Calandagan staked his claim as the best older middle-distance horse in Europe and avenged his defeat to Jan Brueghel earlier this year winning the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday at Ascot Racecourse.

Under an exceedingly patient ride from Mickael Barzalona, Calandagan went from last of five at the head of the Ascot homestretch to first by one length in the King George, Europe’s most important summer race over 1 1/2 miles.

Ascot | Race 2: Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes 

I rode BELLA LYRA at Newmarket in a Listed race a couple of weeks ago for Richard [Hughes] where she finished third. She ran a good race and stayed on well. Six furlongs at Ascot will suit her, although she probably has a bit to find on form.

Ascot | Race 5: 3yo+ 0-105 Handicap 

Minnie Hauk scored an Oaks double Saturday at The Curragh when she won the Irish Oaks by 1 1/4 lengths. The victory came about six weeks after Minnie Hauk had captured the Oaks at Epsom.

Ryan Moore rode his fourth Irish Oaks winner as Minnie Hauk gave trainer Aidan O’Brien his eighth win in the 1 1/2-mile classic fixture. Heavily favored, Minnie Hauk paid $2.20 on the American tote.

On form and in the betting markets, Minnie Hauk is a lock to give trainer Aidan O’Brien his eighth victory in the Irish Oaks.

Winner of the Oaks at Epsom last month, Minnie Hauk faces six foes Saturday at The Curragh in this 1 1/2-mile fixture. Offered at roughly 1-5 on Friday by English betting houses, Minnie Hauk apparently would have to take a wrong turn into the Irish countryside in order to lose the Oaks.

An extraordinary 2024/25 Hong Kong racing season drew to a close at Happy Valley on Wednesday (16 July), concluding one of the greatest chapters in Hong Kong racing history.

The individual and collective feats of Hong Kong’s equine titans – Ka Ying Rising, Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble – elevated Hong Kong’s world-class racing onto an even higher plane during a record-breaking and historic season.

By Leo Schlink

Matthew Poon has withstood an inspired season finale push from Derek Leung to claim his first Tony Cruz Award as Hong Kong’s leading homegrown jockey in dramatic circumstances at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (16 July).

With Leung’s wins on Me Tsui’s Vulcanus in the Class 4 Let Me Fight Handicap (1200m) and Frankie Lor’s Regal Gem in the Class 3 Sun Jewellery Handicap (1200m), officials reverted to a countback based on third placings after both Poon and Leung finished the season with 36 wins and 38 seconds.

Mark Newnham’s stable is home to one of Hong Kong’s most exciting horses and the trainer, a superb winner of 43 races in his second campaign, heads into the Season Finale at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (16 July) already keen on what 2025/26 may have in store.

Newnham said: “As long as I built on last year, I was always going to be happy. I would say it’s probably exceeded expectations as far as being able to win a feature race with My Wish.

The current 2024/25 racing season concludes with Happy Valley’s Season Finale on Wednesday night, 16 July. On the night, racegoers may witness the crowning of the season’s Tony Cruz Award winner and the Champion Griffin award. A Jockeys’ Parade on the night is where fans have the chance to get up close to their favourite riders.

By Leo Schlink

John Size secured a record-extending 13th Hong Kong trainers’ championship at Sha Tin on Sunday (13 July) as the master trainer embarked on a familiar coronation march with a treble, further burnishing an extraordinary career.

Size sealed the championship with the wins of Sight Dreamer, Raging Rapids and Bundle Award to leave the Australian with 69 wins for the season – beyond the reach of compatriot David Hayes (60) – with only nine races left to be run at Wednesday night’s (16 July) Season Finale at Happy Valley.