#Mac Swiney

More of the same? Andrea Atzeni and Defoe conquered Epsom in the 2019 Coronation Cup and the Italian-born jockey will be hoping for a repeat aboard Third Realm in Saturday's Cazoo Derby Andrea Atzeni admits his Cazoo Derby mount Third Realm continues to surprise him and is hoping that is again the case at Epsom on Saturday, when he will be among…

Aidan O'Brien has revealed a major shift in plans for Saturday's Cazoo Derby on the eve of the Classic's declaration stage, with Bolshoi Ballet likely to be his only runner among six possible candidates he had left in the race. Dante third High Definition, who had been the long-range Derby favourite over the winter before his stablemate surged to…

Jockey David Egan has backed Mishriff to deliver in Wednesday's Group One Juddmonte International Stakes at York on the return to his optimum mile and a quarter distance. The colt trained by John and Thady Gosden is now 7-4 favourite after Aidan O'Brien's St Mark Basilica, who beat Mishriff in the Eclipse Stakes, was forced out of the race. O'Brien…

In the words of legendary Italian breeder, Federico Tesio: "The thoroughbred exists because its selection has depended, not on experts, technicians, or zoologists, but on a piece of wood: the winning post of the Epsom Derby." Those comments may not apply to the same extent when it comes to the recent crop of Derby victors, but one thing remains the…

ALCOHOL FREE is ready to spark celebrations with yet another Group 1 success in the Juddmonte International (3.35). Andrew Balding's daughter of No Nay Never tackles a mile and a quarter for the first time on day one of the Ebor meeting. Oisín Murphy, once again flying high at the top of the jockeys' championship, will be biding his time in her bid…

Mimikyu: one of five joint-favourites with Ladbrokes for the Fillies & Mares Stakes following the defection of stablemate Free Wind Baaeed, the highest-rated horse in Europe, remains on course for Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot on October 15 following the latest acceptance stage, but Fillies & Mares Stakes favourite Free Wind was a notable…

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…

Jim Bolger is not fretting about the opposition, the ground or the 43 days in which Poetic Flare has been absent from racecourse action as he looks forward to unleashing his outstanding miler in the Qatar Sussex Stakes. Victory for Poetic Flare would give Bolger a first success in Glorious Goodwood's signature prize and also complete a huge treble…

THE Epsom Derby - one of British Flat racing's premiere contests - is nearly upon us once more. And the 2021 renewal promises to be a belter. Read on below to find out all you need to know about this year's Cazoo Derby Festival. When is the Epsom Derby? The Epsom Derby forms part of the two-day Cazoo Derby Festival. Friday, June 4 is Oaks Day -…

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,…

IT'S been a huge day of drama at Epsom. And Adam Kirby is the toast of Godolphin after a superb ride gave Adayar (16/1) the spoils in the Derby. �� FREE BETS SPECIAL: Get £40 in FREE BETS for this weekend at the Epsom Derby �� BEST BETS: All the bookies' best offers in one place with our betting guide �� DERBY RACECARD: Latest CONFIRMED runners and…

Baaeed headlines an all-star cast for Qipco British Champions Day as the world's best turf horse bows out in the feature Champion Stakes (4.00). William Haggas' star is a red-hot 1-5 favourite for the ten-furlong contest but the presence of last year's Derby and King George winner Adayar means that the champion will need to be on his A-game if he…

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…

The fourth and final Group One race staged on British Champions Day is the Champion Stakes. This ten-furlong contest has been won by many of flat racing's most famous names and Baaeed will bid to add his name to that illustrious list, on what will likely be his final appearance on a race track. Let's take a look through the latest Champion Stakes…

Irish champion flat trainer Aidan O'Brien is responsible for 12 of the 72 entries for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, England, on Saturday, 1 May 2021. The first Classic race of the British flat season, which will be staged on Newmarket's Rowley Mile course, will see the Irish handler bid for an incredible 10 QIPCO 2000 Guineas success. The…

Aidan O'Brien thinks the 2000 Guineas may have come a few weeks too early for his top three-year-old colts and is convinced Wembley and Van Gogh are all better than they showed at Newmarket. They will certainly need to be if O'Brien is to win Ireland's first Classic of the season for an unprecedented 12th time, but the master of Ballydoyle has not…

Dubai Honour: beaten at Royal Ascot but has come a long way since Dubai Honour suffered a handicap defeat off a mark of 91 on his first start of the year and ends it 30lb higher in the world's richest 1m2f turf race, but quick conditions - according to his camp - at Sha Tin may reduce his chances in Sunday's Longines Hong Kong Cup (8.30). The…

Manning, 55, has ridden throughout most of his illustrious career for legendary trainer Jim Bolger, who is also his father-in-law. Together the pair have won a huge haul of major races across Ireland, the United Kingdom and France, as well as a Hong Kong Cup with Alexander Goldrun. Perhaps Manning's most famous success came in the 2008 Derby at…

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…

St Mark's Basilica (centre) is absent but Wembley (left) and Thunder Moon (right) will run St Mark's Basilica is a notable absentee from the final field for the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday after 15 colts were declared for the first Classic of the season. Trainer Aidan O'Brien will still be represented by Battleground, Van Gogh and…

Magical: won a high-class running of the Irish Champion Stakes last year It's almost here. Longines Irish Champions Weekend takes place this Saturday and Sunday, with leading international performers doing battle across a host of divisions at Leopardstown and the Curragh. First introduced in 2014, the massive two-day meeting begins with eight races…

THE £4 million Flat season finale is finally here. Ascot hosts a star-studded six-race card on QIPCO British Champions Day, with four mouth watering Group 1s to get stuck into. The meeting was launched in 2011 and has gone from strength to strength, and this year it will be the scene for Baaeed's career swansong. The unbeaten four-year-old will be…

Baaeed and Adayar are set to clash in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday All eyes are drawn to an epic Qipco British Champions Day clash at Ascot on Saturday - Baaeed v Adayar. The unbeaten machine that is Baaeed goes up against arguably his toughest rival in the Qipco Champion Stakes (4.00), in which he bids to cap his sparkling career…

More than 50 horses were taken out of Europe's richest race, including Pyledriver, Hurricane Lane, Bay Bridge and Nashwa. The Racing Post reports that last year's winner Torquator Tasso remains in contention along with Prix du Jockey Club and Coral-Eclipse winner Vadeni and Titleholder, who bids to seal a long-awaited first Arc success for…

Ireland's 2022 Classic season starts at the Curragh this weekend with Native Trail in line to secure a notable hat-trick for Godolphin in Saturday's Tattersalls Irish 2, 000 Guineas. Following Guineas wins in England (Coroebus) and France (Modern Games) already this season, Sheikh Mohammed's team has a clean sweep of Europe's prestigious top mile…