Bjorn Nielsen

Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), best known for his staying heroics, will have Olivier Peslier aboard in the Oct. 4 G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. A MG1SW stayer, the John Gosden trainee normally partners with Frankie Dettori, but with that rider booked for a chance at immortality with two-time Arc heroine and stablemate Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), another jockey had to be found. Originally under consideration was Andrea Atzeni, who has found success with the chestnut in two editions of the G1 Goodwood Cup, but his obligations...

There was a degree of worry and stress for the connections and abundant fans of Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) to endure during Tuesday's G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, but ultimately it was the familiar outcome as Bjorn Nielsen's chestnut wrought a fourth victory in this historic prize. Momentarily pinned behind Nayef Road (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) inside the last two furlongs, the 4-7 favourite had to make his own racing room as the last furlong neared but by now there seems very little that...

Trainer Ed Walker said Bjorn Nielsen's Listed Lingfield Derby Trial winner English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) is "really well" two weeks after running fifth as the favourite in the G1 Investec Derby, but that no future plans have been decided. "He's recovered from Epsom and put the weight back on that he lost--we're very happy with him," the trainer said. "There is no great plan at the moment, that's for sure. We're just mulling things over and we'll see what we come up with. The main thing is the horse...

A day removed from the G1 Investec Derby, trainer Ed Walker said English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}), fifth as the early favourite, had come out of the race well and could target the G1 Grand Prix de Paris in September. "We'll let the dust settle and mull over it for a few days," Walker said. "I think an obvious target would be the Grand Prix de Paris, because he's French-bred and qualifies for the premiums. I wouldn't rule out the St Leger, but I wouldn't want to run him on...

G1 Investec Derby favourite English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) and new rider Frankie Dettori had an opportunity to get acquainted with one another on the Lambourn gallops on Wednesday, with the Italian partnering the Ed Walker-trained Listed Derby Trial S. winner in a piece of work. "Today is 10 days out from the Derby, which is always when I would do my last proper piece of work with a horse, and he worked very well," Walker said. "Frankie came in and had a sit on him, and everything went smoothly....

Frankie Dettori, who on Monday picked up the mount on favourite English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) in the July 4 G1 Investec Derby, told Sky Sports Racing on Tuesday that he will get acquainted with Bjorn Nielsen's Listed Derby Trial S. winner this week. "I'm going to go and ride him this week," Dettori said. "I can only go on what I've seen, but he was impressive at Newcastle last year, and very impressive at Lingfield. "He's interesting. On the plus side, he went round Lingfield like it was a...

Frankie Dettori has been given the ride aboard G1 Investec Derby favourite English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) at Epsom on Saturday week, trainer Ed Walker has confirmed. The son of Camelot stamped himself as a leading contender for the premier Classic with a hugely impressive display in the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial earlier in the month and is now a best priced 7-2, ahead of Andrew Balding's G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas hero Kameko (Kitten's Joy) at 5-1. Tom Marquand was on board English King at Lingfield, but is set to...

Soft ground? No worries. If anything, that extra dimension only served to exaggerate the superiority of Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) as Bjorn Nielsen's chestnut entered immortality with an emphatic third G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. Joining Sagaro (GB) and now only one off Yeats (Ire) with his awe-inspiring tally, the 4-5 favourite was always well within his comfort zone sauntering around this part of Berkshire that he has made his own. Switched off in his customary mid-division pitch throughout the early stages, he was lightly squeezed into...

There were days when we were drumming our fingers on our at-home desks or dining tables wondering what on earth to write about for tomorrow. But now that the shock of racing's shutdown has been completely erased by the return, finally, of racing in Ireland to complete a European full set, the panic is not what to write but how on earth to keep up with it all. No complaints here. The last few weeks since the French return in mid-May and Britain just over a week ago have provided...