Ascot

Ascot Racecourse has said it does not expect crowds to return to pre-COVID levels before 2022, and in releasing its 2019 financial results on Wednesday painted a bleak financial picture for the next two years in the absence of continued government support. "Overall, in terms of our long-term financial flight path, we forecast that the Covid-19 pandemic will have set the business plan back at least three years," said Guy Henderson, chief executive officer of Ascot Racecourse. Ascot returned a net profit of £7.3-million last year and a rise in...

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has partnered with digital media brand World Horse Racing, the latter announced on Wednesday. The fifth partner of World Horse Racing alongside Ascot, Breeders' Cup, Goodwood and the Victoria Racing Club, the Hong Kong Jockey Club reflects the growth of World Horse Racing, which has monthly views in excess of 12 million and over 1.85 million combined followers. There are 12 Group 1 races and two festivals that the HKJC brings to the table. "The vision of HKJC is always on world class racing, something...

All day long at Ascot, it was a case of deep-ground lovers need only apply and one who certainly fit that category was Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and he duly carried off the feature G1 QIPCO Champion S. Going through the conditions with an ease his rivals could not match, last year's runner-up finally registered a first top-level success in his native country having annexed the G1 Ranvet S. and G1 Queen Elizabeth S. during a Spring campaign in Australia. Well-positioned in second by Tom Marquand throughout the early stages,...

On a day when only the fittest survived, the suitably dramatically-titled The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) as expected made light of Ascot's very testing ground to take the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. for France. Like the G1 QIPCO Champion S. hero Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) runner-up in his respective race 12 months ago, Al Asayl France's chestnut had a proven love of these conditions in his armoury as well as freshness having only re-appeared this season a fortnight previously when winning the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein at ParisLongchamp. Sent...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced Friday that it has partnered with FOX Sports to present live coverage and analysis of Great Britain's richest race day, QIPCO British Champions Day from Ascot Racecourse. Saturday's special broadcast will air on FS2 from 8:30-11 a.m. Eastern and feature four Group 1 races for 3-year-olds and up, headlined by the £750,000 QIPCO Champion S. and the £650,000 Queen Elizabeth II S., sponsored by QIPCO. Post time for the 10-furlong Champion S. will be 10:40 a.m., with the Queen Elizabeth II at...

Juddmonte's undefeated 2019 G1 St Leger winner Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will step forward in the Oct. 9 G3 Cumberland Lodge S. at York. Originally slated for Oct. 3, the Cumberland Lodge was part of Ascot's cancelled card. The John Gosden trainee already sports a win over the course in the G2 Great Voltigeur S., and he was last in action in a Sept. 10 conditions race at Doncaster. Over the winter and for most of 2020, he had been recovering from a life-threatening infection. "I hope he'll be going...

After the abandonment of the Oct. 3 card at Ascot, four of those races have been rescheduled, the British Horseracing Authority announced on Monday. The G3 Cumberland Lodge S. has moved to York on Oct. 9, while the G3 Bengough S. will take place there on Oct. 10. The Listed October S. has been transferred to Goodwood on Oct. 11 and rounding out the quartet, the Listed Rous S. has moved to Nottingham. Entries for the Cumberland Lodge, Bengough and October will close on Tuesday, with the declarations 48 hours...

French Derby winner Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) remains on course for the Oct. 17 G1 Qipco Champion S. at Ascot. The 3-year-old's connections opted not to supplement the G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner for the G1 Qatar Pix de l'Arc de Triomphe in favor of Ascot's 10-furlong feature. In his latest start, Mishriff won the Aug. 15 G2 Prix Guillaume D'Ornano at Deauville. "He's bouncing, he's going well and he's waiting for his date at Ascot," said Ted Voute, racing manager to owner Prince Faisal. [Trainer] John [Gosden]...

Group winner Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) will resurface in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. on British Champions Day Oct. 17. A good second in the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup S. at Haydock on Saturday, the chestnut won the Aug. 9 G3 Rathasker Stud Phoenix Sprint S. for trainer Archie Watson and Hambleton Racing. "He was a very shrewd buy at £45,000 and took another step forward at Haydock, showing he can compete against the best in Group 1 races," said Watson. "Champions Day at Ascot will be...

TDN Rising Stars kept coming at Ascot on Saturday, with Normandie Stud's newcomer Love Is You (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) swooping to take the well-contested Moet & Chandon British EBF Fillies' Novice S. over a mile at the Berkshire venue. A daughter of Fallen For You (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who had her finest hour over this course and distance when winning the 2012 G1 Coronation S., the homebred half-sister to last year's G2 Hungerford S. winner Glorious Journey (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was held up early at the back by Jason Watson....

Ascot's two-day meeting continued to supply 2-year-olds with abundant promise on Saturday, with the Stella Artois British EBF Novice S. playing host to a new TDN Rising Star as Shadwell's Akmaam (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) stamped his class on the seven-furlong contest. Always travelling easily on the front end under Martin Dwyer, the 12-1 shot opened up passing two out and galloped out strongly to the line for a four-length success from Siam Fox (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}), with Arqoob (Ire) (Estidhkaar {Ire}) another half-length away in third. "He's...

Ascot's seven-furlong Me2 Club EBF Future Stayers' Maiden S. on Friday looked one for future Classic prospects on paper and it was the 2-1 favourite La Barrosa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) who came out on top to earn TDN Rising Star status. Having cost 750,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, Godolphin's son of the multiple group-placed Bikini Babe (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) carried a sense of expectation despite the presence of Derab (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), the half-brother to Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). Settled in mid-pack...