#Pretty Polly

3.00) at Royal Ascot on Saturday, as he bids to bounce back from his disappointing third in the 2000 Guineas. The Charlie Appleby-trained son of Shamardal was defeated for the first time in the Newmarket Classic and will once again take on Wichita, who finished second. Appleby said: "Naturally, you are always disappointed when you lose that…

Noon Star: leading Oaks contender has been declared for the Musidora Stakes at York Teona and Noon Star will clash in Wednesday's Tattersalls Musidora Stakes (3.10) after the two exciting fillies were declared for a race that promises to have major implications for the Cazoo Oaks market. Santa Barbara, fourth in the 1000 Guineas after being highly…

Titleholder wins Sunday's Takarazuka Kinen, now targeting the Arc d'Triomphe. Photo courtesy of Japan Racing Association June 27 (UPI) -- Tawny Port's victory in Saturday's Ohio Derby serves notice the scramble among U.S. 3-year-olds is far from over while Westover's dominance of the Irish Derby indicates he's not out of the frame, either, despite…

Join our channel to stay up to date on the latest in marketing Successful Ryan Moore rides are often significant, but there was a major milestone for the jockey at Deauville on Sunday. Steering Blackbeard to victory in the Prix Morny was his 100th Group 1 winner for trainer Aidan O'Brien. Moore's first top level victory for the master of Ballydoyle…

Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum has died at the age of 75, but his racing legacy will live on after an involvement with the sport spanning over four decades. From Nashwan to Dayjur, some of the greatest names of the Turf have carried Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's colours to victory over the years. There are too many to mention, but here is a very select…

When your father is Aidan O'Brien and arguably the greatest trainer of Flat racehorses in history, there is a certain pressure and interest that has accompanied the fledgling career of Donnacha O'Brien. Like elder sibling Joseph, retirement from race riding has been followed with a swift transition from the saddle to handling horses on the gallops.…

John Gosden: chasing down Sir Henry Cecil's record John Gosden is only two behind the all-time record for Pretty Polly wins held by Sir Henry Cecil with eight, and maybe the Clarehaven joint-trainer can inch closer this year. Gosden now shares the training licence with his son Thady but prior to that has saddled some top-class fillies to win this.…

10 fillies have been declared for the Belmont Oaks which is due off at 21:06 UK time on Saturday evening. Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore have teamed up successfully twice in this mile and a quarter contest in recent seasons, winning it with Athena in 2018 and Santa Barbara last year, both of whom had been placed in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the…

While the general economic picture at the moment might not be conducive to free spending, the demand for bloodstock has never been greater. That has been evident at Tattersalls which has been reporting record turnover at its sales all year. The aggregate figures for the Guineas Breeze-Up (5.6m guineas), July (16.7m), October Yearling (199m), Autumn…

Britain's blockbuster return of racing is almost upon us. After 76 days without a runner going into the stalls, a feast of action is set to return from Monday. From the start at Newcastle, an amazing opening month features 36 races at Royal Ascot as well as the first Classics, the 2000 and 1000 Guineas. The Newmarket contests feature on the very…

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…

Nashwa is a warm favourite to take a second Group One contest in the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on Thursday, with co-trainer Thady Gosden confident she will be effective on the South Downs track. The daughter of Frankel did not stay the mile and a half of the Oaks at Epsom, finishing three and a quarter lengths behind Tuesday. However, she…

Kyprios and Order Of Australia will spearhead what could be a select Qatar Goodwood Festival team for Aidan O'Brien. The Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup is Kyprios' target after he announced his arrival as the latest star of the staying scene with victory in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last month, with Stradivarius and Princess Zoe poised to renew rivalries…

LUXEMBOURG can win the QIPCO 2000 Guineas Stakes (British Champions Series) (Colts & Fillies) (3.40pm) at Newmarket on Saturday afternoon. While TUESDAY may bring up a Classic double for Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas Stakes (British Champions Series) (Fillies) (3.40pm) back at Headquarters on Sunday. Trainer Charlie…

Hollie Doyle rides Nashwa as she bids to become the first female jockey to win a Classic. She takes on husband Tom Marquand, who is on Tranquil Lady, while Frankie Dettori is aboard favourite Emily Upjohn Nashwa and Hollie Doyle line up in the Cazoo Oaks at Epsom History beckons for NASHWA and Hollie Doyle in the Cazoo Oaks (4.30) at Epsom on…

American Revolution, shown winning the Grade I Cigar Mile in December, is among the likely ones in Saturday's Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs. Photo by Joe Labozzetta, courtesy of New York Racing Association June 3 (UPI) -- Weekend racing is all about the doings on Epsom Downs southwest of London, where the Oaks on Friday and the Derby on Saturday…

Life Is Good, shown winning the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in January, is favored in Saturday's Grade I Whitney at Saratoga. Photo courtesy of Katsumi Saito Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Life is Good and Olympiad square off in the heavyweight match that is Saturday's Whitney Stakes at Saratoga, just one race after an international Group I rematch on…

White Abarrio, seen winning the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park, is among the Kentucky Derby contenders returning to action in Saturday's Ohio Derby at Thistledown. Photo courtesy of Gulfstream Park June 24 (UPI) -- Derby contenders from Louisville and Epsom Downs return to action in weekend horse racing and "Win and You're In" spots for…

TEMPLEGATE takes an early look at the markets for the Epsom Derby and Oaks - and reveals his 25-1 tip. The odds have fluctuated massively with the news hot Derby favourite Luxembourg is out. Aidan O'Brien still holds a strong hand but our man reckons Newmarket-based James Ferguson could spring a shock. Read on for Templegate's top picks ahead of…

Trainer Aidan O'Brien can win the Belmont Oaks for the second straight year and the third time overall when he sends out the favored Concert Hall in the 2022 Belmont Oaks on Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The 52-year-old O'Brien won the race last year with Santa Barbara and in 2018 with Athena. This year O'Brien goes for No. 3 with…

The dark bay was by Cape Cross and was both bred and owned by Lord Derby having been foaled in March 2001 at his Stanley House Stud in Newmarket. Her two-year-old season included a novice win and a placed Listed run, but it was as a three-year-old that she really came to the fore when taking Newmarket's Pretty Polly Stakes before going on to an…

So we're going with the best four Cazoo Oaks winners of the last 30 years on Timeform performance ratings. Not five, because four horses tied for that spot, Look Here, Alexandrova, Love and Ramruma all running to 123 to win at Epsom. They were clearly good fillies - as was the late Snowfall who ran out a remarkable winner in 2021, hitting 121 in…

Here's a stat: In the last 25 years seven fillies beaten in the Oaks have won the Ribblesdale and seven horses beaten in the Coronation Cup have won the Hardwicke. So Friday's take aways are dominated by notes for Royal Ascot. But first a word for the winner of the Cazoo Oaks, Tuesday, trained by Aidan O'Brien, a man winning his 10th renewal of the…

It was high-wire stuff, Siskin and Colin Keane on the inside, buried, a rail to their right and horses all around them. Nowhere to go and the two-furlong pole flashing past. Now get out of that one. You have to pause and rewind a few times to figure out all that happened then. Lope Y Fernandez quickened up on the outside in what looked like a…

Peaceful and Cayenne Pepper are vying for favouritism in the Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh on Saturday. Fancy Blue, who gave Donnacha O'Brien his first Classic success in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly last month, is among the 12 confirmations but could wait instead for the Nassau Stakes, with her trainer saying last week the Goodwood race…

The Tote Scurry Handicap would normally be all about English sprinters but one I like down the bottom of weights is Ice Cold In Alex, trained by Ken Condon. He gets in off 8-5 and with a kind draw, should go really well. He's a hold-up-horse who was very unlucky when second over 7f back at the Curragh on Derby weekend and he's a past course winner…

The daughter of American Pharoah was sent off the well-backed 11/10 favourite and was given a prominent ride in the 10-furlong Group One, sent forward from the outside stall (seven) to sit just behind front-running Blue Wings from the outset. Moore got a little lower in the saddle turning into the false straight but recent Cheshire Oaks runner-up…

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…

Aidan O'Brien (left) and John Gosden: who will come out on top in Saturday's feature Group 1? Enable could face a tidal wave of runners from Ballydoyle in her bid for a historic third King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday as Aidan O'Brien on Monday refused to rule out running all six of his entries. O'Brien and Enable's…

Epsom stages the third Classic of the season on bank holiday Friday as the girls take centre stage. A bumper crowd is expected and racegoers could witness one of Frankie Dettori's iconic flying dismounts as the Italian jockey rides hot favourite Emily Upjohn in the Epsom Oaks (4.30pm). John & Thady Goshen also saddle Nashwa, Aidan O'Brien's assault…

All eyes this Saturday will be drawn to Ireland as the Juddmonte Irish Oaks (3.45) takes top billing at the Curragh. It's expected to be a mouthwatering clash as Oaks one-two Tuesday and Emily Upjohn are set to battle it out once again. Here, we assess their chances along with two more key contenders. Form: 1-112 Strengths: After stumbling out of…

With The Moonlight wins the Pretty Polly Stakes to earn an 8-1 quote for the Oaks Charlie Appleby has been on a quest to unearth a decent three-year-old filly to match his high-calibre colts and ticked that box when With The Moonlight gave him an emphatic success in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes, which saw her odds slashed for the Cazoo Oaks. The…

James Doyle may have been emotional when partnering the 2000 Guineas winner on Saturday but the emotions on Sunday were of pure elation as he landed the double of the two Classics courtesy of the George Boughey-trained Cachet. The 16/1 chance relishes the unique challenge of the Rowley Mile and finished a neck ahead of 33/1 shot Prosperous Voyage…

Charlie Appleby's With The Moonlight won the Listed Betfair Pretty Polly Stakes with ease and is now a top price of 10/1 with Sky Bet (from a general 40/1) for the Cazoo Oaks. Fresh from saddling his first 2000 Guineas winner with Coroebus on Saturday, Appleby unleashed the Frankel filly in the 10-furlong contest and, despite proving weak in the…

A high-drama bidding battle that was in danger of going on all night eventually concluded on Tuesday evening with recent Listed winner I'm A Gambler topping day two of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale at 850000gns. Olly Tait, representing Wathnan Racing, was involved in driving the price skyward, as was Tattersalls' Jason Singh, who…

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…

The first Sunday of October in Paris always serves up a feast of Breeders' Cup clues. The pi èce de r ésistance, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), is historically the key race for the Turf (G1), even long before the "Win and You're In" (WAYI) provision. Since we've covered the leading Arc contenders in the "10 storylines to know" feature, let's…

THE big race on day two of the Ebor Festival is the Yorkshire Oaks, with the Irish Oaks winner Sea Of Class a red-hot favourite. She faces off against the winner of the French Oaks, the Karl Burke-trained Laurens. High-class four-year-old filly won easily in a Group 2 at this track in May, and the form of that race has worked out well. She ran up…

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Charlie Appleby opted to keep both Nations Pride (IRE) and With The Moonlight (IRE) in the Empire State after they each finished second in the opening legs of the Caesars Turf Triple Series in July at Belmont Park. That decision paid off when both returned to win their respective next starts as Nations Pride…

THE Irish Oaks is shaping up to be a cracker at the Curragh. Our man Jack Keene takes a close look at the €250000 fillies' Classic and picks out his best bet. £20 Risk Free Bet with Paddy Power CLAIM HERE 18+ T&Cs apply Begambleaware.org T&Cs: New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any sportsbook market and if it loses we will refund your…

It would be no surprise to see many of these reoppose in either the Queen Mary or Albany Stakes later in the summer, but it is Hannon's impressive Newmarket scorer that is chalked up as the general market leader for this five-furlong event. The speedy daughter of Cotai Glory was a €62000 purchase and showed she was worth every penny when bolting up…

Leopardstown's Longines Irish Champions Weekend meeting is one of the highlights of the Irish Flat-racing season. The 2022 edition of this prestigious event promises to be right up there with the very best and, of course, bookmakers have plenty of free bets available throughout the weekend. The meeting is split between Leopardstown (Saturday) and…

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…

John Ingles looks at the five best horses owned by Queen Elizabeth II based on their peak Timeform ratings. AUREOLE (Timeform rating 132) As well as being one of the best horses to race for the Queen, Aureole was also one of the very first, as she inherited him as an unraced two-year-old on the death of her father, King George VI, in 1952. Trained…

As well as being one of the best horses to race for the Queen, Aureole was also one of the very first, as she inherited him as an unraced two-year-old on the death of her father, King George VI, in 1952. Trained by Captain Cecil Boyd-Rochfort at Newmarket, Aureole ran just twice at two, finishing sixth in the Middle Park Stakes after making a…

Matt Hulmes breaks down day three at the Royal Ascot including the Gold Cup, which Stradivarius is looking to win for a fourth time 20:05, 16 Jun 2021 Gold Cup Day at Royal Ascot and history is in the making with superstar stayer Stradivarius bidding to emulate Yeats and win the race for a fourth time and a fifth victory at the meeting. I'd…

The Frankel mare has won top-level races in Germany and France on her previous four starts and she made it five in a row at York where she dug deep to see off the final challenge of Aidan O'Brien's Tuesday. A furlong out the Cazoo Oaks heroine got to the winner's quarters but it was the five-year-old who got the better of the three-year-old under…

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…