Year: 2024

Andrew Balding Celebrates New Century Win at Woodbine

Suzanne Ashton
New Century running in the Grade 1 bet365 Summer Stakes credit: Michael Burns

Andrew Balding enjoyed a big race victory at Woodbine on Saturday evening as New Century quickened past the Charlie Appleby-trained Al Qudra to claim the $500,000 (£280,000) Grade 1 bet365 Summer Stakes. Oisin Murphy, Frankie Dettori and William Buick were some of the big name jockeys at Woodbine, with Four Grade 1s and $2.7m in prize money up for grabs. It was Oisin Murphy who was celebrating after riding New Century to victory in what was a messy finish to the 1-mile contest for 2-year-olds. Al Qudra, who had got…

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International Trainers Head to Toronto for Turf Champions Day This September

Suzanne Ashton
Image for illustration only

Woodbine Racecourse will host Turf Champions Day this Saturday, September 14, featuring four Grade 1 races with a total prize pool of $2.75 million. Top European trainers, Andrew Balding, Charlie Appleby, Carlos Laffon-Parias and Maurizio Guarnieri will all have runners in Toronto, Ontario race day. The last two winners of the $1m Rogers Woodbine Mile have been won by Godolphin and Charlie Appleby, who is naturally hoping to make it three years in a row with Naval Power.  Naval Power, a Group 2 winner who was second in two Grade…

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Sky Sports Racing presenter Callum Helliwell Previews Betfred St Leger Stakes

Suzanne Ashton
Sky Sports Racing presenter Callum Helliwell

Sky Sports Racing presenter Callum Helliwell previews Saturday’s big race, Betfred St Leger Stakes and gives his tip for who he thinks is going to scoop glory at Doncaster.  St Leger preview: powerhouse trainer Aidan O’Brien set to have a strong hand in the World’s Oldest Classic but it could be worth taking him on with an 8-1 shot – if the weather plays ball The World’s Oldest Classic is on the horizon at Doncaster this Saturday with the running of the Betfred St Leger Stakes.  The race was first…

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Winnings a breeze for Winds Of Fortune at Chepstow

Suzanne Ashton
a chestnut racehorse Winds Of Fortune with the winning jockey stood next to it and two further people stood either side.

It was a historic first UK win for US-based Deborah Mihaloff with Winds Of Fortune this afternoon, Monday 2nd September 2024, in the Arabian Racing Organisation (0-95) Handicap over a mile at Chepstow. The six-year-old homebred, saddled by Pat Dobbs and trained by James Owen, came home over two lengths ahead of Paramer Angel and Keiran O’Neill, with Upstart Crow and Miss Teagan Padgett finishing in third out of six runners. Treading carefully, Dobbs steadily brought the racehorse, who is the son of Al Mamun Monlau, down the centre of the course to eventually win on…

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Going The Distance goes the distance in King George V Stakes

Suzanne Ashton
Going The Distance winning the King George V Stakes (credit: Megan Coggin)

Ralph Beckett saw a long-term plan come to fruition as Going The Distance swooped to victory in the Royal Ascot King George V Stakes, in which 19 horses ran, on Thursday, June 20th 2024. Ridden by Rossa Ryan in the colours of Marc Chan, racehorse Going The Distance (9/1) came with a sweeping run around the outside of the field and had enough in the tank to see off Neski Sherelski by half a length. Go Daddy, from William Muir and Christy Grassick’s stable, was a half-length back in third,…

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Royal Ascot 2024: Highlighting the Feature Races

Suzanne Ashton
Royal Ascot 2024 feature races- image of horses racing on grass at Ascot

Royal Ascot, the epitome of British horse racing and high society, kicked off today, attracting thousands of spectators and participants worldwide. Known for its grandeur, Royal Ascot is a five-day event featuring 35 races and draws an average attendance of around 300,000 people each year. With over £7.3 million in prize money at stake, this event is a social highlight and a pinnacle of the racing calendar. Royal Ascot 2024: Highlighting the Feature Races You Shouldn’t Miss Feature Races of Royal Ascot 2024 include: The Queen Anne Stakes The Queen…

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Newbury Racecourse Offer Racing Staff Incentive

Suzanne Ashton
Newbury Racecourse Logo

As part of a new initiative introduced, Newbury Racecourse is offering racing staff incentives in the form of free tickets for themselves and a guest at two of the Racecourse’s upcoming race days. These complimentary tickets are available to be claimed for the first evening of Newbury Racecourse’s Summer Evening Series with Hits Radio on Thursday 4th July as well as the BetVictor Flat Finale with Oktoberfest on Saturday 26th October. Those working within racing can request their pair of complimentary tickets by visiting Newbury Racecourse and completing a short form. Mark Leigh,…

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Ascot Racecourse Supports to donate £5,000 to RoR

Suzanne Ashton
Ascot Racecourse Supports logo on white background

Ascot Racecourse Supports to donate £5,000 to RoR for each Ryan Moore winner at Royal Ascot 2024 As part of the Ascot Racecourse Supports community and charity programme, for every race that Racing Ambassador Ryan Moore wins during Royal Ascot, Ascot Racecourse Supports will donate £5,000 to Retraining of Racehorses, British horse racing’s official charity for the welfare of horses who have retired from racing. Ryan Moore has been the leading jockey at Royal Ascot ten times during his career, including last year when he partnered six winners, and in…

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Al-Hatab returns to form in Wathba Stallions Cup

Suzanne Ashton
Julie Kelway, Peter Hammersley, Al-Hatab, Liz Sian and Lewis Saunders ©Debbie Burt - Equine Creative Media

Midlands-based Peter Hammersley had plenty to celebrate at Bath today, with Al-Hatab returning to form in the Wathba Stallions Cup (0-60) Handicap over 1m5f. The striking grey six-year-old had won a hat-trick at the end of last season, and having been placed on his last run, connections were hopeful of a return to the winners’ enclosure. Said Peter: “They’ve all been working well at home. I thought Lewis rode Al-Hatab well, he said he just hit a bit of a flat spot, but he knew he’d get home ok. He’s run on…

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Australian Sprinter Asfoora set for King Charles III Stakes at Ascot

Suzanne Ashton
Asfoora being ridden by a jockey

Asfoora will be looking to continue the strong record of Australian sprinters at Royal Ascot in the G1 King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday, 18th June.  Five of Australia’s seven Royal Ascot successes have come in the five-furlong highlight, courtesy of Choisir, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti, Scenic Blast and most recently Nature Strip in 2022. A dual G2 winner at Caulfield, Asfoora (feature image) has twice placed at the top level for Henry Dwyer, most notably behind Imperatriz in the G1 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley in September.  The five-year-old had…

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