Sat, 08/20/2016 - 15:25

Blue Point gets first stakes win in Gimcrack Stakes

Blue Point won the first stakes of his brief career and moved to the fore of the British 2-year-old division with a three-length win in Saturday’s $262,860 Gimcrack Stakes for colts and geldings at York Racecourse.

The 11-8 favorite in a field of 10, Blue Point was always near the front in the Group 2, six-furlong race on a straightaway turf course. He took the lead in the final quarter-mile under jockey William Buick and won comfortably over Mokarris, a minor stakes winner at Newbury Racecourse last month.

The Last Lion, a 14-1 shot, finished third.

Fri, 08/19/2016 - 14:10

Lady Aurelia goes for French Group 1

In two races on two continents, Lady Aurelia was unbeatable in the spring.

After winning a maiden race at Keeneland by 7 1/2 lengths in April, Lady Aurelia cruised to an impressive win by seven lengths in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Royal Ascot in June.

Her next objective is France’s top August race for 2-year-olds – Sunday’s $395,990 Prix Morny for colts and fillies at six furlongs at Deauville Racecourse. As of Friday, Lady Aurelia was as low as 1-3 with some European bookmakers to win the Group 1 race against four rivals.

Thu, 08/18/2016 - 16:13

Blue Point looks to atone for lone loss in Gimcrack Stakes

Blue Point lost his unbeaten record with a second by a neck in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse in England on July 27. The loss did not dent the long-term expectations for trainer Charlie Appleby and owner Godolphin Racing.

“I think experience caught us out there,” Appleby said in late July on Godolphin’s website. “Blue Point will come forward for that. He is still a very talented horse.”

Thu, 08/18/2016 - 16:03

Seventh Heaven tops O'Brien exacta in Yorkshire Oaks

Seventh Heaven led an Aidan O’Brien-trained sweep of the top two placings Thursday in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks at York Racecourse, beating her favored stablemate, Found, by 2 3/4 lengths. Queen’s Trust finished third, and another O’Brien-trained filly, Pretty Perfect, was fourth, and none of these fillies is even rated the top female in the O’Brien stable, a position presently occupied by Minding.

Wed, 08/17/2016 - 14:30

Limato favored in Nunthorpe

Limato, the winner of the Group 1 July Cup last month, is a mild favorite to win Friday’s $445,400 Nunthorpe Stakes at York Racecourse in northern England, a race that could have implications for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita in November.

The Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes is part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program, offering a fees-paid berth for the winner in the BC Turf Sprint, if the winner is nominated to the program.

Mon, 08/15/2016 - 15:48

Postponed cuts back in Juddmonte International Stakes

Andrew Watkins/Dubai Racing Club
Postponed, training at Meydan, comes into the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes on a five-race winning streak.

Postponed already has proven himself among the very best 1 1/2-mile horses in the world, and on Wednesday at York he will try to expand his Group 1 repertoire to 1 1/4 miles in the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes.

Postponed has 12 rivals and is part of a strong group, but his task was made easier when Time Test was taken out of consideration for the International due to what his connections called a “flat” final workout for the race. Time Test, more proven over 1 1/4 miles, last out beat Mondialiste, who returned to win the Arlington Million.

Sat, 08/13/2016 - 15:52

The Gurkha has surgery for unspecified injury

The Gurkha, one of Europe’s leading 3-year-olds, has been sidelined with an undisclosed injury, his owners announced on Twitter on Saturday.

The Gurkha underwent surgery at a clinic in Fethard, Ireland, on Friday and has returned to trainer Aidan O’Brien’s nearby training center. The announcement was made on the Twitter feed of Coolmore, the powerful Irish stallion farm whose main investors – Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Susan Magnier – own The Gurkha.

Sat, 08/13/2016 - 14:01

Richard Pankhurst prevails in Hungerford Stakes

The lightly raced longshot Richard Pankhurst won his first group stakes in Saturday’s $194,325 Hungerford Stakes for sprinters at Newbury Racecourse in England.

Richard Pankhurst (11-1) overcame a touch of trouble in the final furlong to finish a length in front of 5-4 favorite Home of the Brave. The first two finishers are owned by Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing. Richard Pankhurst is trained by John Gosden. Home of the Brave is trained by Hugo Palmer.

Fri, 08/12/2016 - 14:56

Galileo Gold, Ribchester meet again in Prix Jacques le Marois

Galileo Gold and Ribchester, second and third in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse on July 27, can win their first stakes away from England in Sunday’s $781,000 Prix Jacques le Marois for turf milers at Deauville Racecourse in France.

The Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois may have implications for the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 5. The race is part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program, offering a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile for nominated horses.

Thu, 08/11/2016 - 14:20

Home of the Brave seeks fourth stakes win in Hungerford Stakes

Home of the Brave can win the most prestigious race of his career and his fourth stakes race when he starts favored in Saturday’s $194,325 Hungerford Stakes for sprinters at Newbury Racecourse in England.

The Group 2 Hungerford Stakes is run at seven furlongs on a straightaway turf course.

Home of the Brave won the King Richard III Stakes at Leicester in April and the Group 3 Timeform Jury Stakes at Haydock Park in May before finishing second in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at Goodwood on July 26.