Epsom Derby

International bloodstock agent Alastair Donald, who purchased Thursday's G2 Dante S. winner The Foxes  (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) on behalf of the King Power team, is backing the colt to get the Derby trip at Epsom.  The Foxes was cut into a general 8-1 chance for Derby glory after winning the key trial at York for trainer Andrew Balding and the in-form jockey Oisin Murphy.  He hails from a family the connections know well, given the half-brother Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}) carried the blue and white silks of King Power with...

Swordlestown Little's Mariann Klay, who along with her husband Des Leadon bred the impressive G3 Chester Vase winner and new Derby favourite Arrest (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), says that soft ground will be key to the Juddmonte colt's Epsom challenge.  Arrest, trained by John and Thady Gosden, shot to the head of the Derby market after sluicing up in his favoured testing ground at Chester on Wednesday.  That prompted bookmakers to propel Arrest to Derby favouritism at odds of 6-1, usurping 2,000 Guineas disappointment Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Klay...

A giant mural celebrating champion jockey Frankie Dettori's remarkable 40-year career was unveiled by Epsom Downs Racecourse on Tuesday. The 52ft by 23ft art installation is located on the side of the Duchess Stand and depicts him in the colours of his 2015 G1 Derby winner Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}). "It was a big surprise," Dettori said. "I was quite embarrassed when I first saw it, actually. I love it. It is amazing, I'm gobsmacked, really. It's the young me and the older me. It was my biggest...

Jim Bolger has offered up a glowing tribute to multiple Group 1 and Classic-winning stable jockey Kevin Manning, who at the age of 55, announced his retirement from the saddle after riding a winner for his legendary father-in-law at Galway.  Manning joined Bolger in 1978. Together, they won the Derby with New Approach (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the Irish Derby with Trading Leather (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and came within a whisker of completing the 1,000 Guineas treble with Finsceal Beo (Ire) (Mr Greeley), who went out on her shield at Longchamp...

Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) is doubtful to run again this season but connections of the brilliant G1 Derby winner are committed to keeping him in training next year.  Sir Michael Stoute's sixth Derby winner has not raced since his Epsom triumph and Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail, delivered the news on Friday's Nick Luck Daily Podcast that the colt was unlikely to reappear again in 2022.  "The difficult thing is, would he [Stoute] have time to prepare him [for the major races in the autumn] and...

Golden Horn (GB), the brilliant G1 Derby winner and European Horse of the Year in 2015, will take up stallion duties at Overbury Stud after being sold to new investors Dash Grange Stud from Darley and Anthony Oppenheimer. The move will see Golden Horn, who has already sired 13 individual winners over jumps in Britain and Ireland, marketed as a dual-purpose stallion. Golden Horn is best remembered for storming to Derby glory under Frankie Dettori in 2015. He won handsomely from subsequent Irish Derby hero Jack Hobbs (GB), who he...

Colin Keane will replace Rob Hornby aboard the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby favourite Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at the Curragh on Saturday. Westover endured a luckless run under Hornby to finish third behind Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the Cazoo Derby at Epsom and connections have explained that Keane's experience of riding at the Curragh swung the vote in his favour ahead of Saturday.  The three-time Irish Champion Jockey has already tasted Classic success in the Juddmonte silks, courtesy of 2020 Irish Guineas winner Siskin, who was trained...

No trainer has a better record in the G2 Hardwicke S. than Sir Michael Stoue, who will be bidding to win the race for a 12th time at Royal Ascot on Saturday after supplementing Solid Stone (Ire) (Shamardal), who will be sporting the Derby-winning colours of Saeed Suhail. Stoute won his sixth Derby when Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) powered home at Epsom just over a week ago for Suhail, who was also successful in 2003 with Kris Kin (Kris S), and the in-form trainer-owner combination will be bidding to...

It was a pretty quiet racing week here, so this installment of snippets is a little European-centric. We hope you find it interesting. The Mind Boggles... Tuesday's win in the G1 Cazoo Oaks at Epsom gave Aidan O'Brien a record 41st British Classic winner, including 10 wins in the Oaks. Tuesday was also the 94th Group 1 winner for her sire, Galileo and the second Oaks heroine and third Classic winner for her dam, Lillie Langtry (following Minding and Empress Josephine). Coolmore/Ballydoyle's stats never cease to amaze. Pletch Being Pletch......

The bit that most concerns us, naturally, is that the race is not to the swift-albeit ours is a business that will also disclose, fairly reliably, that nor is the battle to the strong; bread to the wise; riches to men of understanding; or favor to those of skill. "Time and chance happen to them all."

The bit that most concerns us, naturally, is that the race is not to the swift--albeit ours is a business that will also disclose, fairly reliably, that nor is the battle to the strong; bread to the wise; riches to men of understanding; or favor to those of skill. "Time and chance happen to them all." So, yes, we all know that before anything else we require a little luck. But the whole point of Epsom, as the definitive measure of the Thoroughbred, is that while your horse must certainly...

Kick-starting a new weekly Q&A series in TDN Europe, former champion trainer John Oxx, whose spellbinding career will forever be remembered through his masterful handling of Sea The Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), Sinndar (Ire) (Grand Lodge) and Ridgewood Pearl (GB) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), sat down with Brian Sheerin to talk all things racing and breeding. The dual Derby-winning trainer speaks about Epsom, how delighted he is that Sea The Stars has a top-notch miler in Baaeed and his life in retirement.   Brian Sheerin: There are few weeks in...