Inspiral

Just 11 years old in its reconstructed state, Ascot's QIPCO British Champions Day is not yet the supermassive black hole it longs to be, but its gravitational waves are enough to draw in a sufficient quantity of racing's brightest year upon year to justify its title. Saturday's binary stars are the turf overlord Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and the miling dame Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), whose orbits have been steadily coming closer into view over the past weeks. In the case of the former, this final act of...

Shadwell's Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will conclude his racing career against eight rivals in Saturday's £1.3-million QIPCO Champion S. at Ascot, with the unbeaten luminary drawn in stall one as the final fields were confirmed on Thursday morning. Like the 2016 hero Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), the William Haggas flagbearer is on the inside in a contest that should be staged on ground no worse than soft and very likely good-to-soft. Last year's Derby and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB})...

Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}), one of the shining lights of the Flat season, is set to tackle the G1 Prix de l'Opera on her next start while fellow John and Thady Gosden-trained filly Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will take on the boys in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville on Sunday after pleasing connections in a key workout on Tuesday.  The Prix de Diane winner Nashwa lit up Goodwood when successful in the Nassau S. and, according to Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for the filly's owner Imad Al...

Just when you thought a fully-charged Royal Ascot couldn't be topped, along came Hollie Doyle.  The royal meeting was sadly missing The Queen for all five days this year but, France's republican tendencies aside, there are few in the racing world who would deny that Doyle is now the queen of Chantilly after reaching yet another milestone to become the first woman to ride a Group 1 Classic winner in Europe. Her great triumph came aboard Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for Imad Al Sagar, who was achieving an important landmark...

Hard to keep a rider as talented as Frankie Dettori out of the spotlight and, after a difficult start to the royal meeting, the legendary rider answered his critics aboard Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who produced a stunning performance to win the G1 Coronation S. From Dettori bouncing back to Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) confirming himself one of the fastest horses in training, in doing so sparking debate about where he may stand as a stallion, Brian Sheerin discusses some of the main talking points from another hugely entertaining...

Dermot Weld has warned that Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will only run in next week's G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot if the ground is suitable. A hugely impressive winner of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, Homeless Songs side-stepped the French equivalent because of quick ground, and Weld has warned that she will only run at the royal meeting if conditions are to suit. Newmarket Guineas winner Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}), French Guineas heroine Mangoustine (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and last year's champion juvenile filly Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB})...

   Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was narrowly out of luck in the G1 Cazoo Oaks, could bid for G2 Ribblesdale S. glory at Royal Ascot next week, according to her joint-trainer John Gosden. A clear-cut winner of the G3 Musidora S. in her Epsom prep, John and Thady Gosden's 'TDN Rising Star' endured a luckless Classic run, losing a handful of lengths at the start when stumbling coming out of the stalls before being beaten just a short head by Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) at the...

Leading Irish 1,000 Guineas fancy Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will not run at the Curragh on Sunday and will instead chart a path towards the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot on June 17. The decision was made after the filly was ridden in a key workout by Frankie Dettori over the weekend and the news was revealed by Cheveley Park's Chris Richardson on Monday. Richardson said that it was the recommendation of joint-trainer John Gosden to go straight to Royal Ascot and bypass the Curragh this weekend. He explained,...

Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Godolphin's Cartier champion 2-year-old colt, has earned further plaudits by topping the European 2-year-old classification, which was revealed on Wednesday. The unbeaten G1 National S. and G1 Dewhurst S. winner achieved a mark of 122, seven pounds clear of the next best juveniles. Bred by Jose Delmotte's Haras d'Haspel, Native Trail passed through the sales ring three times before reaching the racecourse. A €50,000 Arqana December Foal when bought by Sam Sangster, he was pinhooked for 67,000gns at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October...