Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) has returned home to Gilltown Stud for a well-deserved break after her Royal Ascot heroics and, according to Pat Downes, the triple Group 1 winner could kick-start her autumn campaign in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend.  Downes, the Aga Khan's manager of the Irish studs, has [...]

When the first horse Shane Molan bred in his own name turned out to be the multiple Group 1-winning star Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), he didn't dream the achievement would ever be topped.  But Waikuku's dam London Plane (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who Molan famously bought for just €13,500 from Hyde Park Stud at [...]

I don't know about you, but I can't seem to remember a better big-race ride in recent times than what Oisin Murphy produced in winning the G1 Commonwealth Cup aboard Julie Camacho's Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}). It would be hard enough to win a middle-of-the-road handicap after blowing the start like Shaquille did. A [...]

Hard to believe that Colin Keane was 0-50 at Ascot before booting Villanova Queen (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) home to record an emotional victory for Jessica Harrington in the Kensington Palace Fillies' Handicap. Anyone with even a passing interest in Irish racing will know that Keane is right up there with the best riders in Europe [...]

Day one done and dusted and it's hard to imagine that there will be a more impressive Group 1 winner than Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) at Royal Ascot this week.  The manner in which he swept aside the Guineas hero Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the St James's Palace S. was something to behold. So, [...]

It never ceases to amaze how much debate the two-year-old races at Royal Ascot generate each year. A quick scan on racing Twitter over the past few days confirmed as much.  For all the fascinating puzzles that the royal meeting will serve up this week, including whether Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) can cope with Chaldean [...]

Everyone needs that flagship horse. Be it a trainer, jockey or an owner, the common goal is to find a horse capable of competing on the big stage. Well, bloodstock agents are no different, and Martin Buick can now count Admiral De Vega (GB) as his first big-name acquisition.  Buick has been based with renowned [...]

At first there are tears and then the words come tumbling out.  “We got a bit of bad news before the Curragh,” Con Marnane explains. “Theresa's cancer is back again. That's why the whole thing was so emotional.” Theresa is Con's wife and it is her yellow and black silks, made famous by Different League [...]

Share prices in Jessica Harrington's Givemethebeatboys (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}), a leading G2 Coventry S. contender, took a spike on Thursday with the news that legendary jockey Frankie Dettori would take the ride on the colt at Royal Ascot on Tuesday. Givemethebeatboys, a gritty winner of the G3 Marble Hill S. at the Curragh when [...]

It was hard not to love the performance Selenaia (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) posted in the GIII Honeymoon S. at Santa Anita last weekend.  One man who loved it more than most was Derek Iceton of Tara Stud in County Meath. Iceton bought the dam [Dettoria (GB) (Declaration Of War)] of the Grade I-bound [...]

Australian sprinter Cannonball (Aus) (Capitalist {Aus}) is being predicted to make an explosive impact at Royal Ascot by majority owner James Harron who insists the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colt will post “a very big performance” if the ground is good or better in the G1 King's Stand S. A general 10-1 chance to emulate [...]

Top breeze-up handler Katie McGivern has put Queen Mary favourite Born To Rock (Ire) (Soldier's Call {GB}) up there with the best horses that she has been associated with and described producing a two-year-old with leading Royal Ascot credentials as “ridiculously exciting”. Born To Rock confirmed herself to be aptly named when romping to victory [...]