Ascot

Maintaining his unbeaten record in straightforward fashion, Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's Quddwah (GB) (Kingman {GB}--Sajjhaa {GB}, by King's Best) registered a career-best on Saturday in Ascot's G2 Anne Cowley Memorial Summer Mile. Held back from the Royal meeting with an abnormal blood count having won the Listed Paradise Stakes in May, the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained homebred travelled sweetly tracking the leaders on this return. Committed by Callum Shepherd passing two out, the 5-4 favourite had a comfortable half-length margin to spare over Ancient Rome (War Front) at the line....

Group 1 winner Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) is pointing for the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot at the end of the month, according to trainer David Menuisier. A winner of the G1 Criterium International in his final start at two for Guy Pariente, Thomas Lines and Qatar Racing, the full-brother to Group 1 winner and young sire Sealiway (Fr) ran second in the G3 Prix Greffulhe at second asking at three. Seventh in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, he rebounded to take second, by...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Observations features the return of Rhetorical (Ire). 19.45 Newmarket, Nov, £10,000, 3yo, 10fT Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase RHETORICAL (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), a William Haggas trainee who shed maiden status over this trip at Newbury last month, is a half-brother to GI Joe Hirsch...

The storylines of "Thurby" can oftentimes get lost in the hubbub of the ensuing weekend of racing at Churchill Downs, but for trainer John Hancock, the Thursday before this year's Kentucky Derby was a day he won't soon forget. Not feeling the greatest that afternoon, the veteran conditioner decided to stay back at the barn and let his family head to the paddock to saddle West Memorial (Caracaro) and Strummin (Flameaway) for the Kentucky Juvenile S. Meanwhile Hancock drove over to a spot on the backside where he had a...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features a daughter of the Classic winner Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). 16.35 Ascot, Nov, £40,000, 3yo, f, 7f 213yT Godolphin's hitherto unraced DIAMOND RAIN (GB) (Shamardal) is a daughter of G1 Oaks and G1 German Oaks heroine Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and thus...

The Ascot Gold Cup is the main priority for defending champion Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and St Leger third Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), according to Richard Brown, racing advisor for owners Wathnan Racing.  The John and Thady Gosden-trained duo gave the Qatar-based operation the perfect start to their ownership enterprise last season. Both horses hold entries for the Boodles Yorkshire Cup on May 17, while Sandown's Henry II S. a week later is another possible option for the duo to tune up for their main summer assignment....

ASCOT, UK--It's that time of year, with retirements of the top horses coming thick and fast, but the really good news from Champions Day is that Big Rock (Ire) and King Of Steel will both be back to wow us again next year.  And wow they did, along with that other predictable star of the show, Frankie Dettori. It is a course that he has been lighting up ever since his magnificent seven of 1996 and at which he is now commemorated in bronze, the statue of Dettori having been...

Ascot is really where it all began for Frankie Dettori and after Saturday's opening salvo of QIPCO Champions Day it looked to have already given that farewell gift, but there was one final blessing to be bestowed on its favourite son as Amo Racing's King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Eldacar {GB}, by Verglas {Ire}) prevailed in the G1 QIPCO Champion S., a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. As deep into the feature 10-furlong contest as the final 100 yards, the glorious sign-off looked unlikely to...

Leaving his G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. rivals strung out down Ascot's straight mile, Yeguada Centurion's Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}--Hardiyna {Ire}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}) produced a masterclass from the front under Aurelien Lemaitre in one of the great displays throughout the history of this prestigious affair. Quickly out on his own, the Christopher Head-trained 3-year-old who had not won since looking a force in the mud in the G3 Prix la Force and G3 Prix de Guiche this spring was always way beyond the reaches...

Shadwell's Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) has been withdrawn from this afternoon's G1 Qipco Champion S. due to the ground. Angus Gold explained the decision to pull the G1 G1 Juddmonte International and G1 Prince of Wales's S. hero from the feature, for which he was favourite on Friday. "I asked two jockeys coming back in and one said it was horrible ground and the other that it was heavy, so we decided we didn't want to end his career on a bad note. He'll be prepared for the Breeders' Cup...

There was one attendee at Ascot on Saturday that refused to succumb to Frankie fever and that was King Power's grey enigma Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Evening Time {Ire}, by Keltos {Fr}) who on his 15th attempt in Group 1 company finally made the breakthrough in the QIPCO British Champions Sprint. Blazing the trail in isolation in his habitual style, the star of the Tim Easterby yard looked set to play second fiddle as Dettori edged ahead late on the 5-4 favourite Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) but where he...

As if conjuring the renowned Babet as a personal Tempest for his [probable] European goodbye, racing's true Duke of Milan rides back into his beloved Ascot on Saturday as the eye of the storm for a suitably dramatic instalment of the Qipco Champions Day. While this fixture has fast become a resounding success, despite its mid-October nook being that bit too far into the wet season to deliver a fair playing field, it always needs at least one dynamo per year to power it into the headlines. Officials are lucky...