Doncaster

Saturday's G2 Beresford S. hero Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) is under consideration for the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster on Oct. 23. A winner on debut at Killarney for Westerberg, Mrs. J. Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith on July 14, the bay also holds an entry in the Oct. 9 G1 Darley Dewhurst S. at Newmarket. O'Brien said, "He's a lovely horse and was showing loads before he went to Killarney. He came forward every week after that, and it was a lovely second stage for him. "The...

One single racing day in England--Thursday, Sept. 9-was rich in suggestive racehorse names. Two winners in Doncaster within two hours of each other-juvenile colt Harrow (Ire) (El Kabeir--School Run {Ire} by Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and 5-year-old gelding Harrovian (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}--Alma Mater {GB} by Sadler's Wells)--manifested ingenious connections (via their dams' names) to the famous public school founded in 1572 and attended by young Winston Churchill. Singular coincidence. With Epsom winner Nuvolari (GB) (c, 2, by Time Test {GB}--Luang Prabang {Ire} by Invincible Spirit {Ire}) we are in another territory....

Considered by some an antiquity against racing's commercial backdrop, Doncaster's G1 Cazoo St Leger is nevertheless kept close to the hearts of all enthusiasts and in Godolphin's Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) it had a winner on Saturday that stands tall among some of its very best. Having scythed through the tasks of the G1 Irish Derby and G1 Grand Prix de Paris earlier this summer, the powerhouse chestnut looked to have outstanding claims for this and he duly delivered as the G1 Epsom Derby form came to the fore....

With the Gosdens and Frankie in such hot form and given the silks he carries, there was understandably a keen focus on The Queen's G3 Solario S. winner Reach For the Moon (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in Saturday's G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster. Patriots and Frankie followers were in for a late shock, however, as Teme Valley and Ballylinch Stud's highly-regarded Bayside Boy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) ripped up the script to subdue the royal runner in the final strides and prevail by a head. Last seen finishing runner-up...

Saeed bin Mohammed Al Qassimi's 2-year-old colt Caturra (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) rebounded off a runner-up finish in last month's Listed Roses S. at York to swoop late for a career high in Friday's G2 Wainwright Flying Childers S at Doncaster. The April-foaled bay, who had earlier finished a close-up seventh in Royal Ascot's June 15 G2 Coventry S., made a stakes breakthrough with victory in Newbury's July 16 Listed Rose Bowl S. next time and posted a last-of-seven contesting Goodwood's July 29 G2 Richmond S. in his penultimate start. Caturra,...

Friday at Doncaster's St Leger festival means Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), and after John and Thady Gosden and Frankie Dettori's Group 2 double and a treble overall on Thursday the tide is rising for the esteemed combo as the G2 Doncaster Cup looms. Bjorn Nielsen's golden boy of the staying scene since 2018 needs no introduction and this special week on Town Moor is there for turf's icons such as him to enjoy widespread adulation. If there were any doubts as to the appetite of the 7-year-old, those...

George Strawbridge's 325,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 acquisition Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was the stylish winner of Deauville's G3 Prix Minerve last month and simply outclassed overmatched rivals with a seven-length rout in Thursday's G2 Hippo Pro3 Park Hill Fillies' S. over the full G1 St Leger trip. The upwardly mobile sophomore had encountered the reopposing Golden Pass (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) when a 3/4-of-a-length runner-up to that rival in July's Listed Aphrodite Fillies' S. at Newmarket in her penultimate start and exacted revenge in style. The well-backed 15-8...

Cheveley Park Stud's hitherto undefeated 2-year-old filly Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) lit up Sandown with an impressive 3 1/2-length tally in going seven furlongs in July's Listed Star S. and took her record to a perfect three-for-three with another taking display upped to one mile for Thursday's G2 Cazoo Park Hill S. at Doncaster. The homebred bay had previously overcome a slow start to open her account with a 1 1/2-length score in a June 26 seven-furlong maiden at Newmarket and remains on course to return there for the Oct....

Ballydoyle's St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) will take on The Aga Khan's Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and Jim Bolger's Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and just one other in what is certain to be a tactical renewal of Saturday's G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown. As he suggested earlier this month, Aidan O'Brien has taken out all other entries for the 10-furlong contest, which is made up by last year's G3 Meld S. winner Patrick Sarsfield (Fr) (Australia {GB}). At Doncaster the same afternoon, the G1 Cazoo St Leger will see Godolphin's G1 Irish Derby and...

Doncaster's four-day St Leger Festival gears up for instalment two on Thursday, with the G2 Cazoo May Hill S. and G2 Hippo Pro3 Park Hill Fillies' S. vying for headline billing at the Town Moor venue. Cheveley Park Stud's hitherto undefeated Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who impressed for the Gosdens and Dettori triumvirate when snagging Sandown's Listed Star S. in July, is set to be the shortest-priced favourite on the seven-race card and will go off at prohibitive odds for the one-mile May Hill. Inspiral is the fourth and best...

The Goffs UK September HIT Sale featured National Hunt horses-in-training, and High Stakes (Ire) (Scorpion {Ire}) (lot 61) was knocked down to Tessa Greatrex on behalf of Highflyer Bloodstock to top the sale at £85,000. Offered by John Walsh, the Champion Irish Point-to-Pointer has won four of his five point-to-point starts. Also a main draw for the sale was the Gigginstown House Stud dispersal, which featured 39 lots, and all of them found new homes for an aggregate of just over £500,000. The dispersal's top price was also the second...

Doncaster's St Leger festival had begun in the wrong way for Shadwell as the 2-year-old Jadhlaan (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) had suffered a fatal injury in the opening race, injuring Jim Crowley in the process, but there was some consolation half an hour later as the homebred Israr (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) earned TDN Rising Star status on debut. Sent off at 8-1 for the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden S. over a mile, the John and Thady Gosden-trained son of the operation's G1 Epsom Oaks and G1 King George VI...