Fri, 05/23/2025 - 13:59

Swelter provides fresh opposition for Lake Victoria in Irish 1000 Guineas

Barbara D. Livingston
Lake Victoria won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf last fall, but was not at her best with a fifth-place finish in the English 1000 Guineas earlier this month.

Lake Victoria raced five times at age 2 and won three Group 1s, the last of them the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar. Swelter raced once at age 2 and won a maiden race at Leopardstown. Yet there might not be much between the two fillies when they meet Sunday at The Curragh in the Irish 1000 Guineas.

Thu, 05/22/2025 - 14:43

Australia: Pride of Jenni looks to get back on track in Doomben Cup

For the reigning Australian Horse of the Year, Pride of Jenni has not had a campaign befitting such an honor.

A 7-year-old mare, Pride of Jenni has won 3 of 9 starts since the season began in August, but has lost six starts in Group 1 races.

There is time to win at the highest level in Friday’s Group 1 Doomben Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Doomben Racecourse in Brisbane.

Pride of Jenni, a three-time Group 1 winner in her title year in the 2023-2024 season, was the 5-2 second choice in early betting for the $641,600 Doomben Cup as of Thursday.

Thu, 05/22/2025 - 13:25

Luke Middlebrook's Hong Kong Selections and Analysis for Sunday, May 25, 2025

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Sha Tin's program features 11 races.

Sha Tin Selections
(Sunday, May 25, 2025)


Race 1: #1 Quick Money, #8 Babieca, #4 Light Years Glory, #10 Hyannis Star
Race 2: #7 Invincible Ibis, #10 Goldentronicmighty, #3 Call Me Gorgeous, #2 Awesome Treasure
Race 3: #10 Loveisintheair, #9 Honest Witness, #1 Giddy Up, #6 Copartner Fleet
Race 4: #1 Packing Hermod, #2 Young Champion, #6 Dancing Code, #7 Mickely
Race 5: #3 Super Love, #1 Meowth, #6 Ka Ying Glory, #4 Monarch County

Thu, 05/22/2025 - 12:51

Odds-on Field of Gold has new jockey for Irish 2000 Guineas

Many believed Field of Gold should have won the English 2000 Guineas on May 3 at Newmarket. Even more think he will win the Irish 2000 Guineas on Saturday at The Curragh.

English bookmakers as of Thursday offered Field of Gold at odds-on to win the one-mile Irish classic, where he faces eight runners under a new jockey, Colin Keane.

Wed, 05/21/2025 - 12:27

Tony Cruz prepares for Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup with Happy Valley triumph

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Tony Cruz celebrates California Moxie’s win with Angus Chung.

by Leo Schlink

Preparing to bid for an extraordinary 11th HK$13 million G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) triumph at Sha Tin on Sunday (25 May), Tony Cruz laid down a positive marker for this weekend’s staying test with California Moxie’s success at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (21 May).

A perennial force in the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup, Cruz will saddle Five G Patch – who was runner-up in the feature last season to Rebel’s Romance – La City Blanche and Winning Dragon.

Tue, 05/20/2025 - 10:05

John Size hunts 1,600th win with nine runners at Happy Valley

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
John Size (right) and his assistant trainer Adrian Chow.

Bidding to record a 1,600th training win in Hong Kong, Australian Racing Hall of Fame inductee John Size saddles an imposing team of nine runners spread evenly across tomorrow night’s (Wednesday, 21 May) nine-race fixture at Happy Valley.

Mon, 05/19/2025 - 10:19

Luke Middlebrook's Hong Kong Selections and Analysis for Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Selections for Wednesday's racing program from Happy Valley.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Happy Valley Selections
(Wednesday, May 21, 2025)


Race 1: #4 Endued, #7 New Power, #1 Jumbo Treasure, #10 Shotgun
Race 2: #5 U S S Constitution, #7 Verbier, #4 Windicator Family, #12 Medic Elite
Race 3: #8 Soaring Bronco, #1 Thesis, #2 Written Casa, #11 California Moxie
Race 4: #2 Mighty Commander, #7 Dragon Star, #10 Jumbo Fortune, #4 Stormi
Race 5: #6 Lean Master, #4 Plentiful, #12 Day Day Victory, #7 La Momento
Race 6: #11 Draco, #7 Nebraskan, #6 Loving Vibes, #2 Super Sixty

Sun, 05/18/2025 - 14:27

Japan: Ascoli Piceno catches Queen's Walk at finish in Victoria Mile

Ascoli Piceno needed every stride through the stretch to reach the front in Sunday’s Grade 1 Victoria Mile for fillies and mares at Tokyo Racecourse, eventually winning by a neck over an unlucky Queen’s Walk.

The win may help Ascoli Piceno toward a second career championship. The Japanese champion 2-year-old filly of 2023, Ascoli Piceno’s status in Japan’s turf mile division was greatly enhanced by her win in the $1.73 million Victoria Mile. The outcome of the Grade 1 Mile Championship at Kyoto in November will play a key role in the divisional honors.

Sun, 05/18/2025 - 09:33

David Hayes edges closer to John Size in trainers’ championship with treble

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
World Hero defies all to hand David Hayes a treble.

by Leo Schlink

A David Hayes treble at Sha Tin on Sunday (18 May) has breathed fresh life into the 2024/25 Hong Kong trainers’ championship, as the Australian moved to within six wins of compatriot and 12-time champion John Size with 16 meetings left in the season.

Hayes dominated with the performances of Oriental Smoke, Solid Shalaa and World Hero to reach 50 wins for the campaign, raising hopes of a third Hong Kong trainers’ championship having earlier trailed Size by 11 wins this season.

Sat, 05/17/2025 - 11:09

Lead Artist rebounds with first Group 1 score in Lockinge Stakes

Last of eight, beaten 13 lengths by victorious Dancing Gemini in the Bet365 Mile last month at Sandown Park, Lead Artist finished first, a neck in front of favored Dancing Gemini, in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes on Saturday at Newbury Racecourse in England.