Aidan O’Brien’s consistent Guineas winner can gain compensation for an unlucky run in the Matron Stakes The most significant action this weekend may be in Paris but the Group One Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket is a competitive appetiser with three of the season’s earlier Group One winners among the 11-strong field.Of those, Snow Lantern is the early favourite as she attempts to emulate her dam, Sky Lantern, who won the same race in 2013. Her latest run behind Baaeed was a little underwhelming, however, and while No Speak Alexander got off the mark at the highest level in the Matron Stakes last month, Mother Earth (2.55), in third, had no luck at all in running. Continue reading...
French racing’s greatest showman, Christophe Soumillon, rides the favourite Tarnawa with 14 horses left in the raceThe 100th running of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Sunday looks certain to have a lineup worthy of the occasion after 14 horses were left in the race at the first forfeit stage on Monday with both of this year’s Epsom Classic winners, Adayar and Snowfall, also due to be added to the field at the supplementary stage on Wednesday.Following news that Hurricane Lane, the St Leger winner, is expected to take his place in the field thanks to the arrival of some much-needed rain at Longchamp, we can now look forward to at least seven runners with a Timeform...
The progressive Chichester looks the value bet in a crowded field for the Cambridgeshire Handicap at NewmarketJohn Gosden has saddled four Cambridgeshire Handicap winners this century and two of his runners – Uncle Bryn and Magical Morning – are among the market leaders for this year’s renewal at Newmarket on Saturday.Unlike Lord North, Gosden’s winner from two years ago, neither looks like a Group One horse in a handicap, however, and the value may lie elsewhere. Astro King might have benefited from a stronger gallop when third at York last time so a step back up in trip in Saturday’s huge field should see him run up to form. Continue reading...
The warmth, or otherwise, of the response after his next Festival winner will be a key moment for disgraced trainerAs one of the biggest names in jumping officially departed the stage last week, two more returned to action as a National Hunt campaign that officially started in May slowly works its way through the gears. Farewell Altior, one of the outstanding two-milers of recent decades. Hello again, Davy Russell and Gordon Elliott, after many months on the sidelines for very different reasons.In the last two seasons of his career, much more time was expended on speculation about where Altior would run next, and then forensic analysis of the reasons why he had not, than in watching him in action on...
Les Eyre’s three-year-old produced a career-best performance when dropped back to six furlongs last time outThe Ayr Gold Cup is always one of the Flat season’s most compelling challenges for backers but this year’s race may boil down to the simple question of whether anything will pass the front-running Just Frank.Les Eyre’s three-year-old produced a career-best when dropped back to six furlongs for the first time since May at Thirsk last time out, making all the running and clearing away from his field in the closing stages to stop the clock in a notably strong time. Continue reading...