Wandering Eyes

The streaking Backyard Heaven (Tizway) will take center stage in Saturday evening’s GI Stephen Foster H. at Churchill Downs, a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. The Ken and Sarah Ramsey colorbearer earned a gaudy 108 Beyer Speed Figure in a first-level allowance score at Aqueduct Mar. 17, then successfully stretched to two turns with an eye-catching victory in Churchill’s GII Alysheba S. May 4 on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard. “The future is so bright for this horse,” Ken Ramsey said. “We’re awfully excited to see this horse on such a big stage Saturday night at Churchill Downs. If this horse continues to climb the mountain, we hope to follow the same path Gun Runner did in 2017. I honestly believe he’s the second-most valuable horse I own behind Kitten’s Joy.” Last year’s GI Belmont S. runner-up ‘TDN Rising Star’ Irish War Cry (Curlin) ended a six-race losing streak with a wire-to-wire tally in the GIII Pimlico Special S. May 18. He was 10th in his last trip beneath the Twin Spires in the 2017 GI Kentucky Derby. “It was definitely a relief to see him run well last time out,” trainer Graham Motion said. “We were very pleased of his effort and showed us what type of horse he is. It looks to be a pretty tough race but he’s proven us he belongs.” The popular one-eyed ‘TDN Rising Star’ Patch (Union Rags), third in last year’s Belmont, kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a come-from-behind allowance win at Belmont May 12. View the full article

Justify will parade in front of the clubhouse and grandstand as he walks over with horses for the third race, which has a 6:56 p.m. post time. Justify will follow the third race entrants. View the full article

Robert Smerdon and Stuart Webb have joined the list of guilty parties in the Aquanita scandal to appeal their penalties. Smerdon, who was the subject of 115 of the total 250 charges in the case across eight persons, was banned for life and fined A$90,000. The former trainer announced his retirement amidst the hearing and did not participate in it. Webb, who was banned four years, also did not participate in the hearing but lodged a plea of not guilty. They have joined fellow trainers Liam Birchley (one year) and Tony Vasil (three years) in appealing their penalties. View the full article

Sunday’s G1 Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly features some big names in Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and With You (GB) (Dansili {GB}), but one flying under the radar with an Australian connection is the unexposed Lady Athena (Fr) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}). Owned by John Hutchins and trained at La Teste by Yan Durepaire, the bay has just a course-and-distance conditions success to her name having won with enough authority to merit this jump in class May 18. She represents the owner behind the MG1SW Australian Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy (Aus) (Red Ransom), the operation’s first champion. She was out of the A$1 million purchase Tracy’s Element (Aus) (Last Tycoon {Ire}) and pre-empted the purchase of Element Hill Stud in Queensland, which houses circa 40 broodmares with the owner’s son Josh at the helm. Durepaire said, “I remember seeing her as a yearling when she was boarding with Anna Sundstrom where she was being prepared for the sales. It’s easy to say it now, but she really did catch the eye. Arthur Hoyeau introduced me to Josh Hutchins who bred her in tandem with his parents. Our meeting went well and, when they decided to keep the filly with a view to racing her, they decided to send her to me after visiting the stable.” Another first in Sunday’s main event is provided by Castellar (Fr) (American Post {GB}), with the Spaniard Dario Hinojosa seeing his colours finally carried in the race. She beat the subsequently demoted Luminate (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) and Amazing Lips (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the May 21 G3 Prix Cleopatre over this 10 1/2-furlong trip and could make for a memorable two days for her owner-breeder as Tuesday sees her year-older half-brother Recoletos (Fr) (Whipper) take in Royal Ascot’s G1 Queen Anne. Bred at his Normandy stud at Valseme in the Calvados region, Castellar’s presence in this line-up will be a cause for celebration in itself. “It’s invariably a source of great joy to have a runner in such a race,” Hinojosa commented. “To have a runner in the Prix de Diane, with a filly which I bred, is a great satisfaction. I believe it’s a very open race as all the winners of the prep races have a chance including Castellar.” View the full article

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Tokyo and Hanshin Racecourses, including a pair of horses that represented the most expensive juvenile sales for their respective sires in 2017: Saturday, June 16, 2018 3rd-Hanshin, ¥9,550,000 ($86k), Maiden, 3yo, 1200m MOZU DADDY (c, 3, Scat Daddy–Batalha, by Smart Strike) was sold for $180K in utero at the 2015 KEEJAN sale, then fetched $300K when offered at KEESEP in the latter half of 2016. The chestnut is the second produce for his stakes-placed dam, a half-sister to MGSW & MGISP Strong Contender (Maria’s Mon). His 2-year-old Super Saver half-sister realized $200K at OBSAPR this spring. B-Mr & Mrs Oliver S Tait (KY) Sunday, June 17, 2018 5th-Hanshin, ¥13,400,000 ($121k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT FORT WADSWORTH (c, 2, Verrazano–Opulence, by Giant’s Causeway), a $110K KEESEP acquisition last fall, becomes the first Japanese runner for his first-crop sire (by More Than Ready). His unraced dam is a daughter of none other than 2007 GI Belmont S. winner Rags To Riches (A.P. Indy), a half-sister to US GSW & Japanese G1SP Casino Drive (Mineshaft), fellow Belmont hero Jazil (Seeking the Gold) and Breeders’ Cup Marathon winner Man of Iron (Giant’s Causeway). Fort Wadsworth is bred 3×2 to the recently departed ‘Iron Horse.’ B-Chelston (KY) 10th-Tokyo, ¥28,600,000 ($259k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1600m SHIVAJI (c, 3, First Samurai–Indian Bay, by Indian Charlie) was easily the most expensive of his sire’s 12 juveniles to sell in 2017, hammering for $540K at OBSAPR. He has made a good impression, with a record of 4-2-1-1 to date, including a last-out success through the Hanshin slop Apr. 7 (gate 11, see below). Shivaji’s Grade II-winning second dam Buy the Barrel (E Dubai) is responsible for English MGSP Mise En Rose (War Front). B-Hinkle Farms (KY) 11th-Tokyo, Unicorn S.-G3, ¥67,450,000 ($610k), 3yo, 1600m RYONO TESORO (c, 3, Justin Phillip–Town Belle, by Speighstown), a listed winner on turf (gate 4, see below), returns to the dirt, a surface over which he has posted two wins and a second to G3 winner Mr Melody (Scat Daddy) from three runs. As a $300K BARMAR grad, he was the priciest of 17 2-year-olds to sell for his sire in 2017 and counts MGSW turfer Clearly A Queen (Lucky North) as his second dam. Town Belle is a full-sister to SP Nefertiti, dam of GSW & recent GII Woody Stephens S. runner-up Engage (Into Mischief). B-Highland Yard LLC (KY) View the full article

Irish trainer Ken Condon has packed a lot into the first half of 2018. In addition to winning a first Classic with Romanised (Ire) (Jeremy) in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, Condon traveled a horse, Success Days (Ire) (Jeremy), to Australia for the first time. The TDN‘s Alayna Cullen caught up with Condon to discuss what is ahead for both horses, as well as his string in general. AC: Romanised has always been a very promising horse for you. Was the 2000 Guineas in Ireland always your mission with him? KC: I suppose if I go back a step, his maiden win at first asking was quite impressive. Interestingly with that race, there was a lot of chatter before the race and as time has proven there’s been several stakes winners that have come out of it and about 14 winners. He’s a horse we always liked. He went to Ascot next [for the G2 Coventry S.] as a little bit of a raw horse, a work in progress. He missed the break a little bit but he still ran a very solid race to be beaten just a fraction over two lengths. Then he ran in the [G1] Phoenix [S.] and ran a nice race there. We were a shade disappointed on the day there because we always had that high expectation with him, but that Sandown run was lovely [second to eventual Derby winner Masar in the G2 Solario S.]. He was very good at Sandown in the prelims and during the race, he ran a lovely race behind, as we know now, obviously a top-class horse, with Purser behind, who is a good, solid horse of John Gosden’s. It’s a race that has worked out really well. Traditionally, it’s been a very good; the likes of Kingman have won it in the past, it’s always a very informative 2-year-old race. AC: You’ve had another first experience with traveling to Australia with Success Days (Ire) (Jeremy). How did you find the international travel down under? (Editor’s Note: Success Days finished last of 10 behind Winx in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. over ground far too fast for his liking) KC: I thought it was a fantastic experience. I’ve said it to anyone that has asked, the Australian Turf Club couldn’t have been more accommodating and welcoming. Really, we got first-class treatment. When we arrived on the Monday–I literally was on the ground for five days–but when we arrived it was 35 degrees and it was the first time since 2006 that they had what they called a fast track. For Success Days, of course, that’s no good. It was just a freakishly warm autumn, a dry autumn and usually they have softer, heavy [going]; it was almost to the point of being cancelled a few times over the years, but that’s the way it was. They looked after us really well. It’s good and fine to mention too the transporters and the vets and all those people, they’re so experienced at that now that international racing is going from strength-to-strength. I couldn’t believe how well Success Days took the trip back. He ran in the [G2] Mooresbridge [S.], and he ran a hell of a race to be second to Cliffs of Moher, 23 days after he ran in Sydney; that’ll tell you its own story. That’s really down to the horse’s constitution and his mental state. No small part either to the transporters, to the veterinary people. He landed in Newmarket, he overnighted there, but they are just very experienced at it and accustomed to it. It just makes it easier from the trainer’s point of view. AC: Having the right horse is key to international travel, but is it something you’d like to do more of with your string? KC: Yeah, sure. We only have a small string and it’s really a case of identifying the correct horse. You might have a Breeders’ Cup or even Australia again; I’d love to go back with something more suitable. Definitely, it would be something that would be on the horizon if we had the right horse. If you have the right horse, it’s no trouble to travel with them, it’s definitely worth doing. AC: You’ve had more exciting news happening recently–you’ve purchased Mr. Hugheses yard, which is on The Curragh grounds. What’s the plan there? What did it offer you that your current yard doesn’t and when are you hoping to be in there? KC: I suppose it offers stability for our own futures. It’s something that was on our mind for a long time and it’s great to be in a position now to carry through on it. It’s a yard with a tremendous tradition and history, obviously for the last 40 years Dessie, and followed by Sandra, have had wonderful success there; countless Cheltenham winners, an Irish National winner Sandra had. It’s just been a yard that’s been very lucky for them over the last four decades. It was built in 1897, I think there have been 11 trainers that have now had very good success through there, three Irish Derby winners and about 18 Classic winners. From a horseman’s point of view, that’s fantastic to have that knowledge. It’s a place that’s played at the highest stakes and had the highest levels over a real, long sustained period of time. That’s great to know. Hopefully, we can continue that on and have success in the future. The plan is now to move the string maybe in the winter time. We won’t move them now. We’ll go in and maybe make a few changes and put our own stamp on it. That’s going to take a little bit of time but we’re very much looking forward to the challenge and delighted to get the opportunity to do it. View the full article

An all-stakes pick five is capped by an absolutely wide-open renewal of the Regret (G3T) for 3-year-old fillies that drew a baker's dozen. View the full article

Belle Josephine (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), the dam of this season’s G2 Dante S. runner-up Mildenberger (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), will now have her Pivotal (GB) colt foal offered alongside her at the Goffs London Sale on Monday. The pair will be offered as lot 22. Mare and foal could receive a significant update as early as next week, with Mildenberger set to start in the G2 King Edward VI S. at Royal Ascot. The colt foal is closely related to Belle Josephine’s stakes-winning half-sister Marsh Daisy (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), and he is the fifth foal out of the mare, who is offered in foal to Siyouni (Fr). View the full article

British racing’s The Horse Comes First campaign has released a short film to highlight the care received by the country’s racehorses. The film takes a behind-the-scenes look at the facilities of leading trainer William Haggas, which include a solarium, water treadmill, massages and 24/7 veterinary care. David Sykes, Director of Equine Health and Welfare for the British Horseracing Authority, said, “Around the country, thousands of people are thinking about their preparations for Royal Ascot. We wanted to create a film that shows the diligence and meticulousness of the racing industry and how they care for their horses, not just for the big Festivals, but all year round. Thoroughbred horses’ training and lifestyles involve the best possible care. No expense is spared on the highest quality feed, facilities and bedding to ensure they are happy and healthy athletes, but this isn’t something that the average race goer is always aware of.” View the full article

An evenly matched field that includes the top three finishers from both the GIII Doubledogdare S. and the GIII Allaire DuPont Distaff S. is set to line up for the GII Fleur de Lis H. Saturday at Churchill Downs, a “Win and You’re In” event for the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Valadorna (Curlin) led home a ‘TDN Rising Star’ exacta in Keeneland’s Doubledogdare Apr. 20, notching a 3/4-length victory over Apologynotaccepted (Fusaichi Pegasus) with Song of Spring (Spring at Last) another half-length back in third. Only off the board once in 10 starts, Valadorna captured the Tiffany Lass S. at Fair Grounds Dec. 26, but tired to sixth next out in the GIII Houston Ladies Classic Jan. 28 prior to her victory in Lexington. Song of Spring rebounded off her Doubledogdare effort with a win in the DuPont Distaff over a sloppy Pimlico track on the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. undercard. GII Falls City H. winner Blue Prize (Arg) (Pure Prize) came up a half-length short of Song of Spring in the DuPont and GI Apple Blossom H. third Fuhriously Kissed (Langfuhr) completed the trifecta. GI La Troienne S. runner-up Farrell (Malibu Moon) seems to be returning to the form she showed last year at the Fair Grounds when she won the Silverbulletday S., GII Rachel Alexandra S. and GII Fair Grounds Oaks. Capping off 2017 with a win in this venue’s GII Chilukki S. and starting this term with a victory in Oaklawn’s Pippin S. Jan. 18, the dark bay was off the board in the GIII Bayakoa S. a month later and checked in third in the GII Azeri S. in March. She failed to fire again in the Apple Blossom, but showed signs of her sophomore form last time when second to Salty (Quality Road) after setting the early pace in this venue’s La Troienne May 4. View the full article

Zoustar (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}-Zouzou {Aus}, by Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) will shuttle to Tweenhills Stud in Gloucestershire for the 2019 breeding season. The speedy Zoustar, winner of the G1 Coolmore Stud S. and G1 Golden Rose S. in 2013 and Australia’s champion 3-year-old, currently heads that country’s first-season sires table by earnings, his tally of over A$3-million almost double that of closest pursuer Spirit of Boom (Aus). His progeny are headed by the Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner and G1 Golden Slipper-placed Sunlight (Aus), the G2 Sires’ Produce S. winner Lean Mean Machine (Aus), and the Sires’ Produce runner-up and Group 1-placed Zousain (Aus). Zoustar’s yearlings have this year averaged A$185,257, and his yearlings have sold for up to A$1-million. He stands at Widden Stud in New South Wales. Qatar Racing bought into Zoustar during his racing career and have heavily supported the horse in the sales ring. Tweenhills Stud owner and Qatar Racing manager David Redvers said, “The opportunity to stand the sensational champion Zoustar at Tweenhills is the most exciting thing I have been involved with in my career. The buzz surrounding this horse and what he has achieved in Australia is deafening and to be able to stand him alongside Qatar Racing’s other sensational young stallions is an honour and a challenge that my team and I relish.” “From the first moment Sheikh Fahad and I saw Zoustar at Flemington we were convinced that we were witnessing something special and had to be involved. He has that rare mixture of precocity, natural speed, turn of foot, pedigree and physical presence you see in only a very few genuinely top-flight stallions. We were spellbound and have been ‘all-in’ ever since.” “I’m not sure European breeders have ever been offered access to such an exciting Australian stallion at this point in his career and news has been received with tremendous support and enthusiasm from Europe’s leading farms.” View the full article

Champion World Approval (Northern Afleet) looks to return to his winning ways in Saturday’s GII Wise Dan S. at Churchill Downs after finishing a disappointing fifth as the heavy favorite in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita last time Mar. 10. The gray closed out 2017 with a trio of top level successes, culminating in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile, and was awarded the Eclipse as the year’s top turf male. The homebred kicked off this term with a one-length success in the GIII Tampa Bay S. prior to his head scratching effort in California and was entered in the GII Dixie S. on the GI Preakness S. undercard, but was scratched when heavy rains forced the race off the turf. Hall of Fame John Velazquez, in the irons for the Mark Casse runner’s last three scores, gets back aboard for this one. Divisidero (Kitten’s Joy) is a perfect three-for-three over this course, capturing the 2015 GII American Turf S. and the 2016 and 2017 renewals of the GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic while under the care of trainer Buff Bradley. Transferred to Kelly Rubley this season, the 6-year-old was also scratched out of the Dixie due to track conditions and ran in the GII Monmouth S. May 26 instead, closing well to finish second, beaten just 3/4 of a length by Money Multiplier (Lookin at Lucky). The speedy Shining Copper (Aragorn {Ire}) is the likely pacesetter in this affair. Winner of the nine-panel GIII River City H. over this course Nov. 23, the chestnut followed up with a head success in the GII Fort Laurderdale S. at Gulfstream Jan. 13, after which he was sent to the Caribbean, where he finished a half-length second to stablemate Sir Dudley Digges (Gio Ponti) in the Barbados Gold Cup Mar. 3. He was last seen fading to ninth after setting the pace in the Turf Classic here May 5. View the full article

Chocolate Martini's connections felt shipping west--at a time many from the West recently shipped east--could be a good opportunity for the Broken Vow filly to collect her second grade 2 victory. View the full article

Purchasing a future Royal Ascot winner would be high on the agenda for any agent, and next week Ed Sackville will see Cosmic Law (Ire) (No Nay Never), a colt he bought from Doncaster for £90,000 for owner John Dance, line up in the G2 Coventry S. at the Royal meeting. The TDN‘s Gary King caught up with Sackville to talk about the horse then and now. GK: What impressed you about Cosmic Law as a yearling? ES: He was just an imposing and impressive individual who came from a great farm. I should make it clear though that it wasn’t just me who he impressed, but also John Dance and Dan Creighton, who I bought him in collaboration with. GK: Any chance of finding out exactly what you wrote on your catalogue page? ES: Attractive. Racey. Good type. Good enough walk. Improver. GK: No Nay Never has made a fast start at stud. You were obviously impressed by his yearlings? ES: Yes, I was impressed by them and ended up buying a few. I must say that although No Nay Never himself was a precocious horse I never expected his 2-year-olds to be as precocious as him, and I definitely think that they will get a lot better, particularly as plenty of them had great size and scope. GK: Cosmic Law is the third-highest rated 2-year-old in Europe (Timeform 105p). That must be extremely satisfying for you and owner John Dance? ES: We aren’t even halfway through the season so I don’t think one can get too carried away. But yes, it is an undoubtedly impressive and deserved figure. Of course I am delighted for John, he has invested a lot into this business and racing needs owners like him, so it is great when they are rewarded. GK: Sergei Prokofiev (Scat Daddy) is currently trading at about 2-1 for Team Ballydoyle. Is he going to be tough to beat? ES: I think anything from Ballydoyle is tough to beat, however, you can’t run scared of one horse. GK: Jackstar (Dark Angel), another £120,000 purchase at Goffs UK Premier, impressed earlier in the year at Newmarket. Do you have an update on him? ES: I know that Tom Dascombe thinks a lot of him but I suspect that he will miss Ascot and give him time. Remember that Tom has an exceptional record at the July meeting with his 2-year-olds. GK: Finally, what’s the best thing about Royal Ascot? Any dos and don’ts for first timers? ES: I think the best thing has to be the sheer quality of the racing; it is consistently exceptional. As for dos, arrive early to try and miss the traffic and as for don’ts, don’t ever let go of your top hat; the minute you put it down in a box or the car park, someone else will take it thinking it’s theirs-they all look the same. View the full article

The second automatic berth into the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) is on the line this Saturday evening, June 16, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., in the $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (G1), beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. View the full article

Great stallions tend to do well with a wide cross-section of mares. If they don’t, they simply won’t become dominant sires. But breeders tend to look for patterns of success and then repeat them. The Nicks industry is thriving and whether you buy into it or not, there’s no doubt that some sires produce good runners at a higher rate with certain broodmare sires than with mares in general. True, for the vast majority of nicks we always have a problem with sample sizes–they’re usually too small to satisfy established research principles. Nevertheless, a stakes winner from three starters is always more encouraging to a breeder than no stakes winners from three starters, regardless of sample size. Then there’s the issue of overuse. Let’s have a good nick regardless of general suitability between mare and stallion. This inevitably leads to a diminution of its effectiveness as does the age of the participants, particularly the mare. Contemporaries Sadler’s Wells and Darshaan had outstanding results as sire and broodmare sire in their early years, but, like many nicks, they seemed less successful in their later lives. This in part is down to Darshaan daughters growing older. The fact that a mare’s probability of producing a stakes horse diminishes 60% by the time she reaches the age of 15 helps explain why some nicks appear to wane after an initial surge. Our table contains the most successful sire/broodmare combinations in recent times. All combinations have at least 20 starters and have produced percentages of stakes winners better than the sire’s own career figures. It is restricted to sires in Europe, America, Japan, South Africa and Australasia. View the full article

Raging Blitzkrieg is yet to land his first Hong Kong victory but can turn that around in the Class Three Hong Kong Riding for the Disabled Association Cup at Sha Tin (1,200m) on Saturday. The John Size-trained gelding won two of his six races in France when known as Ajmal before arriving at his new home where he has accumulated a record of two seconds from nine starts. But while the record doesn’t look flash, he has shown glimpses and it generally takes European horses a little bit longer... View the full article

Raging Blitzkrieg is yet to land his first Hong Kong victory but can turn that around in the Class Three Hong Kong Riding for the Disabled Association Cup at Sha Tin (1,200m) on Saturday. The John Size-trained gelding won two of his six races in France when known as Ajmal before arriving at his new home where he has accumulated a record of two seconds from nine starts. But while the record doesn’t look flash, he has shown glimpses and it generally takes European horses a little bit longer... View the full article

Trainer Almond Lee is ready to fight for his career over the final eight meetings and hopes a drop in grade can bring about a change in luck for Autopay in the Class Five Ho Sheung Heung Road Handicap (1,200m) at Sha Tin on Saturday. If Lee, along with fellow trainer Derek Cruz, receives a third strike for failing to reach the performance criteria he is likely to lose his licence. While Cruz’s situation seems dire – he needs seven winners from the final eight meetings to avoid a... View the full article

Trainer Almond Lee is ready to fight for his career over the final eight meetings and hopes a drop in grade can bring about a change in luck for Autopay in the Class Five Ho Sheung Heung Road Handicap (1,200m) at Sha Tin on Saturday. If Lee, along with fellow trainer Derek Cruz, receives a third strike for failing to reach the performance criteria he is likely to lose his licence. While Cruz’s situation seems dire – he needs seven winners from the final eight meetings to avoid a... View the full article

The question in Saturday’s Jockey Challenge isn’t so much who the most likely winner is, but rather how to extract maximum value from backing Zac Purton on a day when the Australian seems to have the strongest book of rides. While Hong Kong Jockey Club oddsmakers obviously disagree with that assessment, rating Joao Moreira ($1.80) a slight favourite over Purton ($1.90) in early betting, the championship leader has the edge. Perhaps those odds are, in part, based on the fact Moreira... View the full article

The question in Saturday’s Jockey Challenge isn’t so much who the most likely winner is, but rather how to extract maximum value from backing Zac Purton on a day when the Australian seems to have the strongest book of rides. While Hong Kong Jockey Club oddsmakers obviously disagree with that assessment, rating Joao Moreira ($1.80) a slight favourite over Purton ($1.90) in early betting, the championship leader has the edge. Perhaps those odds are, in part, based on the fact Moreira... View the full article

As England braces itself for a mammoth week of equine brilliance on arguably the world’s greatest stage at Royal Ascot next week, France hosts the highest profile meeting this weekend featuring Prix De Diane. Chantilly is the venue for this Group One classic, which was first run in 1843. This race has been a stomping ground for some fantastic fillies over the years with Zarkava and Treve both winners in recent times. The home guard is going to have to fend off a strong raiding party if they want to keep the prize on French soil. Freddy Head who has yet to win the Prix De Diane will be hoping he can break his duck this year with the strongly fancied With You. As a two-year-old the daughter of Dansili was undefeated in both her starts and a very promising second in the Group One Prix Saint-Alary on seasonal debut will have left her cherry ripe for this. Surprisingly, victory in this classic has also evaded the all-conquering Aidan O’Brien and he will be looking to remedy this with one of his regally bred fillies. The most likely candidate to make the breakthrough is Happily. HappilyThe daughter of Galileo was last season’s champion two-year-old filly with victories in the Group One Moyglare Stakes at the Curragh and the Grand Criterium at Chantilly making her a deserving winner of this accolade. She was sent off favourite for both the English and Irish 1000 Guineas but had to settle for third on both occasions. She didn’t lose much on defeat on either start and she surely holds leading claims of giving Aidan a first Prix De Diane. However, both fillies have to reverse recent form with Laurens, Happily will have to overturn a half-length defeat from the English 1000 Guineas and With You has to reverse the Prix Saint-Alary form. Laurens who is a daughter of Siyouni hasn’t been out of the first two in six starts. There is no real reason she won’t uphold the form with her rivals and add another Group One to her name. The other obvious contender is the unexposed Shahnaza who could be anything although she will have to improve on the material form she’s shown to figure in this company. Selection: Laurens Outsider: Musis Amica Sound And Silence (Blue Cap)On the home front this Saturday there’s quality action to look forward to at York, Sandown and Chester. There is listed action to look forward to from Sandown and York, the Scurry Stakes will be fast and furious where Charlie Appleby’s classy Sound And Silence looks a three-year-old that should be in everyone’s notebook. The Exceed And Excell colt has come up well short on both attempts this season but it’s too early to write off last year’s Windsor Castle winner. The Godolphin colt is top weight for a reason and his class can shine through here. The biggest competition is likely to come from Clive Cox’s Koditime who ran in some top races last season including a midfield finish in the Norfolk. Having won first time out this season, he only went down by a head at Windsor and looks sure to give a good account of himself. Others to note include Spoof, Haddaf and Youkan. Selection: Sound And Silence Outsider Haddaf MarmeloAt York, the feature race is the Grand Cup Stakes which is a listed event ran over 1m 6f for four years olds upwards. It has attracted a quality field of stayers from some leading yards on both sides of the Irish Sea. The betting market would suggest that this is a two-horse race, with both Marmelo and Weekender vying for favouritism. They share a rating of 114 but Marmelo’s form looks much stronger on the face of it. Weekender who is a son of Frankel has never won a group or listed race but in fairness, he has only had eight career starts. On the other hand, Marmelo won two group races last year and ended the season with a more than credible top ten finish in the race that stops the nation, the Melbourne Cup. Hughie Morrison’s stable star ran the smart Vazirabad to a neck in a Group Two at Longchamp on seasonal debut. This form looks head and shoulders above anything else on offer and it’s hard to look past Marmelo. Of the remainder Time To Study needs the addition of first-time blinkers to spark some improvement. Duretto, Duke Of Bronte and the veteran Clever Cookie all hold claims. Bloomfield (In Front)In Ireland, this Sunday Cork hosts the Munster Oaks which is a Group Three contest ran over 1m 4f and as is the case with most races, the natural starting point is Aidan O’Brien. The master of Ballydoyle has won three of the last four renewals of this contest. Willie McCreery trains top weight Bloomfield who has won both her starts this season which have come in Listed company, in fact, she has never been out of the first two in five career starts. The main concern is that she has never raced on ground quicker than yielding. If she handles the forecasted Good to Firm underfoot conditions the daughter of Teofilo should emerge victorious even though she is giving weight to all her rivals. Jim Bolger’s Glamorous Approach has been comprehensively beaten by Bloomfield on both starts this year and there is no real reason that Bloomfield won’t uphold the form here. Dermot Weld seems to have a nice filly on his hands in the form of Jaega who was a winner on debut and came up just short in a Group Three on her second start. This well-related filly looks a very nice type. Other to note in the race include the Aidan O’Brien trained Flattering, Easter Lilly and Sizzling. Selection: Bloomfield Outsider: Jaega The post Weekend Preview – Prix De Diane & Top Action From The UK & Ireland appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Tuesday marks the start of arguably the best flat racing festival of the year Royal Ascot. There are five days of action packed racing to sink your teeth into which includes Wesley Ward’s battalion of American speedsters, the intriguing Australian raider Redkirk Warrior and the hope of a royal winner. RaceBets ambassadors Sam Twiston-Davies and Luke Harvey talk about this special race week that is a must in any socialite’s diary. Sam speaks about the fine margins at the royal meeting and the possible chance of backing a big winner. Bet £10 on the Queen Anne Stakes and get a £5 free bet every time Ryan Moore rides a Royal Ascot Winner Royal Ascot Bet Now Watch Luke Harvey and Sam Twiston-Davies go head to head in our Royal Ascot Quiz here The post Royal Ascot Preview appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

The most prestigious and glamorous week in racing stats on Tuesday and to help get everyone Royal Ascot ready, we’re testing the knowledge of RaceBets ambassadors Sam Twiston-Davies and Luke Harvey to find out who knows more about the Royal Meeting? The quiz tests your Royal Ascot knowledge with the questions ranging from “How many Group Ones are run on the opening day?” to “Which horse last won at Royal Ascot and Cheltenham?” who will win, the leading jump jockey or the seasoned racing presenter and expert? Bet £10 on the Queen Anne Stakes and get a £5 free bet every time Ryan Moore rides a Royal Ascot Winner Royal Ascot Bet Now Watch Luke Harvey and Sam Twiston-Davies preview Royal Ascot here The post Royal Ascot Quiz Luke Harvey vs Sam Twiston-Davies appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article