the-racehorse.com - Features

Big race countdown for 1 September 2008

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 11:05:54 +0100

Star sprinter Overdose is the pride of Hungary after making it ten wins from as many starts in the Group Two Goldene Peitsche at Baden-Baden on Saunday, where he beat Sir Mark Prescott's raider Starlit Sands into third place. Connections are considering a tilt at either the Prix de la Foret or the Prix de l'Abbaye on Arc weekend.

Goodwood Listed winner Gravitation had a boost to that form when runner up Folk Opera won in Group Two company in France last week and trainer Michael Jarvis thinks Gravitation has a big chance in the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster on Thursday week.

Big race countdown for 25 August 2008

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:08:17 +0100

Monday 25 August 2008

Coventry Stakes winner Art Connoisseur will miss the rest of the season with a leg injury. Trainer Michael Bell told his website michaelbellracing.com: "He has sustained an injury to his off fore cannon bone and although it is not too serious it would be serious enough to explain his poor run on Friday and is enough to keep him off the track for the rest of the season."

Big race countdown for 18 August 2008

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:17:43 +0100

Aidan O'Brien has cautioned that Duke Of Marmalade is not a definite starter in tomorrow's Juddmonte International if the ground is heavy. A decision is expected later today.

The Freddie Head-trained Tamayuz was a classy winner of the Prix Jacques le Marois on Sunday. Owner Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum is reported to be keen to head for Ascot for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, where, if the ground is good, a showdown with Henrythenavigator could settle champion miler status. Henrythenavigator has been beating Raven's Pass by diminishing margins this season; Tamayuz accounted for John Gosden's charge by a length and a half in the Prix Jean Prat in July.

Big race countdown for 11 August 2008

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:52:23 +0100

Dermot Weld struck at Arlington Park in America on Saturday with Winchester, an impressive seven and a quarter length winner of the Grade One Secretariat Stakes. The Breeders' Cup is now on the agenda for the colt, who has taken time to come to hand.

Weld told PA Sport: "It was a really good performance by the horse on Saturday and we were delighted. I having nothing concrete in mind for him at the moment and I will have to talk to the owners, Mr and Mrs Firestone, before making any firm plans.

"He will certainly stick to 10 furlongs if we stay in Europe, but if I decide to take him to one of the tight tracks in America, he may get a bit further. Ten furlongs certainly seems to be his optimum trip and all Group One races are open to him."

Big race countdown for 4 August 2008

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:40:40 +0100

Improving filly Goldikova gave trainer Freddie Head a third Group One in less than a month in the Prix Rothschild on Sunday. The trainer said after the race: "It's not certain Goldikova will come back here in the Group One Prix Jacques Le Marois, and we will wait and see how she takes this race before deciding. There are plenty of opportunities later on."

Big race countdown for 28 July 2008

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:50:49 +0100

Mastercraftsman heads the market for the 2000 Guineas after an emphatic win in Sunday's Group One Phoenix Stakes. Winning jockey Johnny Murtagh said after the win: "We wanted to make it a good solid pace as he probably needs seven furlongs. I wanted to make it a solid race because he has a huge stride. But he is one of these ones that you might think will get the mile, but he has loads of speed and a huge stride that gets horses in trouble."

Big race countdown for 21 July 2008

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:17:17 +0100

Michael Bell reports his impressive Coventry Stakes winner Art Connoisseur to be in good form ahead of Sunday's Group One Independent Waterford Wedgwood Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.

Third behind him at Ascot was Lord Shanakill, who is to bypass Thursday's Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown in favour of the Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes at Goodwood next week.

Big race countdown for 14 July 2008

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:16:06 +0100

Ante-post 2000 Guineas favourite Art Connoisseur has worked well ahead of his planned run in the Phoenix Stakes a week on Sunday.

Trainer Michael Bell told PA Sport: "I've never experienced a spell like this before where my horses are in such a rich vein of form. Everything we run is running a big race. They are in good order.

Big race countdown for 7 July 2008

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:14:05 +0100

Wednesday's Group One Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket sees Finsceal Beo and Darjina lock horns once more - most recently the pair filled the places behind Haradasun in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. Darjina was the better that day, but her trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre is hoping for dry weather. He told At The Races: "The ground is very important for her, we need to have good ground and good to firm is the best. If they get too much rain that will be a problem. It's a big field but that's OK."

Big race countdown for 30 June 2008

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:07:40 +0100

Khalid Abdulla's improving filly Treat Gently won the Group Two Prix de Malleret on Sunday, and is likely to run - without a penalty - in the Group Three Prix de la Nonette at Deauville on 24 August ahead of a tilt at the Group One Prix Vermeille at Longchamp on 14 September.

Big race countdown for 23 June 2008

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:41:41 +0100

Michael Bell's impressive Coventry Stakes winner Art Connoisseur will be supplemented for the Group One Phoenix Stakes over 6f at the Curragh on 27 July.

The trainer said: "He seems fine after Ascot and will be supplemented into the Phoenix Stakes. The way he won was pretty breathtaking and I feel he deserves to have a shot at a Group One."

Big race countdown for 16 June 2008

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:52:43 +0100

Runaway Temple Stakes winner Fleeting Spirit bids to justify favouritism in the Group One King’s Stand at Ascot on Tuesday.

Trainer Jeremy Noseda reports that she has done nothing wrong since winning at Haydock last month and - as long as she gets decent or fast ground - is likely to be there or thereabouts at the shake-up.

2008 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes entries

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:00:48 +0100

The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (group One)(3yo+)

Ascot, 4:20pm Saturday 26 July 2008. 1m 4f.

Entries revealed June 11 (50 entries)
orfeit stage July 8
Five-day confirmation & £70,000

Big race countdown for 9 June 2008

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:55:02 +0100

Monday 9 June 2008

The Andre Fabre-trained Getaway, a disappointment when fourth in the Coronation Cup on Friday, could run in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

Paul Harley, racing manager to owner Baron Georg Von Ullmann, told At The Races: "Of course we were disappointed. We would be lying if we said any different, but that's racing. To be fair, without making too many excuses, we felt he didn't handle the track that well, but I don't want to take anything away from the first two, they are very good horses. We'll have to see what happens when we meet them again.

Epsom and Ascot countdown for 2 June 2008

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:57:17 +0100

Major race entries 2008: Derby | Oaks | Coronation Cup | Sussex Stakes