Back at two miles where he broke the track record for one mile six furlongs last summer, the former Melbourne Cup winner offers real value against the favourite in the Goodwood CupOver 400 of Great Britain’s roughly 450 licensed jockeys have yet to win a single race at Group One level. Frankie Dettori, by contrast, has won nine since the end of May and he will be a hot favourite to reach double figures when he rides Stradivarius in Tuesday’s Goodwood Cup, the feature event on day one of Glorious Goodwood. Stradivarius pushed the betting industry towards a Dettori-driven meltdown when he took the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last month, taking his rider to four wins from four on...
He came up short in the King George for a second time but let’s not forget he was carrying marginally more weight than EnableFor all the tension, there was never a moment in Saturday’s King George when I really believed Crystal Ocean was going to win it. I think that’s how it was for most observers and it has fed into our collective response to the race; he has been acknowledged for his part in making a thrilling contest but the pile of bouquets thrown in his direction does not compare with the floral mountain being heaped up in front of Enable.This is, of course, terribly unjust because, as Talking Horses regulars know only too well, he was carrying 3lb...
Enable arguably faced a stiffer task in the Eclipse but she coped brilliantly and should be in even better shapeThis year’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot is deep on quality but the outcome may still be predictable. Enable (3.40) arguably faced a stiffer task last time in the Eclipse at Sandown, when short of peak fitness and tackling an unfamiliar distance, but she coped brilliantly and ought to be in even better shape now.Crystal Ocean is very likeable but he was beaten at level weights by Poet’s Word in this race last year. Can he now give Enable 3lb and be the first to beat her since April 2017? It seems doubtful. Related: Talking Horses: Heavy...
Enable is the hot favourite for Saturday’s King Gorge after the final declaration stage when all 11 entries stood their groundFrankie Dettori has been taking an average of nine mounts per week in Britain since the start of May, but he is enjoying one of his most successful seasons in more than three decades in the saddle and will hope to move even further clear of his weighing-room rivals in terms of winnings this season when he rides Enable in the King George at Ascot on Saturday.Dettori has had just 104 rides in the current Flat jockeys’ championship, fewer than any other rider in the top 50. His strike-rate, though, is exceptional at 26% and he has registered eight Group...
Racecourses are gearing up for the likelihood of the hottest July day on record with extra fans and cooling down areasA seven-race jumps card will start two-and-a-half hours earlier than originally planned at Southwell on Thursday afternoon while additional measures to cope with high temperatures will also be in place at the day’s four Flat meetings, as racing prepares for what may prove to be the hottest July day on record.The decision to move the start time for Southwell’s meeting from 1.55 to 11.25 was taken jointly by the British Horseracing Authority and Arena Racing Company (ARC), which operates the track, on Wednesday morning. Related: Talking Horses: Enable will have an unfair advantage in the King George Continue reading...