Ascot

Adding to his fast-accumulating haul of big-race wins on Saturday, Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) justified even-money favouritism to bring up a repeat in Ascot's G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup. While not as demonstrative as 12 months ago, when the deeper ground saw him excel with a 7 1/2-length success, the subsequent G1 Goodwood Cup and G1 Prix du Cadran hero had a tactical affair to deal with this time but Hollie Doyle refused to be flustered anchoring him in mid-division. Despite his early exuberance, the 5-year-old had plenty...

Racing Staff Week kicks off with the launch of Ascot's Champions Day meeting Saturday. In its fifth year, Racing Staff Week, recognizing the contribution of the industry's workforce, including stud and stable staff, breeders, racecourse staff and administrators, is supported by Betfair through the efforts of Racing Welfare. Racing Welfare will have a presence on all courses that have meetings throughout the week, including 'The Big Racing Staff Week Quiz,' offering staff the opportunity to come together either in person or virtually Oct. 21. Hosted by racing presenters Niall Hannity...

Godolphin's June 5 G1 Epsom Derby and July 24 G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will be one of the 10 starters in Saturday's G1 QIPCO Champion S. at Ascot after Charlie Appleby pushed go on Thursday morning. Fourth in last Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp, the homebred has given all the right signals in the interim period and adds substance to a renewal robbed of Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) who has been re-routed to take the...

Godolphin's G1 Cazoo Derby and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) might be seen once more this season in the G1 QIPCO Champion S. at Ascot on Oct. 16. Fourth in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after leading into the home straight, the bay has been pleasing trainer Charlie Appleby since his run in Paris. "He will be left in the Champion S. tomorrow, for the simple reason at the moment he has come out of the Arc well," Appleby...

The 2020 financial results were announced by Ascot Racecourse on Wednesday. Total turnover was down by 77% due to COVID-19 restrictions with only two racedays being held with spectators and another 18 run behind closed doors. There were also five lost racedays due to the pandemic and one abandonment due to inclement weather. Pandemic insurance and support from the UK Government through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and business rates relief prevented a pre-tax loss of over £31 million. In addition, the staff were restructured to adjust to pandemic trading...

Last year's G1 Champion S. winner Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) will return to Ascot to defend his crown in October, trainer William Haggas has announced. A winner of the G1 Ranvet S. and G1 Queen Elizabeth S. in Australia last year, the chestnut was second in the G1 Prince Of Wales's S. back in the UK last June, two starts prior to his Champion S. victory. Sent back to Australia in March, he was second in the Ranvet to Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) and then turned the tables on...

To borrow from Charles Dickens, the past week can be encapsulated in one line: it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.  Actually, let's face it, when it comes to bad times it hasn't just been this week, has it? Events of this year in particular have made it harder to love racing as we rock from one unsavoury incident to the next courtesy of some of the sport's leading trainers in Europe and America. The image that can now just be described as 'that photo',...

Christopher Wright's Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) has been withdrawn from the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco S. at Ascot and will be pointed at Goodwood next week. With minimal rain hitting the Berkshire track, the G1 Prix de Royallieu, G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and G2 Hardwicke S. heroine was taken out as expected by David Menuisier. "When you train a soft-ground horse you always need a bit of luck with races in the middle of the summer," he explained. "She's the...

Customarily, when a Ballydoyle VIP attracts the kind of support that Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has in the lead-up to Saturday's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco S. at Ascot, it is more than a subtle pointer to the eventual outcome. Whether the filly who so readily dispatched of her peers in last year's G1 1000 Guineas, G1 Epsom Oaks and G1 Yorkshire Oaks has this inspiringly-crafted renewal "locked down" depends not only on the strength of the opposition but also on the volatile weather. A renowned "daisy-cutter"...

Aidan O'Brien cut his team for the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco S. to two on Thursday, with last year's G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Epsom Oaks and June 16 G1 Prince of Wales's S. heroine Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) joined only by the July 4 G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}). Wayne Lordan takes the ride on the latter, who currently trades as the outsider of the six-strong field to underline the quality of Saturday's renewal. It will be likely stripped of...

Aidan O'Brien cut his team for the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco S. to two on Thursday, with last year's G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Epsom Oaks and June 16 G1 Prince of Wales's S. heroine Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) joined only by the July 4 G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}). Wayne Lordan takes the ride on the latter, who currently trades as the outsider of the six-strong field to underline the quality of this year's renewal. It will be likely stripped...

Love, who is riding a four-race Group 1 winning streak, was a last out winner of the G1 Prince Of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot and is joined by fellow Coolmore partners' runners and top-shelf winners Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). Godolphin's Adayar is not the only 3-year-old in the field, as G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby second Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) also steps forward for Martyn Meade. Rounding out the nine are the globetrotting Group 1 winners Addeybb (Ire)...