#Duke De Sessa

Hannibal Barca (right): seen here finishing fourth to Luxembourg in the Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster The presence of Hannibal Barca, having his first start for Joseph O'Brien, adds significant intrigue to this Group 3 which was won by Leading Light in 2013 prior to his St Leger success. Indeed, he went on to win the Ascot Gold Cup the…

It was back in early April that Point Lonsdale's potential was first highlighted by Aidan O'Brien in the Racing Post's stable tour series and the long-range 2000 Guineas and Derby favourite hasn't put a foot wrong since. "He's doing everything right," O'Brien said at the time, adding: "He's a brother to Broome but is going to be earlier than…

He got off the mark on his racecourse debut in a seven-furlong maiden at the Irish Derby meeting at The Curragh last year, getting home by a whisker in in one of the most exciting finishes of the entire 2021 season. Ger Lyons' colt stepped forward from that on his second and final run last season when he landed the Group 2 KPMG Champions Juvenile…

Westover will be partnered by Colin Keane for a mouthwatering clash with Oaks heroine Tuesday in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Saturday. A fast-finishing third in the Derby at Epsom three weeks ago after enduring a troubled run, the Ralph Beckett-trained Westover has been at the head of ante-post lists for the Irish equivalent…

The first of two days of top class horse racing action takes place at Leopardstown this afternoon as Irish Champions Weekend kicks off. The eight-race card features two Group 1s, two Group 2s, one Group 3, a listed race and two incredibly competitive handicaps. Just seven line up in the Irish Champion Stakes, but it is a high class field, as you…

Johnny Murtagh: enjoying his best season as a trainer Saturday: Curragh Johnny Murtagh won the Gain Railway Stakes twice as a rider, most notably with Mastercraftsman in 2008, but you sense seeing the speedy Shartash quicken up to land the Group 2 with Ben Coen wearing the famous Aga Khan silks gave him far more pleasure. This was a plan hatched a…

The 2022 Flat season is well under way and it is full steam ahead to the first of the Irish Classics this weekend - the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas and Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas - and next month's Epsom Classics, the Cazoo Derby and Cazoo Oaks. Market movers come thick and fast as the key Classic trials are run in Britain and Ireland, but…

Drop The Anchor: wins the November Handicap under a drive from Niall McCullagh Sunday: Naas What a difference a day made for trainer Pat Fahy, who saved his biggest winner of the Flat season for the final card as Drop The Anchor caused a 16-1 upset in the Colm White Bookmaker November Handicap. JP McManus's dual-purpose eight-year-old showed a…

The first Classics of the Irish Flat season takes place at the Curragh this weekend with the Irish 2000 Guineas (3.20 Saturday) and 1000 Guineas (3.45 Sunday). Native Trail, who finished second in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket less than three weeks ago, is a strong ante-post favourite to make amends on Saturday, while top fillies Homeless Songs and…

for all the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas runners and riders, form, Timeform ratings and commments plus the very latest betting Native Trail can cement a Classic season that can so far hardly have gone better for Charlie Appleby with victory in the Tattersalls-sponsored Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday. The Oasis Dream colt was a hot…

Steve Cauthen: will bring his unrivalled expertise of riding Epsom to ITV audiences on Derby day Dual Derby-winning jockey Steve Cauthen will join ITV Racing's presentation team for the Epsom Classic next month as part of the special coverage to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. The Kentucky-born Cauthen, who won the Derby for the late Henry Cecil…

Who will rise to the challenge at Ascot on Saturday? Andy Stephens shares his best bets and suggests potentially underestimated runners to keep in mind. 1.25 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 2) THE TIP: ELDAR ELDAROV at a general 5-2 No three-year-old has won this race since it was first run in 2011 but that masks the fact that…

A fast-finishing third in the Derby at Epsom three weeks ago after enduring a troubled run, the Ralph Beckett-trained Westover has been at the head of ante-post lists for the Irish equivalent ever since. Unlimited race replays of all UK & Irish racing Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee Log in with your existing…

Unlimited race replays of all UK & Irish racing Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register! A maiden now restricted to those that have raced no more than twice previously, though that…

Longchamp will be the scene for two days of top-class and high-octane racing this weekend as the Parisian layout stages the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe meeting. It's laced with Group 1 action and Saturday's marathon card runs from 12.23pm-5.10pm, comprising nine races, with the Qatar Prix du Cadran (3.25pm) as the centrepiece. Our expert has…

Longchamp's big race meeting in early October centers on the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1). Arc Day at the famous racecourse in the Bois de Boulogne of Paris is a mighty one, with six Group 1 races on Sunday. But Saturday is a big day in its own right. The day before the Arc, Longchamp hosts several major prizes, including two Group 1 races and…

Beaten 15 lengths by Aidan O'Brien's new staying star in the Irish St Leger, just 20 days later she somehow has to bridge that gap. In her favour is that this distance of two and a half miles, in a race she won two years ago, is more in her favour than the 14 furlongs of the Irish St Leger and Mullins is hoping for very deep ground, but he does not…

Chris Hayes celebrates after winning the Moyglare Stud Stakes on Tahiyra during day two of the Longines Irish Champions Weekend at The Curragh Racecourse in Kildare. PIC: Sportsfile THERE was success for Limerick jockeys across the Longines Irish Champions weekend. DAY ONE LEOPARDSTOWN Paddy Twomey's remarkable season hit another high as 16/1 shot…

Dermot Weld has been around the track enough times to know never to get too high or too low about his stable's latest'good thing'. But even at this time of his career, the 74-year-old master of Rosewell House hardly bothers to contain his enthusiasm for his superstar filly, Homeless Songs. The three-year-old Irish 1000 Guineas winner will be back…

Westover will be partnered by Colin Keane for a mouthwatering clash with Oaks heroine Tuesday in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Saturday (Live on RTÉ2/RTÉ Player). A fast-finishing third in the Derby at Epsom three weeks ago after enduring a troubled run, the Ralph Beckett-trained Westover has been at the head of ante-post lists…

Luxembourg returns this Saturday for the Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh One-time Derby favourite Luxembourg is set to return to action in the Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes (4.05) at the Curragh on Saturday after a lengthy lay-off due to a muscle injury. The 2000 Guineas third had posted some classy juvenile efforts which saw him go unbeaten…