Doncaster

After around 2,500 spectators were admitted on the opening day of Doncaster's St Leger Festival on Wednesday as part of a pilot project for reintroducing fans to sporting events, the remainder of the festival will be behind closed doors with Prime Minister Boris Johnson once again limiting gathers to six people. The directive came from the Doncaster Council. A crowd of about 6,000 had been expected for the G1 St Leger on Saturday. "We have had confirmation this afternoon from the local authority that we will not be able to...

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 Insights features a son of MG1SW Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}). 1.10 Doncaster, Mdn, £30,000, 2yo, 8fT Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's LATEST GENERATION (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a son of G1 Moyglare Stud S. and G1 Coronation S. heroine Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), gets a second chance to shed...

Trainer Aidan O'Brien sends a well-credentialed trio-including G1 Irish Derby hero Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire})-to the G1 Pertemps St Leger S. at Doncaster on Saturday. Third in the G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup S., the bay is joined by Irish Derby third Dawn Patrol (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud third Mythical (Fr) (Camelot {GB}). Another Galileo colt, Irish Derby runner-up Tiger Moth (Ire), will contest the Sept. 13 Grand Prix de Paris in France or closer to home, Leopardstown's G3 Kilternan S. the day prior. "We're going...

After opting not to appeal a seven-day suspension from Sept. 7-13, Oisin Murphy will miss the Pertemps St Leger Festival at Doncaster (Sept. 9-12). Ayr stewards suspended the rider for careless riding aboard winner Tiritomba in Monday's Shadwell Stud Maiden S. "It is going to be difficult to sit a week out, but if the stewards on the day feel I deserve to get a week's suspension, it is likely the [British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel] will agree with them. I don't want to waste anyone else's time or my...

The catalogue for the Goffs Sportsman's Sale, which features a Camelot (GB) filly (lot 618) who is closely related to G1 Irish Derby hero Frozen Fire (Ger) (Montjeu {Ire}) from Camas Park Stud, was released on Thursday. A total of 386 yearlings will go under the hammer on Sept. 24-25 at the Goffs Sales Complex in Doncaster. River Boyne (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), who won the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. at Santa Anita Park in the U.S. on Mar. 7, is a Sportsman's Sale graduate and is just...

The Pertemps St Leger Festival at Doncaster is one of eight meetings that will be staged with crowds as part of stage five of the UK government's plan to return spectators to elite sport, the Racecourse Association announced on Wednesday. Doncaster's four-day Classic meeting from Sept. 9-12, a Sept. 21 Warwick fixture, and Newmarket's Cambridgeshire Meeting from Sept. 24-26 have all been greenlit to allow racegoers in limited fashion. In Doncaster's case, a maximum of 3,640 spectators will be allowed on the first day, increasing to 6,202 for the final...

Goffs will shift its two-day Orby yearling sale-to be staged this year at Goffs UK's Doncaster sales complex-forward by a day and it will now take place on Sept. 30 and Oct 1. The change was made to allow an additional day between Orby and Tattersalls October Book 1. Orby yearlings will ship into Doncaster on Sept. 27, following the Goffs Sportsman's Sale there on Sept. 24 and 25. "Our job is to deliver the greatest opportunity for every lot with which we are entrusted," said Goffs Group Chief Executive...

Pertemps Network Group is the new sponsor of the 2020 G1 St leger S. at Doncaster on Sept. 12, which will now be run with a purse of £350,000, the Arena Racing Company announced on Monday. Besides the final Classic of the UK racing calendar, the recruitment firm will sponsor the entire St Leger Festival for the term of one year, with the option of continuing in 2021. It was the sponsor of the race from 1995-1998. The four-day St Leger Festival begins on Sept. 9 and lasts through Sept....

Three-time Grand National-winning owner Trevor Hemmings will offer 56 lots at the Goffs UK September HIT Sale, the sales company announced on Monday. Held at Doncaster on Sept. 15-16, Hemmings's dispersal lots including Grade 3 hurdler Stoney Mountain (Ire) (Mountain High {Ire}), and Grade 2 hurdler Mount Mews (Ire) (Presenting {GB}), as well as several winning chasers, young hurdlers and unraced stock. The official catalogue will be released online on Sept. 1, with National Hunt stores and horses-in-training entries. For more information, go to www.goffsuk.com. "We are grateful that Mr....

MGSW Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), who won the G2 Great Voltigeur S. on Aug. 19, has been confirmed for the G1 St Leger at Doncaster on Sept. 12, Racing Post reported on Sunday. Trainer William Muir confirmed the news, with the G1 Grand Prix de Paris at ParisLongchamp, also on Sept. 12, off the table. The La Pyle Partnership, consisting of owner/breeders Roger Devlin and brothers Guy and Hugh Leach, raced Pyledriver to a listed success at two. The colt ran second in the G3 Unibet Classic Trial S....

Two 3-year-old gelding stores, by Diamond Boy (Fr) and Soldier of Fortune (Ire), respectively, both brought £80,000 in consecutive lots to top the Goffs UK Summer Sale at Doncaster on Tuesday. Lot 25, named Boy Adely (Fr) and consigned by Lakefield Farm, was snapped up by Twiston-Davies Equine to briefly hold sole topper honours. His dam is a Bering (GB) half-sister to MGSP hurdler Monsieur Lecoq (Fr) (Diamond Boy {Fr}). The next lot in the ring, lot 26, from Ballincurrig House Stud, equaled that price on the bid of Shaun...

Owen Burrows had enjoyed the limelight last Saturday when Tabdeed (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) took the G3 Hackwood S. and he had something else to ponder a week on after Albasheer (Ire) (Shamardal) earned TDN Rising Star status at Doncaster. Starting the seven-furlong British Stallion Studs EBF Novice S. as a 17-2 shot, the chestnut was under restraint from David Probert from the break and suffered some barges as he tracked the group racing towards the rear. Shaken up to chase the fellow Shadwell representative Alablaq (Ire) (Lope de Vega...