Sat, 08/02/2008 - 00:00

Halfway to Heaven holds on

You don't win as many big races as Aidan O'Brien does without a little bit of luck sometimes. That is exactly what the master of Ballydoyle received at Goodwood on Saturday when his Halfway to Heaven held on from a luckless Lush Lashes to land the $395,000 Nassau Stakes and give O'Brien his 17th Group 1 victory of the year.

Fri, 08/01/2008 - 00:00

Darjina lines up against Natagora

Natagora and Darjina will duke it out in the Group 1, $390,000 Prix Rothschild as French fillies take center stage in the first of five Sunday cards at Deauville's prestigious August meeting. Formerly known as the Prix d'Astarte, the Rothschild has drawn a sterling field of nine fillies and mares to its straight mile.

Thu, 07/31/2008 - 00:00

Yeats up there with the best

Yeats confirmed yet again that he is the best stayer in the world with a thoroughly overpowering seven-length triumph in the $198,000 Goodwood Cup on Thursday. Indeed, in duplicating his 2006 victory in this two-mile Group 2 contest hard on the heels of his third consecutive 2 1/2-mile Ascot Gold Cup win, Yeats must be ranked as one of the very best stayers of all time.

Wed, 07/30/2008 - 00:00

Henrythenavigator wins, pointed to BC Classic

Henrythenavigator will be aimed at the Breeders' Cup Classic after having won his fourth straight Group 1 mile on turf at Goodwood on Wednesday when he held on gamely for a narrow victory in the $594,000 Sussex Stakes. While owner John Magnier has not ruled out additional tries at a mile this year, he said that the Classic, and a first try on a synthetic surface, would be Henrythenavigator's ultimate goal this season.

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 00:00

Conduit scores in Gordon Stakes

On Tuesday, opening day of the five-day Glorious Goodwood meeting, Conduit presented his St. Leger credentials for trainer Michael Stoute when he scored a head victory over Donegal in the Group 3 Gordon Stakes. Second last time in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes, Conduit, a son of Dalakhani, covered the 1 1/2 miles in 2:37.14 on good ground. In the seven-furlong Group 2 Lennox Stakes, the 7-1 Paco Boy defeated the 14-1 Stimulation by a neck as the 5-4 choice Infallible was only fifth.

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 00:00

Yeats meeting fellow Goodwood heroes

Yeats, three-time winner of the Ascot Gold Cup, returns to action at Goodwood on Thursday in a renewal of the $199,000 Goodwood Cup that features the last three winners of the two-mile Group 2 contest.

Mon, 07/28/2008 - 00:00

'Henry' takes aim at Sussex Stakes

Henrythenavigator is in line to give Aidan O'Brien yet another Group 1 victory at Goodwood on Wednesday when he takes on six rivals in the $597,000 Sussex Stakes, the first of four weight-for-age miles between now and Sept. 27 that will determine Europe's champion miler.

A dual 2000 Guineas winner, Henrythenavigator has already beaten his most serious challenger, Raven's Pass, in both the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and Royal Ascot's St. James's Palace Stakes. A Kentucky-bred son of Kingmambo, he should be perfectly suited to Goodwood's single-turn, right-handed mile.

Sun, 07/27/2008 - 00:00

Mastercraftsman takes Phoenix for O'Brien

There's just no stopping Aidan O'Brien. A day after Duke of Marmalade landed the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Mastercraftsman gave the master of Ballydoyle his 15th Group 1 triumph of the year at the Curragh with an overpowering 4 1/2-length victory in the $470,000 Phoenix Stakes.

Sat, 07/26/2008 - 00:00

Duke of Marmalade gutsy in King George win

Any doubts about Duke of Marmalade's ability to stay 1 1/2 miles were laid firmly to rest at Ascot on Saturday as he battled back under extreme pressure to win the $1.7 million King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Fri, 07/25/2008 - 00:00

Tapeta for Dubai training track

The Tapeta synthetic racing surface developed by former trainer Michael Dickinson has been chosen to serve as the training track at the new Meydan racing complex under construction in Dubai, the Dubai Racing Club announced on Friday.