Gavin Hernon

The irony is not lost on Gavin Hernon. Less than a decade after he elected to launch his training career in France rather than his home country in favour of more opportunities, the Irishman will return to home soil to at the Curragh on Saturday with leading claims of making the Classic breakthrough when his star filly Dare To Dream (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) lines out in the Juddmonte Irish Oaks.  Described by the soon-to-be 32-year-old trainer as the best horse he's ever had through his hands, Dare To Dream has...

The curtain came up at Longchamp on Sunday, with the 'réouverture' being conducted in extremely testing conditions but nevertheless providing a welcome return to action at France's premier racecourse. The most important thing on arrival in the Bois de Boulogne is to make it into the track without being mown down by one or more of the cyclists within the relentless peloton that streams past the gates of Longchamp of a weekend. Everything after that feels like a blessing.  And indeed we were blessed with an almost dry and definitely...

Completing the first part of trainer Gavin Hernon's masterplan, Dun Shing Lee's Dare To Dream (Fr) (Camelot {GB}--Debutante {Fr}, by Gold Away {Ire}) made her foray to ParisLongchamp a successful one on Sunday as she captured the G3 Prix Vanteaux. Third behind Ballydoyle's Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the same afternoon's Leopardstown group 3 runner-up Kitty Rose (GB) (Invincible Army {Ire}) in The Curragh's G3 Staffordstown Stud S. when last sighted in October, the 9-1 shot was held up in rear early by Alexis Pouchin. Delivered wide with a surge...

John Gosden, alongside fellow Newmarket trainers Sir Mark Prescott, Robert Cowell and David Simcock, will make up one of the dozen teams of the Racing League tournament which begins next summer. Another Newmarket team is comprised of Michael Bell, Ed Dunlop, James Fanshawe and Roger Varian. Clive Cox, Nicky Henderson, Charlie Hills and Jamie Osborne are representing Lambourn. Another team is Mick Appleby, Michael Dods, David O'Meara and Paul Midgley. Mick Channon has joined Paul and Oliver Cole, Eve Johnson Houghton and Hughie Morrison. France will also send a team...