Harbour Watch

There is no little poignancy in the timing of Acclamation (GB) making his permanent exit from the stage just as his most celebrated offspring, Dark Angel (Ire), stands on the cusp of being crowned champion sire in Britain and Ireland. As the mares sale got underway at Tattersalls last Monday, the news filtered through that Acclamation, who had been officially retired only a matter of weeks beforehand, had died at the age of 25. His passing, though at a good age and with his legacy already assured, will leave a...

Near the entrance to The Royal Studs at Sandringham is a magnificent bronze commemorating the Prince of Wales's homebred Persimmon (GB) (St Simon {GB}), whose racing record highlights the fact that things were done a little differently back in the 1890s. Very differently, in fact. The Coventry S. winner of 1895 went on to win the Derby and the St Leger and, kept in training, he returned to Royal Ascot to win the Gold Cup, which had been his principal 4-year-old target. Exactly a century later, the horse who was...

To an extent, when Coolmore wins two of the weekend's premier Classics in Europe and Godolphin wins another, it feels like we are harking back to the glory days around the turn of the century, when the battle of the superpowers was epitomised by those back-to-back duels between Galileo (Ire) and Fantastic Light in the 'King George' and Irish Champion Stakes. Honours even. And it was honours even at Epsom, with the dazzling victory of Ballydoyle's Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the Cazoo Oaks, followed by the satisfying success...

Back in April, when major sporting events across the world were being cancelled left, right and centre, the management team at the Queen's racecourse took the decision that, if racing had resumed in time, Royal Ascot would go ahead behind closed doors. The announcement was met with incredulity in some quarters, particularly by those keen to blame the spread of coronavirus on the Cheltenham Festival, but thank goodness Ascot stuck to its resolve to go ahead, even in extraordinary circumstances. Of course the meeting lost some of its lustre, just...

There are countless ways in which the Coronavirus pandemic has had a negative impact on the world at large and our smaller racing world within, but every now and then a positive aspect will emerge. On Tuesday, the G2 King Edward VII S. became a Derby trial rather than a consolation race for Epsom. For the winner Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), the adjustments to this season's racing programme have played into the hands of his connections when it comes to having a crack at the Derby, which is now...

In the midst of some predictable results on Royal Ascot's opener, there was the shock of a hammer blow to some big reputations as the 18-1 shot Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) took the G2 King Edward VII S. without any hint of fluke. Largely disregarded despite flashing talent at two and when runner-up in the June 3 G3 Classic Trial at Kempton, Guy and Hugh Leach and Roger Devlin's bay was also low-profile in the race itself, anchored towards the rear early by Martin Dwyer along with the 10-11...

Recognising breeders' achievements, the Mare of the Moment is run in association with the Irish National Stud. The owner of the mare will receive a personalised headcollar. This month's prize goes to London Plane (Ire), the dam of G1 Stewards' Cup winner Waikuku (Ire). Competitive black-type action continues in Hong Kong throughout the winter with plenty of expatriate horses to the fore. The G1 Stewards' Cup on Jan. 19 was won by the former John Oxx-trained Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}). The 5-year-old, who is now in the stable of...