Flat Racing
Chester selections Wednesday 5th May After the loss of the Chester May meeting last year, it is a welcome return to the Roodee and their big three day fixture of the season. The traditional highlight the Chester Cup is a Friday feature nowadays, and I have my eye on...
The Ebor Festival at York begins on the Knavesmire today and though there is no rematch between Crystal Ocean, who goes in today’s Juddmonte International, and Enable who runs in Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks, day one has some interesting fare. 2.25 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (Group 3) Ten 2yo horses go...
The traditional late August Ebor meeting from York is on this week, which always brings to mind a trip to the Knavesmire in 1992, where Lester Piggott wowed the crowds with his Juddmonte International victory on Rodrigo De Triano. One day during the Hallowe’en half-term holidays in 1985, my...
An eyewatering €855,000 is on offer to the winner of Saturday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the revamped Curragh racecourse. Last year provided a great story as Joseph O’Brien beat his father Aidan with Latrobe. This year 86-year-old Kevin Prendergast has a lively contender in Madhmoon, but Ballydoyle...
Day Four at Royal Ascot sees two Group 1 contests, the Commonwealth Cup over 6f which sees Aidan O’Brien saddle Ten Sovereigns. The Coronation Stakes 40 minutes later O’Brien saddles dual Guineas winner Hermosa, who is odds on to back that up at this meeting. 3.40 Commonwealth Cup TEN...
4.20 Gold Cup: The long-distance race at Royal Ascot has had many returning heroes, Sagaro winning under Lester Piggott three times in the 1970s while Aidan O’Brien won four times with Yeats from 2006. Stradivarius aims to go back to back having won the 2m4f race for John Gosden...
3.40 Prince of Wales’s Stakes: The rain came heavily on Day One of Royal Ascot but it didn’t affect the excitement one bit and rain, hail or shine we should have some good racing with the Group 1 contest on Day Two the Prince of Wales’s Stakes over the...
4.20 St James’s Palace Stakes: This is one of the showdowns of Royal Ascot as John Gosden’s Too Darn Hot – a sensation as a 2yo but disappointing so far at three – takes on Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Phoenix Of Spain. There is a good supporting cast including...
3.40 King’s Stand Stakes: The dashers go to post for the 5f charge that is the King’s Stand Stakes on Day One of the Royal Ascot meeting and the race looks a wide open contest with 12 declared including Battaash for Charlie Hills, Charlie Appleby’s Blue Point, Sergei Prokofiev...
Royal Ascot always begins with a big splash on the Tuesday – three Group One race on the menu for racegoers in the shape of the Queen Anne Stakes, the King’s Stand Stakes and the St James’s Palace Stakes and here is the lowdown on the runners in each...
