Ghostwriter (Ire)

Auguste Rodin Heads Eight For Irish Champion

Ballydoyle's G1 Irish Champion Stakes hero Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will face seven rivals as he breaks from stall four bidding for back-to-back renewals of the Royal Bahrain-sponsored Leopardstown feature on Saturday. Aidan O'Brien has last year's runner-up Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) engaged with first-time cheekpieces in stall seven, along with the G1 Irish Derby hero Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in five and pacemaker Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in six to make up half the field. Ryan Moore sides with Auguste Rodin, while Dylan Browne McMonagle...

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Deutsches Derby Scorers Palladium and Fantastic Moon Set to Travel this Summer

Palladium (Ger) (Gleneagles {Ire}) could continue to follow in the footsteps of Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) after keeping the G1 Deutsches Derby trophy in the hands of owners Liberty Racing with his victory at Hamburg on Sunday. Trained by Henk Grewe and ridden by German-born jockey Thore Hammer-Hansen, Palladium ran out a surprise winner of the Classic as he edged ahead in the final strides to get the verdict by a neck, having raced away from the other principals after being brought over to the stand's side...

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Justify's City Of Troy Completes the Derby-Eclipse Double

Well, he's clearly not Frankel, but City Of Troy (Justify--Together Forever {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) at least stayed on a winning course as he provided more nervous tension than dazzle at Sandown on Saturday. Labouring rather than surging up the hill to the culmination of the G1 Coral-Eclipse, Ballydoyle's Derby hero proved that he had the grit to get the unique British double done as he ultimately satisfied the abundant odds-on takers. Connections were quick to admit that he had underwhelmed here, so we were again left with a sense...

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City Of Troy Faces Seven In The Eclipse

Ballydoyle's Derby-winning TDN Rising Star City Of Troy (Justify) will face seven rivals in Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown following Thursday morning's confirmation stage. While the self-titled "clash of the generations" is missing key representation among the older brigade after it was announced that White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) would be missing from the line-up, the four other 3-year-olds preparing to take on the long odds-on favourite include Jeff Smith's smart Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and trainer Clive Cox is hopeful of a bold show. "I think we are all realistic...

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City Of Troy and White Birch Star in Coral-Eclipse Confirmations

Following Monday's confirmation stage, City Of Troy could face up to 10 rivals as he attempts to become the first Derby winner since Golden Horn (GB) in 2015 to follow up in Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown. Disappointing on his first start of the campaign in the G1 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, City Of Troy bounced back to form with a sparkling performance at Epsom, fully confirming the promise he showed when unbeaten in three starts as a two-year-old. The son of Justify is as short as 8-15 with the...

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Look De Vega Heads One-Two For Lope De Vega in the Jockey Club

Lining up for Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club as the least-experienced, Haras de la Morsangliere's Look De Vega (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Lucelle {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire}) took the required leap forward on a remarkable stakes debut to become the third member of his sire line to capture this Chantilly Classic. Following a seven-length Fontainebleau success in November with another authoritative win in ParisLongchamp's Prix de Croissy conditions event last month, the Carlos and Yann Lerner-trained , the relative of another winner of the race in its...

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Ghostwriter Fares Well In Jockey Club Draw

Thursday also saw the draw made for Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, with Jeff Smith's G1 2,000 Guineas fourth Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) getting an inside post in two. In between the two ParisLongchamp conditions winners Sosie (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Look De Vega (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), the Clive Cox-trained G2 Royal Lodge S. scorer will at least have a tactical advantage in the 10 1/2-furlong Classic, with his trainer saying earlier this week, "He is very versatile and very balanced,...

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Ghostwriter On Course For Classic Test In Prix du Jockey Club

Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), last seen finishing fourth in the G1 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, is said to be an intended runner in Sunday's G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly as he tries to provide trainer Clive Cox with a first Classic success. One of 21 colts still in contention for the Prix du Jockey Club, Ghostwriter shaped as if ready for a step up in trip when beaten four and a half lengths on the Rowley Mile, form which received a couple of boosts on Saturday when...

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City Of Troy And Arabian Crown Anchor Derby Entries At Latest Scratching Stage

City Of Troy (Justify) and Arabian Crown (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) head the betting for the G1 Derby after the latest entries were released on Tuesday. Of the 69 set to run in late April, just 41 remain after the latest scratching deadline for the Classic, which will be run at Epsom on Saturday, June 1. A baker's dozen haven been entered by Aidan O'Brien for the Coolmore partners, anchored by City Of Troy, despite his puzzling ninth-place finish in last Saturday's G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas. Last season's G1 Dewhurst S....

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City Of Troy Faces Ten In The 2000 Guineas

Team Ballydoyle's crack colt City Of Troy (Justify) has 10 peers to overcome in Saturday's G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in his quest to follow the hoofprints of the wonderhorse with which he has drawn early comparison. With the stable removing all of his understudies including the similarly-unbeaten Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) on Thursday morning, the assembled cast will be the smallest for the time-honoured Rowley Mile Classic since 2017 when Ryan Moore enjoyed his last winning ride on Churchill (Ire). Three of the colts dispatched by Coolmore's...

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City Of Troy Stars Among 14 In 2,000 Guineas; Fallen Angel One Of 20 In Fillies' Equivalent

Following Monday's confirmation stage, City Of Troy (Justify) remains the standout name among 14 colts who have stood their ground for Saturday's G1 Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. Unbeaten in three starts as a two-year-old, G1 Dewhurst S. winner City Of Troy is the odds-on favourite to provide trainer Aidan O'Brien with a record-extending 11th success in the first British Classic of the season. O'Brien also has G1 National S. winner Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) still engaged, plus G2 Champions Juvenile S. hero Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and...

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City Of Troy Tops Derby Nominations at First Entry Stage

A total of 72 horses have been entered for the 2024 G1 Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 1, the richest race in Britain with total prize-money of £1.5 million. Of the 72, 23 are trained in Ireland, including the outstanding juvenile of 2023, City Of Troy (Justify), last seen winning the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket by three and a half lengths in impressive fashion. He is one of 17 entries for Aidan O'Brien, the most successful trainer in the history of the Classic having saddled nine winners since...

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