Franconia

Trainer John Gosden has said that it was contamination "through an employee" that led to the ketamine positive returned by Juddmonte filly Franconia (GB) (Frankel {GB}) after her win in last June's Listed Abingdon Fillies' S. at Newbury. Gosden told a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel on Thursday that Franconia had been handled at the races that day by a stable worker who subsequently admitted to using ketamine recreationally. Franconia was disqualified from the win and Gosden was fined £500. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today Programme on Friday morning,...

John Gosden again has a now-customary clutch of high-class prospects among his 3-year-old fillies in 2020 and Juddmonte's Franconia (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was the latest to join in when winning Saturdays Listed Abingdon Fillies' S. at Newbury in the style of a ready-made Oaks contender. Sent off the 7-4 favourite despite having only finished second in a seven-furlong novice at Chelmsford in November, the homebred travelled strongly in a share of third off the honest pace and when sent to the front passing the two-furlong pole by Frankie Dettori drew...