THE CLASH IS ON

It's tempting to get caught up in the Atomica versus Runaway Algo argument as the third staging of the $6-million Jamaica Cup main race takes place today at Caymanas Park. Their portfolios have been exceptional this season, making it tough to select an overall victor. Atomica, trained by Gary Subratie, made her seasonal debut on April 8 over a…

Frankie Dettori's last ever Doncaster St Leger ride will be on the John Gosden-trained Arrest after the popular Italian jockey decided to ditch Gregory in favour of the recent Geoffrey Freer Stakes winner. Many thought that Frankie Dettori's 2023 St Leger ride would be on the Royal Ascot winner Gregory, who is owned by Wathnan Racing and trained by…

Edward Hide, the prolific northern-based jockey whose greatest hour came when he guided Morston to victory in the 1973 Derby, has died at the age of 86. Hide had his first ride at the age of 13 in 1950 and won six domestic Classics among a total of 2593 winners in Britain between 1951 and 1993, a mark which was only recently passed by Joe Fanning…

Derby Day 2023 was undoubtedly another memorable one for perennial top-10 practitioner Patrick Tyrone Lynch with another success in 2400-metre Jamaica Derby run as the 10th of 11 races. The jockey-turned-trainer established himself in the top echelons of the profession with his first success in the Premier Classic in 2007 saddling The Bomber and…

The improving Strike Smart (Omar Walker) is on his way to winning his second race.(Photos: Naphtali Junior) THERE were sundry technical issues with a malfunctioning digital platform affecting the operation of cameras, leaving many punters unable to place bets. There was a significant delay to the start of the second event, which was understandably…

Jason DaCosta's Mamma Mia, the 1000 Guineas winner, and Richard Azan's 2000 Guineas conqueror Mojito, were both hunting what would have been the second jewel in the Triple Crown series, but Thalita, also conditioned by DaCosta, spoiled the party, as she copped the 97th running of the Jamaica St Leger in commanding fashion on Saturday. By virtue of…

With the 1000 Guineas, 2000 Guineas, Oaks and Derby having already taken place at Newmarket and Epsom Downs in May and June respectively, we have now witnessed four of the 2023 British flat season's five thrilling Classics. The spotlight has been on Frankie Dettori in the build-up to those renewals as the Italian is due to retire at the end of the…

There has apparently been at least one alleged possible sighting of the Loch Ness Monster this year. Though as something which may, or may not, have been Nessie was caught on webcam footage rather than being reported by an eyewitness, a recent change to the rules means that it can't be logged as an entry in the'Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings…

Betfred will sponsor three of the five British Classics after the bookmaker was unveiled as the new backer of the St Leger festival in a multi-year deal. A new sponsor had been expected for the final British Classic of the season, with Cazoo sponsoring the last two runnings of the St Leger. William Hill and Ladbrokes are among previous sponsors of…

Jason DaCosta is set to start his first season as champion trainer at Caymanas Park by landing Monday's Fan Appreciation Day Trophy race with United States-bred LURE OF LUCY at nine furlongs and 25 yards. LURE OF LUCY ran a cracker against her classic-winning stablemate, MINIATURE MAN, at the distance in the December 3 Chairman's Plate, finishing…

Father Gianfranco Dettori (13-time champion jockey in Italy; won 2000 Guineas on Bolkonski 1975, Wollow 1976) Apprenticed to Luca Cumani, Newmarket 1987-89 First winner Rif, Turin, November 16, 1986 First winner in Britain Lizzy Hare, Goodwood, June 9, 1987 Lost claim Versailles Road, Beverley, July 18, 1989 First Group winner Legal Case (1989…

Race Review - Saturday, November 12, 2022 From the moment the 10 nominations were published, the first renewal of the 1900-metre, $6.0-million Jamaica Cup generated huge talking points. This marquee event was billed mainly as a clash of successful 2022 Classic aspirants, namely Atomica (Jamaica Derby & 1000 Guineas) and Blue Vinyl (Jamaica St Leger…

The Queen owned four horses who won six Classics between them, and although the ultimate prize of the Derby eluded her, she won all the other British Classics. She achieved that tally with Carrozza (Oaks), Pall Mall (2000 Guineas), Highclere (1000 Guineas and Prix de Diane) and Dunfermline (Oaks and St Leger). Most of her early horses were bred at…

With runners in his own name and then via his elite Godolphin stable, there is no owner who has been involved in more winners of the world's oldest Classic, the St Leger, than Sheikh Mohammed. Since Oh So Sharp completed the fillies' Triple Crown in 1985 there has been a regular stream of winners - first in the famous maroon-and-white colours and…

Winston "Fanna" Griffiths, the man who has ridden the most winners overall (1663) and also the most Classic winners at Caymanas Park, will once again be honoured with a trophy race. The Winston "Fanna" Griffiths Classic, for native-bred three-year-olds non-winners of a Grade 1 race over 9 ½ furlongs (1900m) has attracted a field of eight…

Horse racing fans near and far, whether serious or neophyte, will be heading to the racetrack, the off-track betting parlours, or will be seated comfortably in their living rooms glued to the television sets as Blue Vinyl seeks his place in the record books when he takes on nine rivals in the 102nd staging of the $7.5-million Jamaica Derby, the…

The 2022 season of Futurity competition continued with the 96th renewal of 2000-metre Jamaica St Leger featured on the 10-race programme. Run as the 10th race, this second jewel of the Triple Crown was one of the most anticipated in recent years. Wide-margin winners of the 1600 metres 1000 and 2000 Guineas Atomica (163/4 lengths) and Blue Vinyl (9¼…

ATOMICA on Saturday scored one of the widest margins of victory ever recorded in the 1000 Guineas, a 20-length victory clocked in 1:37.0 with Dane Dawkins a mere passenger at Caymanas Park. Our Angel with Robert Halledeen finished second at 30-1, just a neck ahead of third-place SILENT MISSION at 14-1 with Omar Walker. The Gary Subratie-trained…

Nijinsky remains the last colt to have won the Triple Crown - a feat he accomplished with Piggott aboard in the 2000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger. Nijinsky outclassed his 2000 Guineas rivals in the paddock and on the racecourse, sweeping through most impressively to beat the top-class Yellow God by two and a half lengths. For the first and only time…

Johnny Murtagh secured the first Classic of his training career when Sonnboyliston brought Irish Champions Weekend to a memorable conclusion at the Curragh on Sunday. Since 1983, when the Comer Group Irish St Leger was opened to older horses, purists have been quibbling with its'Classic' tag. Such considerations were irrelevant to Murtagh and…

Veteran jockey Shane Ellis stylishly completed his 21st Classic triumph as the unfancied colt Calculus swept to a commanding upset win in Saturday's Jamaica St Leger in his first run for trainer Gary Subratie. The 4-5 favourite Miniature Man was a disappointing sixth as Calculus rebounded from a seventh-place finish in the early June 2000 Guineas…

When Joseph O'Brien won his first Classic as a trainer - the 2018 Irish Derby with Latrobe - the next four home were all trained by his father Aidan. It had been a similar story two years earlier when Joseph's first Group 1 success as a trainer came in the Moyglare Stud Stakes in which Intricately was chased home by a pair of Ballydoyle fillies.…