Bay Bridge (GB)

In what is shaping up as if it could be a vintage 2022 season, Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse S. has let nobody down with a high-class turn-out of six in what has historically been termed as the first "Clash of the Generations". The Aga Khan's supplemented Prix du Jockey Club hero Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) was drawn in stall four on Thursday, next to Godolphin's more decorated fellow 3-year-old Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in five, with the race's possible pace angle Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}) widest in six. Following...

Wednesday's G1 Prince of Wales's S. came down to a display of supreme jockeyship, but it was not Moore or Dettori or even Demuro who provided it but Shane Crosse, whose masterclass from the front on the under-rated State of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) proved the difference in such a tight Royal Ascot encounter. The race is a qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland in November. While Frankie fumbled with the blindfold on Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) as the gates opened and lost all chance there,...

   At the beginning of 2022, it would have taken an almighty leap of the imagination to envisage Sir Michael Stoute having one of the best years of his career but within the space of just over a month from mid-May it has become a reality. Quite what Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) can go on to achieve is anybody's guess and the non-believers are rightly in a minority where the Derby hero is concerned, but in Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) Newmarket's longstanding doyen has another to take...

Charlie Appleby calls it "the Olympics" and few would challenge that claim. Royal Ascot has been too long enmeshed in the fabric of British culture to be anything other than a truly special occasion, but in the Platinum Jubilee year it has even greater allure, a higher purpose. Four of the top nine horses in the World's Best Racehorse Rankings, including the one who sits atop, will be here this week and several more that have yet to reveal themselves as members of that exclusive club. We will know them...

Group 1 winner Grand Glory (GB) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) was supplemented to the G1 Prince Of Wales's S. for £70,000 on Wednesday. A winner of the G1 Prix Jean Romanet for owners Albert Frassetto, John D'Amato and Mike Pietrangelo last August, the bay was knocked down for €2.5 million at the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale. She is riding a two-race winning streak in her new colours of Haras de Hus after victories in the Listed Prix Zarkava and the G3 Prix Allez France in April and May, respectively. She...

Shadwell's brilliant, undefeated Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was given a mark of 125 and now leads the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings. The bay made his 4-year-old debut in the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. and ran out a 3 1/4-length victor. America's Life Is Good (Into Mischief) and crack sprinter Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) share second at 124, while Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) sits fourth just one point below. It is a four-way tie for fifth at 122, with Hong Kong wunderkind Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia...

Sandown witnessed something truly special on Thursday evening as James Wigan and Ballylinch Stud's Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}--Hayyona {GB}, by Multiplex {GB}) brought up a sensational 12th renewal of the G3 Coral Brigadier Gerard S. for Sir Michael Stoute. The way the seasonal debutante hit the line with five lengths to spare over Shadwell's exciting Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who was previously unbeaten here, with Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) another length away in third, it is hard to say that any of the former Freemason Lodge winners of...