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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Santa Anita Park concluded its six-month 2024-25 Winter-Spring season June 15 by posting encouraging increases in handle, field size, on-track attendance, and safety.View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Frankie Dettori is set to be in attendance at Royal Ascot this week as a racegoer—but the legendary rider has not ruled out a final hurrah at the meeting in the future.View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
A hard-hitting report by a cross-party group of politicians will demand that action is taken to secure the future of the sport in Britain as it faces a "triple whammy" of financial threats.View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
With the exception of Ballydoyle's hot prospect 2-year-old Albert Einstein, there are no key figures missing from Royal Ascot's opening card on Tuesday and the scene is set for the first of the week's moments of truth. With the St James's Palace featuring the winners of the 2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas and “French 2,000 Guineas” and the Queen Anne boasting all the elite milers of Europe and a bit extra, the standard has been met again in the year which celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Royal Procession. From individual points of view, this year's edition is a momentous one for Colin Keane following the announcement of his retainer for Juddmonte. This is a true baptism of fire for the rider, but luckily he is already accustomed to the jet power of Field Of Gold, Clarehaven's silver surfer who threatens to take the mantle as Kingman's best from the stable's past master Palace Pier. Whatever the reason for his defeat by Ruling Court (Justify) at Newmarket, which is far from obvious from the tactical and sectional evidence available, the Guineas runner-up who went on to display his power at The Curragh is arguably day one's headline act. He is an ideal conduit for the widely-appreciated talent of Keane, who Ger Lyons described last week as more Mick Kinane than Frankie. There is a long way to go to match the Royal Ascot feats of either of those giants, but perhaps this is the start of that odyssey. Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon is relishing the prospect of seeing how the new combo develop together. “It's going to be a huge race with some huge names and could be the race of the week, but we're happy with Field Of Gold and looking forward to having another crack at the English Guineas winner and seeing how we get on,” he said. “We won't know if Field Of Gold is a better horse than the one that went to Newmarket until after the race, but he is a horse who should keep improving through the year,” he added. “John has always mentioned the Eclipse for him which is very much still a possibility or we could even give him a break after this and wait for Goodwood, but we will decide all this after the race.” Field Of Gold's eerily similar trajectory to his sire continues here, but where Kingman dealt his 2,000 Guineas conqueror Night Of Thunder a heavy beating in this 11 years ago it is hard to see the same situation evolving this time. Ruling Court was spared the effort of running in a stamina-sapping renewal of the Derby and Epsom's loss is Ascot's gain. Asked to be a miler again having been trained with the Blue Riband in mind, Godolphin's son of Justify needs to prove his versatility as he bids to deny the grey's revenge mission. Perhaps it was Field Of Gold's subsequent Irish 2,000 Guineas performance that has led many to the conclusion that the wrong horse was in the winner's enclosure at Newmarket, but while the runner-up was able to close out the final furlong in spectacular fashion there was very little between them over the last three. Overall, Ruling Court was a fraction more professional throughout and that ultimately told at the death. A surefire stayer beyond this mile, he is certain to be well suited by Ascot's stiff test. Then there is Henri Matisse, who demonstrated in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains that he can really trap where it matters. One of Wootton Bassett's several success stories of the recent months, the colt who required blinkers in the Jean-Luc Lagardere has subsequently gone places and showed in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and the Poulains that he possesses a lethal kick. While ParisLongchamp isn't The Curragh, he posted a closing 33.15 last month compared to Field Of Gold's 33.6 in the Irish Classic and makes this at least a three-horse race. Leading The Way… By the time Keane gets to the St James's Palace, he may already have enjoyed the ultimate nerve-settler in the opening Queen Anne where he partners another Juddmonte-Clarehaven project in Lead Artist. Coming of age in the Lockinge last month, the son of Dubawi may or may not have caught the likes of Rosallion and Notable Speech on the hop there but it would be churlish to suggest he lucked out. We are talking about prime Juddmonte Hasili blood and he is certain to be even better suited to this stiff test. Second in the Lockinge having followed the route of last year's Queen Anne winner Charyn, one of Camelot's quickest progeny Dancing Gemini is another who will benefit from this greater examination of stamina. Ascot's straight mile standard time is 1:38.90 compared to Newbury's 1:35.80, so we are looking at a completely different demand to that of the Lockinge. Whether last year's brilliant St James's Palace hero Rosallion needs a stiff straight mile is open to debate, with the fast son of Blue Point so effective around the turning mile 12 months ago. Connections will be hoping that it was ring-rustiness that cost him at the end of the Lockinge, his first start in 11 months, rather than lack of stamina as it is worth remembering that the St James's Palace was not a strongly-run affair last year. While Rosallion shone for the non-exacting tempo of the 2024 St James's Palace, Notable Speech was undone by it having been so demanding in the 2,000 Guineas where the leaders and Rosallion himself flagged late on. Proving more adaptable in the Sussex, the son of Dubawi was faster than everything between the four and the one in the Lockinge before blowing up on his return and is a huge threat to all here. Strictly on the Breeders' Cup Mile form of November, Yulong Investments' Carl Spackler (Lope De Vega) is a touch below this level, but he had beaten the winner More Than Looks in both the GI Keeneland Turf Mile and GI Fourstardave Handicap and looked better than ever in the GI Maker's Mark Mile Stakes last time. How he takes to the straight course is key to his chances, but Tepin did so all those years ago and he has the assistance of James McDonald, whose four Royal Ascot winners include three in Expert Eye, Nature Strip and Dark Shift who mastered the straight line. Trainer Ciaron Maher's bloodstock manager William Bourne gave the lowdown on Carl Spackler. “He's a very straightforward horse, there's not much to know–what you see is what you get. He's got a great temperament, he's like a kid's pony, he's made it so easy to bring him here, get him into the rhythm and train him. He's definitely made life easy for the boss. It's a very international raceday and world-class so just to even be here as a spectator or have a horse here, it's a privilege and to have Yulong entrust us with the horse is just amazing.” Interestingly, McDonald is one of two Antipodean riders in the meeting's opener alongside Mark Zahra who partners the Ascot straight-track specialist and 2024 Queen Anne runner-up Docklands (Massaat). McDonald also has an association with Wathnan this week, with three rides for the operation on Tuesday including the live Coventry contender Underwriter (Mehmas). Jonathan Gregory, Chief Commercial Officer at Ascot Racecourse, spoke of the meeting's outreach. “We're incredibly proud of Royal Ascot and the enduring appeal it continues to hold for audiences around the world,” he said. “None of this would be possible without the support and collaboration of our international broadcast partners, whose commitment plays such a vital role in showcasing the excitement, heritage and prestige of the Royal Meeting. This year is particularly special as we mark the 200th anniversary of the Royal Procession–a milestone we're delighted to honour through a specially commissioned programme that brings this historic tradition to life for a global audience.” And As For Her… In the King Charles III, Asfoora (Flying Artie) is back to bid to extend Australia's tally of eight winners at the meeting from a total of just 47 runners and carve her own slice of history in becoming the first from “Down Under” to return a year later and record consecutive wins. Fitted with blinkers for the first time following her latest seventh in the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes, Henry Dwyer's charge comes into this on a similar level to 12 months ago with much the same horses to beat. “I feel like there is less pressure this year, as she has been there and done it,” Dwyer said. “It's an expensive trip and there's huge costs involved, but she was able to repay us last year and the money is in the bank now. This year is a bonus, she owes us nothing and we're just here for the experience and the fun of it.” Perhaps Believing (Mehmas), who was fourth in this last year, will rate the biggest threat to the Australian mare having continued to move on up in the interim. Unable to deal with Bradsell in the Nunthorpe and Flying Five, she looked a different proposition when taking the G1 Al Quoz Sprint in April and will be fresh and ready for the rematch. In foal to Frankel, she is raring to go according to George Boughey. “I think because it's such an open race, it's attracted a bigger field,” he said. We're drawn in one and possibly a little bit away from some of the others, but I spoke to Ryan [Moore] yesterday and we said it makes our decision pretty clear–we know which way we're going and that's in a straight line towards home.” “A stiff five is probably what she wants now, I think a stiff six is possibly too far. That's why the six in Meydan was so tailor-made for her and anything now is a bonus.” Lord Lloyd Webber and Arthur Mitchell's G2 Temple Stakes and G3 Prix de Saint-Georges scorer Mgheera (Zoustar) looks a much-improved performer this term, while the best of the males could be Wathnan Racing's unexposed TDN Rising Star Night Raider. The son of Dark Angel has proven prowess on the all-weather, which translates so well to this track, having shown off in Newcastle's Listed Golden Rose Stakes in November. He comes back in trip, having tired late on behind what could be the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes winner Inisherin in York's G2 1895 Duke of York. “He's very fast and set some blistering fractions in the Duke of York into a strong headwind that day,” Wathnan's racing adviser Richard Brown said. “He's won over seven furlongs and was a Guineas horse last year, but I just can't wait to see him over five furlongs as he's blisteringly fast. James [Doyle] rode him up at Karl Burke's the other day and was seriously impressed by how quick he was and I'm really looking forward to seeing him. When those sprinters are absolutely flying at Ascot, it's one of the great sights in racing and I think he's going to be one winging along.” A New Movement… Despite the absence of Albert Einstein, the Coventry looks as hot as ever with the TDN Rising Star Postmodern (Too Darn Hot) taking over as the current favourite. From a Wathnan Racing operation focused on success at this meeting, he looks to provide Hamad Al Jehani with a breakthrough Royal Ascot winner. His five-length Yarmouth debut win will come under the microscope here, with countless others down the years coming to a Coventry off similar wide-margin successes only to be found wanting. James Doyle is looking forward to some enviable rides on the Wathnan horses and said, “We look like we've got a nice team and there have been a few welcome additions. We've had a couple of two-year-olds step up to the plate and obviously Zelaina won nicely at Nottingham and there's Postmodern for Hamad and Underwriter for Archie [Watson], so we've a decent group of youngsters. We're all well aware how difficult it is to win at Royal Ascot, everyone knows how tough it can be, but we're looking forward to it, quietly hopeful and would be pretty pleased with the team we have going there.” Ballydoyle's deputies for Albert Einstein are Starspangledbanner's Navan winner Gstaad, who was always in line to play second-fiddle to his much-vaunted stablemate, and the intriguing Warsaw who has come late onto the scene. A son of Wootton Bassett from the family of City Of Troy, he went hard on his racecourse bow over what was surely an inadequate five furlongs and just kept going. Godolphin's Military Code is the chosen one of Charlie Appleby's group of smart and sharp juveniles as he looks for a first Coventry winner, while of the first-season sire pack the trio of Starman, Space Blues and Ubettabelieveit are represented. The best on paper is Space Blues's Power Blue, who represents Amo Racing and got closest to Albert Einstein in the G3 Marble Hill Stakes having previously run into Lady Iman. Ubettabelieveit's Tricky Tel won't be the most celebrated in the line-up beforehand, but has looked a powerhouse around the ultimate learning circuit of Chester and has Colin Keane to help. Aside from the key Pattern-race gala, there is the prospect of Royal Ascot's specialist target trainer Willie Mullins providing The King with a winner on the first day in Reaching High in the Ascot Stakes. The son of Sea The Stars is one of Ryan Moore's mounts as he begins his irrepressible quest for a 12th Leading Jockey Award at the most prestigious meeting of them all. The post Procession of Stars Readied for Royal Ascot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
The six-month Winter/Spring meeting at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, closed Sunday, June 15, with 'encouraging' gains in handle, field size and on-track attendance, according to a release from the track. With over 6,800 horses having raced during the meet and more than 375,000 training sessions on the main and synthetic tracks having taken place, track officials report a safety mark of 99.98%, cementing its status as the safest track in North America among those with a comparable volume of racing and training. “This year was a transitional one for the California racing community and it was a success by every measure,” said Nate Newby, SVP and General Manager of Santa Anita Park. “We are thankful for the continued support of the owners, trainers, jockeys, veterinarians, the horsemen and women who provide outstanding care for the horses; for the horseplayers who back our product; and for our staff for putting on a great show. Horses based at Santa Anita, including Journalism, Raging Torrent and Kopion, won major races around the country, underlining the excellence we experience every day. “Between the Eaton fire and the ongoing recovery, 2025 has been a challenging year for our neighbors and many of our own Santa Anita family, but we hope 'The Great RIP' has provided some sense of continuity.” The season kicked off on Dec. 26, 2024, with the third-largest opening-day handle in track history and all-sources handle over the course of the Classic Meet (Dec. 26-Apr. 6) and the just-concluded Hollywood Meet (Apr. 18-June 15) nearly eclipsed three-quarters of a billion dollars ($745.9 million). Total handle on Santa Anita races alone increased 10% from the previous year. The gains in handle were attributable to some extent to a 5% increase in field size, due in part to the consolidation of California racing into a single circuit. Many races restricted to those horses that were relocated from the Northern California circuit were written by the racing office, allowing those horses to compete against each other during the season. The Pick Six wager resulted in no fewer than 17 carryovers over the course of the season, more than double the number in 2023-2045 and turf racing was also seen to have increased in popularity, with handle on the Santa Anita Pick Three leaping by 31%. On-track attendance (541,592) was ahead by 4% fueled by the largest opening-day crowd in eight years and the largest audience to witness Santa Anita Derby Day in person in seven years. “We have witnessed increases in every key category, including 70 additional races and improvements in field sizes, which could only happen through the move to a single circuit,” said Bill Nader, President of the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC). “This has helped drive handle increases and reverse the downward trend in overnight purses to restore our foundation and bring renewed life to California racing. We will now carry this momentum into the second half of the year as racing moves to Los Alamitos and then the much anticipated Del Mar summer.” The addition of horses from Northern California pushed the Santa Anita stable area to its capacity of 2,000 horses, a population increase of more than 10% over last year, making the safety improvements even more remarkable, according to the release. “More than 5,000 pre-work examinations were performed by Santa Anita Park veterinarians since Sept. 1 of last year,” said Dionne Benson, Chief Veterinary Officer for 1/ST Racing. “It is impossible to overestimate the importance this played in collaborating with owners, trainers and private veterinarians to provide additional opportunities for intervention for the best interest of the horse and providing a model for the rest of the country.” Live racing will return to Santa Anita Park on Friday, Sept. 26 for the five-week Autumn meet. Seven Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win and You're In” races will highlight the first two weeks of the season. The post Despite ‘Transitional’ Season, Santa Anita Reports Gains In Handle, Field Size, Attendance; Safety Record Sparkles appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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