Ascot Racecourse

Ascot's director of racing and public affairs, Nick Smith, has been named to the New Year's Honours list. Smith, who started at Ascot in 2000, was made a lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order, which rewards personal service to the monarch and their household. In 2023, King Charles III and Queen Camilla celebrated their first Royal Ascot winner with Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who would subsequently be Classic placed in the G1 St Leger. Other highlights of Ascot's year include Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and...

A pair of runners competing during Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby, will be offered wild card entries for Epsom's 3-year-old Classics contested four weeks later. The winner of Churchill's $500,000 GII Edgewood S., contested on the Kentucky Oaks undercard May 3, will receive an entry and travel incentive to run in the G1 Betfred Oaks at Epsom May 31. In the colt's division, a runner from the $500,000 GII American Turf S., scheduled for Kentucky Derby Day May 4, will receive an entry...

The total prize-money at Ascot Racecourse in 2024 will increase to £17.5 million, the racecourse announced on Wednesday. This marks a 3.9% increase on 2023's total of £16.8 million. Royal Ascot's prize-money has been raised to an even £10 million, with no races contested at less than £110,000, up from £100,000. All Group 1 races at the iconic stand will be worth £650,000, an increase of £50,000 per race. The affected races include the King Charles III S. (formerly the King's Stand S.), the St James's Palace S., the Gold...

David and Yvonne Blunt's G2 Lancashire Oaks victrix Poptronic (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}--Alpine Dream {Ire}), by Dream Ahead) finished off the board in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks and G1 Prix de Royallieu, but bounced back in brave fashion and made all for a career best in Saturday's G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares S. at Ascot. The 22-1 chance was swiftly into stride from an outer gate and led at a solid clip throughout. Coming under pressure turning for home, she refused to yield under a Sam James drive in...

Godolphin's homebred Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}--Tidespring {Ire}, by Monsun {Ger}), fresh off an 18-length rout in the Listed Jockey Club Rose Bowl S. at Newmarket, overcame seafaring conditions and bettered a third in last year's G2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup to secure a career high in this term's renewal of the marathon test at Ascot. Last year's Ebor H. victor was caught between two stools and raced in an isolated second off the clear leader through halfway and inched ahead with five furlongs remaining. Taken on and...

Listed winner Purosangue (GB) (Aclaim {Ire}) (lot 5) is a new addition to the upcoming Goffs QIPCO Champions Day Sale at Ascot on Saturday, Oct. 21. The wildcard landed last weekend's Listed Rockingham S. at York. He was previously thrice runner-up in the Listed Rosebery S., the Listed Roses S., and the G3 Molecomb S. Consigned by Andrew Balding's Park House Stables, the 2-year-old is from the family of stakes winners Saigon (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}) and Tabaret (GB) (Bertolini). The sale will begin at 11:10 a.m. on Saturday prior...

Ascot Racecourse will host the 20th anniversary celebration of the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, set to be held on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. ITV Racing's Ed Chamberlin will host the festivities for the first time since 2020. The awards, sponsored by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and by Godolphin, honours and celebrates the skill, passion and dedication of the remarkable individuals who care for the horses. There are six award categories--Leadership Award, Dedication Award, Rider/Racing Groom Award, Stud Staff Award, Community Award (in recognition of Rory MacDonald), and David Nicholson...

Four-time Group 1 winner Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) will be freshened until a likely start on QIPCO British Champions Day in October, trainer Aidan O'Brien revealed. After breaking his maiden at second asking at two, the Coolmore partners runner won his first six starts at three, including the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, G1 St James's Palace S., G1 Eclipse and the G1 Sussex S. He suffered only his second career loss when a game third to Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Juddmonte International S. at York on Wednesday....

Team Ladies accumulated 78 point to just edge Team Rest of the World by five points to take the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot on Saturday. Hollie Doyle and Saffie Osborne each rode two winners on the day, and Doyle scored points with each of her five rides, resulting in her first Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle, awarded to the day's leading rider. Her points total for the day stands at 48. After winning with The Very Man (Ire) (Jeremy) and Regal Empire (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) in the Dubai...

Joao 'Magic Man' Moreira, Rest of the World team captain for the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot on Aug. 12, is looking forward to the challenge, as he delays his retirement for now. "I was struggling with hip injuries at the end of last year, which I am not over yet but there is no doubt that I am a lot better than I was," said the four-time Hong Kong Champion Jockey. "I was thinking about quitting riding but, once I started getting better, I felt I could...

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's homebred Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}--Rosaline {Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}) became his first-crop sire's third stakes winner when scooting to an impressive four-length triumph in Saturday's Listed Flexjet Pat Eddery S. at Ascot. The 11-1 chance, who annexed his June 7 debut over 6 1/2 furlongs at Newbury when last seen, raced under cover in eighth through the early fractions of this straight seven-furlong test. Making eyecatching headway on the bridle once past halfway, he cruised to the front with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining...

The British racing industry will partner will the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) at the 2023 Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita in November to deliver a UK government trade mission centred around the horse racing industry. Great British Racing International (GBRI) will lead the four-day mission in partnership with Ascot Racecourse, The Jockey Club and UK Tote Group. The trade mission represents the first time the British racing industry has collaborated on a large-scale international event with the support of the UK government. Beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 1, is...