brien, and with Ryan Moore in the saddle, he represents each-way value at 7/1. While Ballydoyle’s outstanding three-year-old of the season, City Of Troy, [...]
Moore’s d’Or can strike gold at Newmarket September 24, 2024 THIS weekend’s big puzzle to solve is the Cambridgeshire (3:40pm). Only one favourite has obliged in the last decade, while we’ve had a 50/1 winner and two at 40/1. There’s often a likeable, unexposed three-year-old in the line-up that attracts plenty of ante-post support, and this year is no different with Roi De France the [...]
Porter to wipe the Floor with them in Kerry National September 24, 2024 A RETURN to glory for one of Gavin Cromwell’s stable stars is on the cards this afternoon, as FLOORING PORTER lines up in the Kerry National (4.20pm) at Listowel. The legendary two-time Stayers’ Hurdle winner is being switched back for a second stint over the bigger obstacles and will be hard to peg back if [...]
Rohaan set to rule the roost in Ayr Gold Cup September 17, 2024 SOME of the best racing action this week focuses in on the west coast of Scotland, where Ayr hosts its three-day Western Meeting, highlighted by Saturday’s Ayr Gold Cup (3.35pm). This six-furlong dash is usually one of the most hotly contested sprints of the season, with a full field of 25 runners fanning out across [...]
Breathe a sigh of Relief for Haggas’ Rally at Newbury September 17, 2024 NEWBURY’s Saturday card features the Group Two Mill Reef Stakes (3.15pm), named after the star racehorse of the early 1970s, and it looks an intriguing contest but not one I’m willing to have a bet in. Instead, in the opening World Trophy Stakes (1.30pm), Newbury regular RELIEF RALLY looks a smart pick. Last time out, [...]
