Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and the central figure in the racing and breeding entity known as Godolphin, said Wednesday he was putting the English yard of trainer Mahmood al Zarooni on “lockdown” after 11 horses at the stables tested positive for two steroids, according to the British Horseracing Authority.
Sprinter Sacre, unbeaten in 10 steeplechase races, won his first start outside of England in Tuesday’s $247,000 Boylessports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown, Ireland.
Trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni faces a likely suspension from British authorities after 11 horses he trains for Sheikh Mohammed’s powerful Godolphin Racing stable tested positive for banned substances in out-of-competition testing, the British Horseracing Authority announced on Monday.
On the same day that her older full brother Interaction won the Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano Handicap at Santa Anita, the 3-year-old filly Incabronatta won her debut in the Clasico Juan Boucau at San Ysidro, Argentina, on Sunday.
Sacred Falls, the winner of the Group 1 New Zealand Guineas in 2012, pulled an 18-1 upset in Saturday’s $2,055,000 Doncaster Handicap at Randwick Racecourse in Australia, catching 5-2 favorite Pierro in the final sixteenth of a mile.
Trainer Richard Hannon and jockey Richard Hughes ruled the 3-year-old stakes action this week in England, with Olympic Glory winning the Group 3 Greenham Stakes and Maureen the Group 3 Fred Darling on Saturday at Newbury, two days after Toronado captured the Group 2 Craven at Newmarket.
Just two weeks after winning the Grand National over 4 3/8 miles at Aintree Racecourse, Auroras Encore is back in action on Saturday in the $271,000 Scottish Grand National over 4 1/16 miles at Ayr Racecourse in western Scotland.
Toronado made a strong 3-year-old return to the races Thursday at Newmarket, easily winning the Group 3 Craven Stakes, and on Saturday, another one of trainer Richard Hannon’s top sophomores, Olympic Glory, is set to make his 3-year-old bow in the Group 3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury.
Saturday at Randwick Racecourse in Australia, Pierro, a 3-year-old in the Southern Hemisphere, will carry 126 pounds in the $2.06 million Doncaster Handicap over a mile on turf. As a 3-year-old racing against older horses, Pierro concedes weight to older horses such as topweight Shoot Out (128) and Glass Harmonium (126).
There were three good-looking winners on the Wednesday card at Newmarket in England, but Hot Snap might have been the most impressive of them, winning the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths in only her second start.
