Wandering Eyes

Regulator plans to make changes to the rules on interference, how the stewards read and interpret those rules, and may rotate stewards from track to track. View the full article

Favoured Lah Ti Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) has been ruled out of next Friday’s G1 Investec Oaks by trainer John Gosden after returning an unsatisfactory blood picture. The unbeaten ‘TDN Rising Star’ won by six lengths on debut at Newbury on Apr. 20 and took the Listed Pretty Polly S. at Newmarket on May 6 by 3 1/4 lengths. The news continues a streak of bad luck with the Oaks for owner/breeders Lord and Lady Lloyd-Webber; Lah Ti Dar’s full-sister So Mi Dar (GB) last year won the Musidora S. by four lengths but was forced to miss Epsom due to injury, and The Fugue (GB) (Dansili {GB}) started favourite in 2012 but suffered a bad trip and was third. Lah Ti Dar’s dam, Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), did not start in the Oaks but went on to win three Group 1s. “It was a routine blood sample, but it was not to our satisfaction,” Gosden said. “Therefore she will not be able to work this weekend in preparation for the Oaks, so in view of that she will not be running at Epsom.” “I’ll have to let that come right and hopefully it will be the [G2] Ribblesdale at [Royal] Ascot now. It’s incredible bad luck for the owners, it being the Oaks again. The mother [Dar Re Mi], her sister [So Mi Dar] and now another one, but that is the way it goes. They are fantastic owner-breeders and fully understand the need to do what is right for the filly.” Godolphin’s G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Wild Illusion (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) now assumes favouritism with most bookmakers, followed by Ballydoyle’s G2 Debutante S. winner Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a full-sister to recent G1 Lockinge S. winner Rhododendron, who was second as the favourite behind Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in last year’s Oaks. View the full article

Haras de Montaigu has announced that Martaline (GB) has been stood down from covering mares for the remainder of the season. The 19-year-old was placed under veterinary supervision with a heart irregularity on Thursday but has now returned to the stud. “He had a little heart scare yesterday and he’s back home now, but he’s getting older and we don’t want to take any risks so he won’t be covering again this year,” Montaigu’s Sybille Gibson told TDN on Friday afternoon. Bred by Juddmonte, Martaline is a respected dual-purpose sire whose best runners include the G1 Ryanair Chase winner Dynaste (Fr) and dual Grade 1 winner Disko (Fr) as well as the Group 2-placed Listed winner Calling Out (Fr) on the Flat. He has stood at Haras de Montaigu since his retirement in 2005 and last year covered 124 mares. View the full article

Racing enthusiast’s eyes will be focused firmly on the Curragh this weekend as the first Classics of the Irish season take centre stage. There is no shortage of quality colts and fillies for these races with the familiar names of O’Brien, Bolger, and Weld all set to be represented. 2000 Guineas Preview This race is normally the first big domestic target for every trainer with quality a three-year-old colt or filly. The 1-mile contest takes place on the Curragh racecourse aka Irish HQ and has a prize fund of €400,000. Check out our Free Bet offer for the Irish 2000 Guineas! Last year’s contest went to Churchill, who in the process added the Irish Guineas to the English Guineas he had secured some 21 days prior. The master of Ballydoyle Aidan O’Brien trained Churchill to these two classic victories which supplemented his two wins at Group One level as a juvenile in the National Stakes and the Dewhurst. So Aidan is the logical starting point when trying to pick this year’s winner. In fact, Aidan has won six of the last ten renewals of the race with some familiar faces such as Henrythenavigator(2008), Power(2012) and Gleneagles(2015). This year he seems to have two very strong candidates to claim the prize in the form of Gustav Klimt and U S Navy Flag. Gustav Klimt Breeding: Galileo ex Massarra Trainer: Aidan O’Brien Owner: Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith) The Galileo colt had a rather inauspicious start to his career dwelling at the start and running quite green to finish fifth of nine in a Curragh maiden. Fast forward two runs and he has won his maiden rather cosily and battled all the way to the line to clinch a thrilling Superlative Stakes at Newmarket. A victory in the 2000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown looked the perfect start to his three-year-old campaign with the English Guineas firmly in his sights. Gustav Klimt ran well to finish a never dangerous sixth behind stablemate Saxon Warrior. This experience at Group One level will make Gustav Klimt a leading contender to bring yet another 2000 Guineas back to Ballydoyle. U S Navy Flag Breeding: War Front ex Misty For Me Trainer: Aidan O’Brien Owner: Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor The much raced U S Navy Flag is bred to be top drawer, his dam is the high-class mare Misty For Me who won four Group Ones including the Irish 1000 Guineas. He is also a full brother to the three-time Group One winner Roly Poly. These are quite big footprints to follow but U S Navy Flag has already added two Group Ones to his CV and was crowned last year’s champion two-year-old which further enhances this brilliant breeding line. As a two-year-old, he seemed to thrive on racing and those who fancy him to win the Guineas will be banking on this also being the case this season. U S Navy Flag’s three-year-old campaign began with a fifteen length beating at the hand of Gustav Klimt at Leopardstown, this was followed by a foray to France where an improved performance saw him finish three lengths behind Olmedo in the Group One Poule d’Essai des Poulains. Still, it’s hard to see this form being strong enough to win what looks like a strong renewal of the 2000 Guineas, even with the somewhat surprising assistance of Ryan Moore in the saddle. Zihba Breeding: Choisir ex Fancy Vivid Trainer: Fozzy Stack Owner: Al Shaqab Racing Zihba’s route to the Guineas has been somewhat unusual, the Choisir colt won his only start as a two-year-old at Dundalk only three days before Christmas. A second visit to the all-weather track on seasonal debut resulted in another victory beating a horse that broke their maiden off a rating of 79 recently. Steady progression but hardly Guineas form. It was his final start that earmarked Zihba as a potential Guineas horse though when put in a very smart display against his elders in the Group Three Amethyst Stakes at Leopardstown. This victory made it three wins from as many starts and the colts first on turf. Zihba has since been purchased by Al Shaqab Racing and it would seem that they now have a live chance of winning Ireland’s first classic of the season. Elarqam Breeding: Frankel ex Attraction Trainer: Mark Johnston Owner: Hamdan Al Maktoum Last but most certainly not least we come to Elarqam. The phrase “well-bred” is used quite frequently within the equine industry but few can claim to be better bred than Elarqam. The three-year-old colt is by the wonder horse Frankel and out of multiple Group One-winning mare Attraction. Elarqam and Gustav Klimt have already clashed this season in the English 2000 Guineas where Mark Johnston’s charge finished some one and a half lengths ahead of his rival. That run was only his third lifetime start and first of the season. Allowing for normal progression from his seasonal debut coupled with the enormous potential that Elarqam possesses, he is surely the one to beat come 4:10 on Saturday. Selection: Elarqam Outsider: Zhiba 1000 Guineas Preview The 1000 Guineas is the feature race at the Curragh on Sunday. This prestigious race has been won by some fantastic fillies over the years, with the likes of Winter(2017), Misty For Me(2011) and Finsceal Beo(2007) all previous winners of this one-mile Group One classic. Aidan O’Brien again holds leading claims of winning this with both Happily and Clemmie set to represent the maestro of Ballydoyle. Happily Breeding: Galileo ex You’resothrilling Trainer: Aidan O’Brien Owner: Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor Happily was last season’s champion two-year-old filly and is a hot favourite to give Aidan back to back victories in the 1000 guineas, having won last year’s contest with Winter. Happily was a dual Group One winner as a two-year-old which included a victory in the Moyglare Stakes at the Curragh. She was sent off favourite in the English 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on seasonal debut but had to settle for third behind shock winner Billesdon Brook. This was still a very respectable run and with course form, at Group One level along with this run under her belt, she will be very hard to beat. Clemmie Breeding: Galileo ex Meow Trainer: Aidan O’Brien Owner: Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor Clemmie had a very progressive and likeable campaign as a two-year-old. She was unlucky not to win her maiden on debut at the Curragh, such was her reputation Aidan sent the full sister to Churchill straight to Royal Ascot for the Albany. For a filly with such little experience, she ran very well to finish under five lengths behind the French filly and now stablemate Different League. She duly shed her maiden tag in a Group Three event at the Curragh and got her revenge over Different League on her final start of the season in the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket. We have yet to see Clemmie this season and Aidan O’Brien said this week “We’re looking at running Clemmie on Sunday but she’s just ready to start back and we think she’ll come forward a lot from the run”. There are a lot of quality fillies set to go to post for this contest; Laurens finished runner-up in the English 1000 Guineas and will be looking to uphold placings with Happily who has half a length to find with Karl Burkes filly. Other fillies to note are Soliloquay who finished sixth in the English 1000 Guineas, the progressive Who’s Steph and the well-bred Chiara Luna for Dermot Weld. Selection: Clemmie Outsider: Chiara Luna There is some quality racing on the undercard of both meetings at the Curragh. On Saturday the Group Two Greenlands Stakes will be fast and furious, as some very decent sprinters do battle. This race has historically been a happy hunting ground for English trainers with six of the last 10 renewals going across the Irish Sea. Last year veteran Gordon Lord Byron rolled back the clock to spring a 20/1 surprise for trainer Tom Hogan. This time around it would seem that Aidan O’Brien will put up the biggest resistance to the English challengers in the form of Spirit of Valor. The war front colt is likely to appreciate hearing his hooves rattle off the forecasted Good To Firm ground at the Curragh Selection: Spirit of Valor Outsider: Son Of Rest The Tattersalls Gold Cup looks set to be the perfect appetiser to the 1000 Guineas on Sunday, with the one-mile two-furlong contest attracting a small but quality field. In reality, the race looks like a match between Derby runner-up Cliffs of Moher and the Roger Varian trained Defoe. Both horses have run twice this season with Cliffs of Moher regaining the winning thread last time out in a Group Two at Naas, having gone seven runs without a victory previously. It’s said that winning is a habit and Defoe certainly has developed this habit, having won both starts this season in impressive fashion at Newbury and Newmarket. Selection: Defoe Outsider: Success Days Don’t miss out on our Free Bet offer for the Irish 2000 Guineas! The post Gear Up For The Guineas appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

English raider Chemical Charge brings an X-factor to the Group One Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup but connections don’t expect him to take up the lead despite the race being devoid of a front-runner. With only five horses engaged, that is the biggest question mark heading into the HK$10 million feature – who will set the pace? On their profiles, the two most likely are Pakistan Star and Eagle Way, given both have raced prominently before. That would suit the Ralph... View the full article

Southern Legend has been a giant killer in Hong Kong this season, but the hunter becomes the hunted in Singapore on Saturday night. Caspar Fownes’ five-year-old knocked off odds-on pops Nothingilikemore and Pakistan Star in separate races over the past six months but after finishing third in the Group One Champions Mile last start, he is set to start favourite in the revamped Kranji Mile. The trainer is happy with how Southern Legend has travelled and believes he is at the top of his game... View the full article

After an ESPN.com reported Coolmore Stud had obtained Justify's breeding rights, WinStar Farm issued a statement saying that nothing is finalized at this time and won't be in the foreseeable future. View the full article

WinStar Farm issues statement after ESPN runs story citing unnamed sources. View the full article

Millard plots first Singapore raid with the right Horse View the full article

Kranji Mile tracknotes Friday May 25 View the full article

The breeding rights for undefeated dual Classic winner Justify (Scat Daddy)are still undetermined, according to a statement from WinStar Farm released in response to an ESPN story published Thursday afternoon. The story stated that Coolmore had purchased the colt’s breeding rights for around $60 million. The statement from WinStar, who owns Justify in partnership with the China Horse Club, SF Racing, Head of Plains Partners and Starlight Racing, said, “We have had numerous inquiries into the breeding rights of Justify, including from Coolmore. Nothing is finalized at this time and won’t be in the foreseeable future. We are focused on the [GI] Belmont [S.] and his racing career at this time.” Click here to read the ESPN story. View the full article

The New York Racing Association announced today that Pat Pope has been hired to serve as racing secretary for the Belmont Park spring/summer and fall meets. View the full article

The next challenge for City of Light is handling the classic distance of 10 furlongs when he heads a field of seven entered for the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (G1) on May 26. View the full article

The management team of Suffolk Downs and two New England horsemen's associations cut a deal for a long-term lease of the Great Barrington Fairgrounds to restore the former track and conduct live racing there after the Boston landmark closes View the full article

The next challenge for City of Light is how he will handle the classic distance of 10 furlongs when he heads a field of seven entered for the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (G1) on May 26. View the full article

Grade 2 winner Hawksmoor (IRE) will try to kick in the grade 1 door after a number of placings at the top level when she faces an expected seven other fillies and mares in the $300,000 Gamely Stakes (G1T) May 26 on the Santa Anita Park turf. View the full article

Order of St George takes his final step towards the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in this race he captured for the last two years. With Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) impressing in the G2 Yorkshire Cup last week, the formidable Ballydoyle stayer has to answer that with a fluent win to confirm favouritism for the June 21 highlight. Twilight Payment is in opposition again looking for a first defeat of Order of St George in five encounters. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday’s Insights features a full-brother to Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Idaho (Ire). 5.20 Leopardstown, Mdn, €17,500, 2yo, 7fT CAPE OF GOOD HOPE (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is one of three fascinating newcomers from Ballydoyle with Ryan Moore opting for this full-brother to Highland Reel (Ire) and Idaho (Ire) over Albuquerque (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a full-brother to Rip Van Winkle (Ire) and Christmas (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a son of the 2007 GI Ashland S. winner Christmas Kid (Lemon Drop Kid). Successful in this with two subsequent G1SWs in Alfred Nobel (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and War Command (War Front), the operation will be looking to the future with them all as they tackle the experience Ger Lyons-trained California Daddy (Scat Daddy), Howard Liang’s $325,000 purchase at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga August Yearling Sale. View the full article

Indiana-bred The Money Dance (Jimmy Creed) has made appearances at four different racetracks in his young career to date and he’s set to add a fifth while trying the turf for the first time in Saturday’s GIII Arlington Classic in suburban Chicago. A homebred for the successful regional breeders trainer Mike and his wife Penny Lauer, the chestnut was unplaced in two runs at two and took some time to find his footing this year before running off to graduate by seven lengths over a rain-affected Oaklawn main track Apr. 14. He made it two straight with a visually impressive one-length allowance victory at Belmont Park May 3 and he’s a threat in this graded-stakes debut, assuming he can transfer his dirt-oriented pedigree to the grass. His dam Whistlin’ Jean (Pure Prize) posted a record of 6-1-4-0 with multiple stakes placings in state-bred restricted company on turf. Ontario-bred Alternative Route (Tiznow) also tries turf for the first time, but seems to have the genes to handle the surface switch. A maiden winner at second asking in an off-turf test at the Fair Grounds in January, the bay exits a 1 3/4-length success in the Mar. 17 Rushaway S. over the Turfway Poly. His full-sister Enstone won last year’s GIII Ontario Colleen S. over the E. P. Taylor turf course at Woodbine and Alternative Route could have Queen’s Plate aspirations down the road. Ezmosh (Tizway) is the slight favorite on the morning line and makes his second start on the lawn Saturday. A neck second to GII Risen Star S. upsetter and last weekend’s GI Preakness S. runner-up Bravazo (Awesome Again) in a January allowance at Oaklawn, the Oklahoma-bred was most recently the one-length winner of a first-level allowance over the Fair Grounds turf course Mar. 25. Leading rider Jose Valdivia, Jr. has the call for trainer Brad Cox. View the full article

After a change of scenery, a change of barns, and some thorough blood work, Divisidero will aim to use his old ways to launch his new, best self for 2018 when he makes his seasonal bow in the $200,000 Monmouth Stakes (G2T) May 26. View the full article

2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) will not be bred in 2018, according to a Thursday post on Zenyatta.com. The celebrated mare, who resides at Lane’s End Farm, produced a filly by Medaglia d’Oro in 2017 and aborted a foal by Into Mischief this year. “She continues to do well and is looking great,” the post read. Zenyatta was retired from racing after the 2010 season, completing a career in which she won 19 of 20 starts and accumulated $7,304,580 in earnings. View the full article

Undefeated in four starts, Danon Premium looms as the likely favorite for the May 27 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1), the second leg of Japan's Triple Crown, despite missing the main preliminary with a minor injury. View the full article

Top-level marathons are rare in Hong Kong racing, making the May 27 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin an attractive return engagement for Britain's Chemical Charge. View the full article

Second in the G1 Irish and English Champion S. last term and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic Mar. 31, the 4-6 favourite Poet’s Voice tracked Laraaib (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) throughout and began to impose himself on that runner from two out. At the line, he had 2 1/4 lengths to spare. “He’s a very straightforward horse and he’s got a good record, he’s just been unfortunate to be second to a few big ones,” Ryan Moore said. “He’s a gentleman and I’d expect improvement and hopefully he’ll have his day.” POET’S WORD (IRE), 126, h, 5, by Poet’s Voice (GB) 1st Dam: Whirly Bird (GB) (SP-Eng), by Nashwan 2nd Dam: Inchyre (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB) 3rd Dam: Inchmurrin (Ire), by Lomond (300,000gns Ylg ’14 TAOCT). O-Saeed Suhail; B-Woodcote Stud Ltd. (IRE); T-Sir Michael Stoute; J-Ryan Moore. £56,710. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Eng, Ire & UAE, 14-5-5-1, £1,536,444. *1/2 to Malabar (GB) (Raven’s Pass), MGSW-Eng, $213,277. View the full article

Owing partly to last Saturday’s GII Dixie S. coming off the turf at Pimlico, the GII Monmouth S. this Saturday drew a strong field of seven, headlined by the reappearance of multiple Grade I winner Divisidero (Kitten’s Joy) for a new training outfit. Capturing back-to-back renewals of the GI Turf Classic S. at Churchill in 2016 and 2017, the now 6-year-old finished last season with a trio of off-the-board finishes, running sixth in the GI Manhattan S., seventh in the GI Arlington Million and fourth in the GI Shadwell Turf Mile. That was the bay’s final start for the Buff Bradley barn, and he returns for owner Gunpowder Farms’ other main trainer, Kelly Rubley. Green Lantern Stables’ Frostmourne (Speightstown) has progressed steadily throughout his career and comes into this off a career-best 101 Beyer when running fifth in the GI Maker’s 46 Mile Apr. 13 at Keeneland. The homebred reunites with Joel Rosario, for whom he produced a six-length rout in last summer’s GIII Kent S. at Delaware. Colts Neck Stables’ Force the Pass (Speightstown), victor of the 2015 GI Belmont Derby, went unseen for over 17 months after running third in the 2016 GII Commonwealth Turf Cup. Resurfacing in the local Cliff Hanger S. May 5, the chestnut battled gamely to just get up by a nose. Chad Brown brings the one-two punch of Al Shahania Stud’s Money Multiplier (Lookin At Lucky) and Juddmonte Farms’ Projected (GB) (Showcasing {GB}). The former took a rare trip to Qatar to run third in the G1 HH The Emir’s Trophy S. last out Feb. 24 at Doha. The ridgling will be looking to defend his title after annexing this event last July. The latter, winner of the GII Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup S. last fall, finished second in the Danger’s Hour S. Apr. 8 at Aqueduct behind Fire Away (War Front), who returned to take the off-the-turf Dixie. View the full article