#International Races

Newsboy has napped Dan Skelton's Protektorat in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham races. The horse is part-owned by Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson PROTEKTORAT is fancied to make light of top weight in the Paddy Power Gold Cup (2.15) at Cheltenham this afternoon. Jumps fans are in for a treat as the two-and-a-half-mile test, viewed…

Essential Quality, shown winning the Grade I Travers, is among the favorites in a Breeders' Cup Classic field announced this week. Photo courtesy of New York Racing Association Oct. 29 (UPI) -- It's a week for looking forward as horse racing around the globe nears its annual champion-making events and youngsters get in final licks to make a case…

Largent, shown winning the 2020 Fort Lauderdale Stakes, returns from an 11-month layoff to contest Saturday's Tropical Turf at Gulfstream Park and could be considered for the Grade 1 Pegasus Turf with a good effort. Photo by Ryan Thompson, courtesy of Gulfstream Park Jan. 7 (UPI) -- A potential prep for the Pegasus World Cup Turf in Florida, a…

Grey2K USA has renewed its calls to Churchill Downs Inc. and its advanced deposit wagering service TwinSpires to stop accepting online wagers for greyhound racing. The recent closure of Southland Park Racing in Arkansas for dog racing at the turn of the calendar year leaves two West Virginia tracks as the only ones conducting live greyhound racing…

While I was watching yet another NFL halftime show precede and perhaps trigger a stadium power outage, I went back to my computer window that was locked Thanksgiving morning into the very early betting on the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. Four times a year I am thankful for the a-ha, teaching moment that the KDFW provides. And it happened like…

The LONGINES Hong Kong International 2022 racing came to a dramatic close at Sha Tin on Sunday with two hot favorites being defeated in the Group 1 races, but the events of the day did little to diminish the world class racing we got to enjoy over the entirety of the past week. The first upset came in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase when the heavily…

Cheval Grand, shown winning the 2017 Japan Cup, returns seeking a repeat victory in Sunday's renewal. Photo courtesy of Japan Racing Association Nov. 22 (UPI) -- Weekend horse racing action stretches from Tokyo to Bahrain with a stop in England and a quick look at Hong Kong's preparations for its big weekend two weeks down the calendar. The Grade 1…

However, the first automobile competition did not occur until the early 1890s in Paris, France. Although Formula One has not been around for too long compared to other sports like football, it remains one of the most popular motorsports, perhaps one of the highest-level international races for open-wheel racing vehicles. The Formula One World…

Betting on horse racing is a popular pastime both in Australia and in many countries around the world, but with such a plethora of different betting sites available it can be hard to decide which one is best to use. And there's no one right answer - most bookmakers have their pros and cons, and different people might be looking for different things…

California Spangle, seen at trackwork Dec. 7, tackles champion Golden Sixty and some tough foreign competition in Sunday's Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Mile. Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club HONG KONG, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- The Longines Hong Kong International Races take center stage in weekend horse racing, with competition from around the globe…

It is the Group One clash to which every racing fan in Hong Kong - and millions more around the world - is counting down the days, but who will start the Stewards' Cup favourite if Golden Sixty, California Spangle and Romantic Warrior line up against each other over the Sha Tin mile on January 29? It is unlikely to be Golden Sixty, according to…

Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Practical Move upset three of trainer Bob Baffert's 2-year-olds in the weekend's feature race, the Grade II Los Alamitos Futurity, adding his name into the mix of candidates for the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Things went a bit more to expectations among the Japanese 2-year-olds as the three favorites reported 1-2-3 in Sunday's Grade 1…

Good Morning Bloodstock is Martin Stevens' daily morning email and presented here online as a sample. Here he looks at the history of the Guineas winner's breeding and All you need do is click on the link above, sign up and then read at your leisure each weekday morning from 7am. In my book, one of the biggest fallacies in the bloodstock industry…

The best sites for betting on horse racing in Georgia provide large bonuses, reliable payouts, excellent software, and useful handicapping tools. There are no horse racing tracks or off-track betting parlors in Georgia, so you will need to head online to place your bets. Leading online Georgia horse racing bookies cover the action from all over the…

A visit to the free-to-enter Hong Kong Racing Museum which overlooks the bend after the stands at Happy Valley racecourse gives an interesting insight into the sport's development in the former British colony. Racing in Hong Kong began as an amateur form of entertainment among the ex-pats in those colonial days but, for what remains a small-scale…

California Spangle holds off Golden Sixty in Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Mile Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club HONG KONG, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- A super day for Hong Kong highlighted weekend horse racing with action-starved fans emerging from pandemic lockdowns to cheer on some new heroes from the Sha Tin Racecourse grandstand. Two-year-old filly…

Not even a pixel could separate Lord North and Panthalassa as the Group 1 Dubai Turf was shared after the stewards pored over a photograph for what was an agonising amount of time. The John and Thady Gosden-trained Lord North strolled to a three-length success in the race last season but needed to fight with every sinew as Frankie Dettori delivered…

Arguably the best horse ever to be trained in Hong Kong, Golden Sixty became a household name during the region's strict Covid lockdown period. J A McGrath traces his career ahead of his hat-trick attempt in Sunday's Hong Kong Mile, one of four Group 1 events at the annual HK International Races at Sha Tin Covid lockdown heroes were uncovered in…

Michael Kinane was new into his role as equine talent spotter for the HKJC when he arrived at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2019 and set about securing a son of Acclamation out of a mare from a strong Godolphin family. There was an element of disguise familiar to any Sales regular - Kinane left the ring while his daughter Aisling carried…

Even if you are successful in the sport of horse racing in North America and around the world, you are not guaranteed to win one of the famous and well-known races. So if you haven't entered the winner's circle for the feature race on the first Saturday in May, the pursuit is not likely to waver until you get there or until the day comes that…

James McDonald guides Romantic Warrior to victory in the Group 2 Jockey Club Cup at Sha Tin last month. Picture: Lo Chun Kit-Getty Images James McDonald has a lot of big races on his CV but he's determined to add the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup to that list and he won't get many better opportunities than this Sunday with rising star Romantic Warrior. The…

The good news for Japan is that there are no Croatian horses - or penalty shootouts - at this year's HKIR. The bad news is that Hong Kong (and perhaps Ireland) will provide stern opposition in Sunday's four G1 contests and now looks as good a time as any to allocate some Rising Sun Ratings on a scale of 1-3 for the key Japanese contenders. Set to…

Regal Glory winds up her career with a victory in Sunday's Grade I Matriarch at Del Mar. Benoit photo, courtesy of Del Mar Turf Club Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Mind Control and Regal Glory wound up their careers with Grade I victories a continent apart in weekend racing, while the another name popped up on the "Road to the Roses" Kentucky Derby 2023…

PUNTERS have been getting stuck into Aidan O'Brien's globetrotter Mogul ahead of his trip to the Far East. The Group 1 winner has been the subject of a huge gamble in the antepost markets for the prestigious Hong Kong Vase. The valuable race is one of four Group 1's at Sha Tin's glamorous'International Races' fixture on December 13. O'Brien has won…

The countdown for the Hong Kong International Races is now official on with this being the final Sha Tin card before we dive into the feature raceday on December 11. That's not to mention the International Jockey Challenge set to unfold this Wednesday as the world's best hoops converge on Happy Valley. Let's not get too ahead of ourselves, however,…

Channel Cat, shown winning the Grade I Man o' War in May, is among the favorites for Saturday's Grade II Red Smith Stakes at Aqueduct. Photo courtesy of New York Racing Association Nov. 19 (UPI) -- High-class graded stakes racing is spread across North America this weekend, with a turf showdown in New York, a tough mile event for fillies and mares…

The BMW Hong Kong Derby looks as even as ever but the decision to pick Congratulation ahead of Flagship Glory has raised eyebrows. The three Classic Series contests are some of the only ones in Hong Kong where the fields are decided by a selection panel, which means horses can get in on merit, rather than rating or priority (the Hong Kong…

Dalaika, shown winning the Grade I Beverly D. at Churchill Downs, returns for the $1 million Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs Sept. 9 (UPI) -- It's all about the turf in weekend horse racing with Kentucky Downs staging an extravaganza unmatched anywhere in North America short of the Breeders' Cup World…

Sodashi, a rare white Thoroughbred shown winning the Artemis Stakes earlier in the season, is among the favorites for Sunday's Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies. Photo courtesy of Japan Racing Association Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Weekend horse racing takes an international turn as Sunday's Longines Hong Kong International Races could see the final runs by…

Although it has one of the smallest horse populations in the world, Hong Kong has positioned itself as global leader in thoroughbred racing. The Hong Kong International Races, or H.K.I.R., the marquee event of the island's season, take place on Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse. Begun in 1988, the event originally featured one race, the Hong Kong…

Rich Strike, seen posing the morning after his Kentucky Derby win, returns in Saturday's Grade I Clark Stakes with a chance to stake a claim for year-end honors. Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs Nov. 25 (UPI) -- It's getting to be crunch time for horses who seek year-end honors, and this weekend's Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs provides one of…

The Hong Kong International Races have evolved over the course of three decades, and they now make up the largest annual international sporting event in Hong Kong. The four race extravaganza at Sha Tin Racecourse on Sunday has a rich history. Horse racing is extremely popular in Hong Kong, and its jockey club reports more than 2 million people…

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Bay Bridge takes on Japan's runner Shahryar in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Ascot on Wednesday, live on ITV. The weather looks warm for the rest of the week Royal Ascot's international theme continues when Shahryar goes for gold in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes. Day one of the meeting saw crack Australian sprinter…

Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun works out at Churchill Downs in preparation for Saturday's Stephen Foster Stakes. Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs July 1 (UPI) -- The Fourth of July weekend kicks off the second half of the horse racing year with a bang as Mandaloun, Life Is Good, Ce Ce and other notables return from layoffs. Adding to the…

There are a few names familiar to American racegoers that are heading to Hong Kong for the international raceday next month. Most are from Ireland. The foreign challenge for the four rich turf races includes a quartet from Aidan O'Brien's Ballydoyle team, all of whom have run in the United States. Heading O'Brien's team is the shock 2020 Breeders'…

This weekend's horse racing action is highlighted by a quartet of Grade 1 turf races in Hong Kong which have drawn an international cast, including Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare turf heroine Loves Only You. Stateside, the stakes action is led by the G2 Los Alamitos Futurity and the G3 Mr. Prospector on Saturday. Additionally, Arkansas Derby winner…

Gun English jockey Ryan Moore will ride Wellington in next month's Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), with trainer Richard Gibson confirming his stable star is on track for the international races. Wellington pulled up lame after a disappointing sixth in the Group Two Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) on November 20 but Gibson is pleased with how his…

May 20 (UPI) -- The Preakness, even without Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, is the marquee event in weekend horse racing, but by no means the only top-shelf event on the schedule. Pimlico Race Course provides an impressive supporting program on Friday and Saturday. Churchill Downs and Monmouth Park add to the mix. On the international front,…

With Japan's top international race taking place at the weekend, Nicholas Godfrey looks at the task facing overseas runners in Tokyo - and traces the nation's emergence as a racing superpower One of the world's foremost international races takes place on Sunday [Nov 27] with the 42nd edition of the Japan Cup at Tokyo racecourse, the Japan Racing…

Havnameltdown wins Sunday's Bob Hope Stakes for 2-year-olds at Del Mar. Benoit photo, courtesy of Del Mar Turf Club Nov. 21 (UPI) -- One of the more interesting subplots of late-year racing is the emergence of late-blooming 2-year-olds and Del Mar's weekend program featured two of those -- Havnameltdown among the colts and Justique in the filly…

Further easing in the local COVID restrictions meant that the biggest crowd since January-better than 13000 racegoers-took in Sunday's BOCHK Jockey Club meeting at Sha Tin in person and were they ever rewarded. Making their seasonal debuts and having a single prep towards next month's Longines Hong Kong International Races, both two-time defending…

Moved to tears: Isabel Pacault (right) and Davy Russell during the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris presentation which followed Carriacou's win at Auteuil The Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris picture should become clearer on Saturday afternoon as last year's hero Carriacou bids to cement his claims for a repeat bid in the Prix Murat, an important trial for…

The Hong Kong international races are just three weeks away. Horses from around the world are getting ready for four of the richest international turf races around, with exciting contests assured. Though foreign horses have frequently been successful at the Hong Kong International meet, especially in the 1 1/2-mile Hong Kong Vase (G1) and the 1…

In many ways the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday represents a return to normal. A capacity crowd is expected at Churchill Downs after two years of COVID-19 disruptions and Nevadans are again able to access a full wagering menu on races from the Louisville track after resolution of a contract dispute. But the party-as-usual…

This year's LONGINES IJC will also be the first time that the two leading female jockeys in the world ride on the same card - Australia's Jamie Kah who makes her debut, while Hollie Doyle returns for a third time. Kah, 26, is the most successful female jockey in Australian racing history with eight Group 1 wins and over 1100 wins overall. In…

Contrail looked a monster at two and could become one of the stars of the Japanese spring Unlike many other major northern hemisphere racing and breeding nations, Japan has thus far been able to keep its Graded race programme intact in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. With the sport continuing minus its passionate on-course chorus of fans,…

There aren't many racedays around the world that match Hong Kong International Day. Perhaps only Dubai World Cup Day, Royal Ascot, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Day, and the Breeders' Cup are as strong a magnet for international horses as the four Group 1 races up for grabs here. Hong Kong racing has also become much stronger over the years. Horses…

Just Cindy wins the Schuylerville Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on Thursday's opening day at Saratoga. Photo by Chelsea Durand, Cognianese Photos, courtesy of New York Racing Association July 15 (UPI) -- Saratoga is back into action this weekend, with trainer Chad Brown ready to make a statement on the turf course and the usual top-self competition…

The money came for Dragon's Luck in a big way and Lyle Hewitson left absolutely nothing to chance at Sha Tin on Saturday, ensuring the easiest of watches for punters who piled into the Douglas Whyte-trained debutant. Considered a $14 chance half an hour out from the race, Dragon's Luck was hammered from $10 into $4.35 in the final few minutes of…

July 8 (UPI) -- Three-year-olds from Ireland, England and France will see what they can do with American rivals this weekend at Belmont Park in the $1 million Caesar's Belmont Derby and $750000 Belmont Oaks. The weekend also includes the Indiana Derby, Iowa Derby and Los Alamitos Derby in California, where trainer Bob Baffert returns from…