Stay Alert books Champions Day ticket with Newbury win

Achillea was last of the seven runners in the mile fillies' handicap at the furlong pole but demonstrated a smart turn of foot to score by three-quarters of a length under Rhys Clutterbuck. The three-year-old outran odds of 40-1 when fifth at Newmarket last time and on her first all-weather success, trainer Dean Ivory said: "She's a nice filly in…

British Champions Day at Ascot is set to bring the curtain down on the core Flat season on Saturday. A whole host of rising stars and old favourites are set to feature as there are six rip-roaring renewals on the card including four Group 1s. Bay Bridge bids to defend his Champion Stakes crown in the most lucrative contest of the afternoon,…

After more than 37 years Frankie Dettori will be riding in Britain for the final time at Ascot on Saturday before he heads overseas to base himself in California Frankie Dettori will bring the curtain down on his extraordinary career in Britain after 37 years on Saturday. The world's most recognisable jockey will take his final mounts at his…

Frankie Dettori is set to bring a significant chapter of his riding career to a close on King Of Steel in next Saturday's Qipco Champion Stakes (3.45) at Ascot. The Group 1 contest, which is the penultimate race on the British Champions Day card, is likely to be Dettori's glittering finale as the jockey does not intend to ride in the final race,…

Jockey Sean Levey believes Heredia has come to form at the'right time' ahead of her attempt to complete a hat-trick of wins for the season in the Virgin Bet Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday. The Richard Hannon -trained four-year-old will make her Group One debut at the weekend after being supplemented at a cost of £20000 on Monday by her…

The 5/6 favourite had been off the track for two-and-a-half months following her win in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot but there were no signs of rustiness as she travelled sweetly in midfield through the early stages. Crucially Chris Hayes had clear blue water in front of him turning for home and his partner showed a smart turn of foot to go…

So impressive when winning the Group Two Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket in the spring, George Boughey's star mare subsequently struck Group One gold in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh. The five-year-old was out of luck when dropped back from 10 furlongs to a mile in last month's Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket, but looked set to double her…

Ross Millar shares his expert analysis on some of the leading Juveniles we have seen this season plus reveals a number of youngsters to add to your Racing TV Tracker. Our Juvenile expert also suggests a couple of ante-post bets are large odds for next year's QIPCO 1000 Guineas. With the Qatar Goodwood Festival in the rear-view mirror, and the Sky…

Quickthorn gave Hughie Morrison his first Group One winner on the Flat for 16 years when the 16-1 gelding opened up an extraordinary 20-length lead at one stage in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup and managed to maintain the gallop to come home six lengths clear of the field. There will be those who say that winning jockey Tom Marquand stole the race and…

Indian Run takes opener on the day in the British EBF Crocker Bulteel Maiden Stakes. (Tom Williams/JTW Equine Images) By Jack Williams ASCOT, Berkshire, U.K.-The meeting started with a bang for jockey Danny Tudhope and trainer Eve Johnson Houghton as the Bronte Collection 1-owned Indian Run improved on his debut 3 at Newbury over the same…

Royal Ascot has been a massive struggle for punters so far this week and they'll be hoping their luck turns on Friday. Only four favourites have won from the opening 21 races of the meeting, with Thursday winners including horses priced at 150/1, 50/1 and 18/1. There are some well-fancied runners in action this afternoon, including the Irish pair…

The Royal Ascot carnival hits the halfway stage on Thursday afternoon with seven more races set for decision. It's the stayers' time to shine in the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup (4000m), while the meeting on the whole has drawn a staggering 143 acceptances. There has been some rain around from Day 1; however, we're still expecting a Good track for Day 3,…

John Gosden has described the rapid turn of foot possessed by dual Group One winner Emily Upjohn as a'potent weapon' ahead of her drop back in trip to tackle next month's Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park. The Newmarket handler is readying the daughter of Sea The Stars, who he trains in partnership alongside his son Thady, for a tilt at the prestigious…

Newsboy fancies Baaeed to take star billing at Ascot as the unbeaten four-year-old bids to bow out in the Champion Stakes with an 11th straight win Ascot hosts the six-race Qipco Champions Day meeting on Saturday October 15 BAAEED tops the bill as a glittering cast list assembles for the £4million QIPCO British Champions Day seasonal finale at…

The flat racing season might be drawing to a close, but it's still an exciting time of the year for its loyal following - with the prestigious Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe recently taking place at the iconic Longchamp racecourse in Paris, while British Champions Day, the big-money Breeders' Cup World Championships in America and the Melbourne Cup are…

The four-year-old, who is unbeaten in a ten-race career, will retire to stud after he contests the £1.3 million race over 1m2f, ten years after Frankel bowed out with victory in the 2012 QIPCO Champion Stakes with a record of 14 wins out of 14. After today's scratching stage for the QIPCO Champion Stakes, the Shadwell Estate Company-owned Baaeed is…

Classic-winning pair Roger Varian and David Egan continued their memorable week as they dominated the card at Newbury, including picking up the Group Two Mill Reef Stakes. Varian's exciting Sakheer confirmed the promise of his clear-cut Haydock success with a bloodless victory in the feature. Defeated only by inexperience on debut, he built on that…

Kildare jockey David Egan won the first four races at Newbury today, three of which came for trainer Roger Varian. Varian's exciting Sakheer confirmed the promise of his clear-cut Haydock success with a bloodless victory in the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury. Defeated only by inexperience on debut, he built on that first appearance on…

Hughie Morrison's Stay Alert was given a cool ride by David Egan to land the Group Three Dubai Duty Free Legacy Cup Stakes at Newbury. Held up in the early stages of the 11-furlong contest, the daughter of Fastnet Rock was always travelling best when the race developed and would have been classed as an unlucky loser if the gaps had failed to…

David Egan stole the show at Newbury on Saturday with a sparkling four-timer - headlined by Sakheer's facile win in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes. In contrast there were moments of anxiety aboard the strong travelling Stay Alert in the Dubai Duty Free Legacy Cup Stakes though as she was full of running but short of room pinned against the far rail at…

Horse racing is one of the most popular spectator sports in Great Britain and, unlike so many other sports, racing fans get to go to racetracks all year round. National Hunt racing is the staple diet for winter racegoers but the summer months - more specifically April to October, are packed with top-class Flat action featuring some of the best-bred…

ore than a quarter of a million people will head to Berkshire's A scot Racecourse over the next five days as the 2016 Royal Ascot festival swings into action. The Queen is expected to attend all five days and Thursday's Gold Cup has this year been renamed the'Gold Cup In Honour of the Queen's 90th Birthday' to mark the monarch's milestone year. The…