Coltrane (Ire)

Friday's action at Doncaster sees a brace of group 2 races of wildly contrasting type, with the hardened stayers battling out the G2 Doncaster Cup over two and a quarter miles preceded by the five-furlong G2 Flying Childers Stakes for the fast juveniles. In the former, the Gosdens have a strong hand with the Normandie Stud-bred pair Sweet William (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) looking to benefit from the absence of Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and enjoy their day in the sun away from...

Ballydoyle's miracle horse Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is back at the scene of one of his finest hours on Tuesday as he descends on the Sussex Downs for another tilt at the G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup. Denied a follow-up to his memorable 2022 success over Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) due to last year's potentially catastrophic injury, the Moyglare homebred announced his return from the brink and how with another dynamic display to win a second G1 Gold Cup at the Royal meeting last month. It could be...

Ten stayers will line up in Thursday's G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, with the 2022 title-holder Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) looking to regain his crown having missed out through injury 12 months ago. He will be Aidan O'Brien's sole runner, while John and Thady Gosden saddle a trio in Wathnan Racing's Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), Godolphin's Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}) and Normandie Stud's Sweet William (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Willie Mullins has booked Colin Keane for the ride on the Riccis' Vauban (Fr) (Galiway {GB}), while...

It may not feel like the first day of May, but despite the gloom and the cold Royal Ascot Trials Day is upon us on Wednesday with the G3 Longines Sagaro S. the feature. Most of the big Gold Cup hopefuls are back in play, with the popular veterans Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}), Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and Quickthorn (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) set to renew rivalry once again on the Berkshire terrain. In the G3 Commonwealth Cup Trial S. which is registered as the Pavilion S., the list of budding...

Causing an upset when edging out Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) in a thriller for last year's G2 Doncaster Cup, one of the staying division's leaders Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) returns to Town Moor for another encounter with his nemesis on Friday. Having won Ascot's G3 Sagaro S. and the G2 Lonsdale Cup at York and been runner-up in the G1 Gold Cup in the interim, Mick and Janice Mariscotti's stalwart is better than ever at the age of six and is the one with the target on his back this...

Mick and Janice Mariscotti's ultra-consistent 6-year-old gelding Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}--Promise Me {Ire}, by Montjeu {Ire}) settled for placings in this term's G1 Gold Cup and G1 Goodwood Cup and exacted revenge on Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Quickthorn (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) with a determined effort in Friday's G2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup at York. Coltrane, a 14-length runner-up in this marathon contest last year, had risen through the staying ranks to notch victories in last term's G2 Doncaster Cup and this term's G3 Sagaro S. and raced...

Maybe the fact that it is so demanding means that it can only be a once-a-year thing, but Lady Blyth's Quickthorn (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}--Daffydowndilly {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) is a joy to behold when he delivers his runaway train impression and Goodwood's gathering had a full two miles to appreciate it again on Tuesday as he turned the G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup into a one-horse show. As he had last August when issuing a 14-length beating to Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in York's G2 Lonsdale Cup over this...

While the 2023 English summer staggers on in dour misery, Britain looks to the Qatar Goodwood Festival which in terms of the weather is a far cry from its prior "Glorious Goodwood" standing but in terms of thoroughbred quality is up there with any of its counterparts. This week, we get to see the Royal Ascot heroes Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) and the likes of Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) and Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}), to name a few. If the rain...

Burying the unhappiness of his loss on Stradivarius at what turned out to be a controversial Royal Ascot 12 months ago, Frankie Dettori sealed immortality at the track that has done so much to elevate him with a heartstopping G1 Gold Cup victory on Wathnan Racing's Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Crimson Ribbon, by Lemon Drop Kid). Capping a day of days in the history of the distinguished meeting, what amounted to a brilliant piece of placing by the Gosdens saw the untried and raw 4-year-old defy all this great...