The Melbourne Cup-winning jockey faces a disciplinary hearing in Australia over a positive test for an appetite suppressantWithin the next 24 hours, Michelle Payne faces a hearing in Australia over a positive test, reported this morning, for an appetite suppressant. The Melbourne Cup-winning jockey gave the test on 11 June, just over a fortnight ago, took part at Royal Ascot last week and was told of the positive test on Friday. It is not known whether she intends to contest the positive finding. Related: Racing news and tips: Pat Smullen backs Cracksman to take revenge Continue reading...
Trainers are fulminating over the effect of watering on the straight-course ‘bias’ at Royal Ascot last weekThe first thing to say is that Pat Smullen has indeed been booked to ride Cracksman in Saturday’s Irish Derby, as anticipated in this morning’s Guardian. The 40-year-old won the Curragh Classic just last year on Harzand and now has an excellent chance of making it two in a row. Related: Racing news and tips: Cracksman short of a jockey for Irish Derby Continue reading...
Le Brivido deserves loads of credit for a memorable Ascot performance. Plus two bread and butter tips for todayIn the post-Royal Ascot hubbub, I’m not hearing the name of Le Brivido mentioned as often as it should be. Perhaps it’s because he’s French-trained or that his race last week was only a Group Three or that it seems a long time ago, having been on Wednesday. Related: Racing news and tips: James Fanshawe takes aim at Northumberland Plate Continue reading...
Shrewd connections will field a couple of very interesting ex-Irish runners on tonight’s cardsThis week, it’s that Royal Ascot thing you may have heard of. We’ll run a tipping competition each day on Talking Horses, from tomorrow (Tuesday) to Friday, so you’ll have four chances to win. Whoever does best on each day will get a £50 bet from Ladbrokes. All you have to do is pick one horse in each race at Ascot that day and whoever does best to imagined level stakes of £1 at SP will be our winner. Related: Racing news and tips: Gay Kelleway backs Josephine Gordon for Royal Ascot breakthrough Continue reading...
Connections of British horses are having a bit of a moan about Wesley Ward’s youngsters getting some Ascot practiceJust as Royal Ascot has an official car (the Porsche Cayenne, since you ask), next week’s race-meeting now also has an official build-up controversy. You’d have thought it might be about medication, since we have so many US runners this time, but instead the subject is whether America’s Wesley Ward was given an unfair advantage when the track allowed him to work his two-year-olds up the straight on Wednesday. Related: Record number of runners in American raiding party at Royal Ascot Continue reading...