Ascot

Ascot's Naas Racecourse Royal Ascot Trials Day British EBF Fillies' S. offers the G1 Coronation S. hopefuls a chance to get acquainted with the track and Normandie Stud's Queen For You (Ire) (Kingman {GB}--Fallen For You {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) could be one for that contest after earning TDN Rising Star status on Wednesday. Debuting in the mile encounter, the John and Thady Gosden-trained daughter of the 2012 Coronation heroine whose half-siblings include the multiple group winner Glorious Journey (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and who is a full-sister to the listed scorer Love...

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 Group 1 winner Fallen For You (GB) (Dansili {GB}). 2.40 Ascot, Novice, £40,000, 3yo, f, 8fT QUEEN FOR YOU (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) is the fifth foal out of the G1 Coronation S. heroine Fallen For You (GB) (Dansili {GB}) who faces a stiff...

Ascot's Wednesday fixture features some interesting pointers to the Royal meeting and, while the card needs some work to be seen as a true "trials" event, the G3 British Racing School 40th Anniversary Commonwealth Cup Trial is likely to provide some meaningful clues ahead of the main event. The six-furlong test, registered as the Pavilion S., sees the return of Victorious Racing's impressive G2 Coventry S. winner Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) who has not been seen since sustaining an injury during the G1 Phoenix S. in August. "He's looking like...

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 not returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Observations features the return of 'TDN Rising Star' Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) as well as the daughter of G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 3.45 Naas, Hcp, €45,000, 3yo, 7fT PADDINGTON (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) will be one of the key attractions if Naas's card evades...

Ascot Racecourse announced total prize money will be a record £17 million across 25 racedays in 2023, an increase of £1.33 million (8.5%) from 2022. The overall figure excludes the industry-owned QIPCO British Champions Day. Prize money for Royal Ascot 2023 will also be a record £9.52 million, up from £8.65 million (10%). All Group 1 races will be run for a minimum of £600,000 for the first time with increases to the King's Stand S., St James's Palace S., Gold Cup, Coronation S. and Commonwealth Cup (all £500,000 in...

Wesley Ward would be the first to admit that he has a soft spot for his globe-trotting Breeders' Cup contender Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB} - Janina {GB}, by Namid {GB}). "It's hard not to like a filly that has accomplished what she has," he said with a smile. "Just from being around her, you know how special she is." For over two years, Campanelle has been a consistent presence in Ward's converted tobacco barn adjacent to the Keeneland grounds. The Stonestreet Stables representative has thrived on racing's biggest stages throughout...

William Haggas is looking to the future after Baaeed's shock swansong defeat in the Qipco Champion S. at Ascot on Saturday by revealing the six-time Group 1-winning superstar's younger brother is set to make his debut soon.  Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {GB}) lost his unbeaten record on his 11th and likely final start on Champions Day when finishing fourth, beaten a little under two lengths, behind Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}). That was despite being sent off as a prohibitively short-priced favourite at odds of 1-4. Haggas was...

Ascot Racecourse announced on Monday that Chief Executive, Vivien Currie, stood down from her position in order to return to Scotland for family reasons.   Sir Francis Brooke, chairman at Ascot, said, "We understand Vivien's decision and she leaves with our best wishes for the future." Ascot's Managing Director, Alastair Warwick, has been appointed Acting Chief Executive. 

One of last term's leading juveniles, Teme Valley and Ballylinch Stud's Bayside Boy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) took until Saturday to put it all together again as a 3-year-old and chose the big stage to do it on in Ascot's G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. He has now punched his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland in November, if connections wish to travel. Anchored in rear early by Tom Marquand after a tardy break, the 33-1 shot who had enjoyed a confidence-boosting success in Sandown's Listed Fortune...

Nursed back from a deflating heavy defeat in the King George by John and Thady Gosden, TDN Rising Star Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) returned to Ascot's same mile and a half with a flourish to capture Saturday's G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and complete a Frankie Dettori double on QIPCO British Champions Day. Keen initially as she had been last time, the newly-hooded bay was restrained to race halfway down the field trapped wide throughout the early stages. Travelling strongly on the turn into...

Just 11 years old in its reconstructed state, Ascot's QIPCO British Champions Day is not yet the supermassive black hole it longs to be, but its gravitational waves are enough to draw in a sufficient quantity of racing's brightest year upon year to justify its title. Saturday's binary stars are the turf overlord Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and the miling dame Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), whose orbits have been steadily coming closer into view over the past weeks. In the case of the former, this final act of...

Shadwell's Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will conclude his racing career against eight rivals in Saturday's £1.3-million QIPCO Champion S. at Ascot, with the unbeaten luminary drawn in stall one as the final fields were confirmed on Thursday morning. Like the 2016 hero Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), the William Haggas flagbearer is on the inside in a contest that should be staged on ground no worse than soft and very likely good-to-soft. Last year's Derby and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB})...