Live In The Dream (Ire)

Friday's G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes has attracted a field of 14, with just one of the 15 overnight contenders, Vadream (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}), dropping out of York's third and final Group 1 contest of the week at Wednesday morning's declaration stage. The straight five-furlong dash will act as an unofficial championship decider between Australian raider Asfoora (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) and Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), who are one apiece in sprint showdowns this year, with the former annexing Royal Ascot's G1 King Charles III Stakes...

Crack sprinters Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Asfoora (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) will square off for the third time in York's G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes on Friday, Aug. 23. The duo feature among 15 confirmations for the sprint contest, with the race an ideal setting to determine who holds supremacy between the pair. The Henry Dwyer-trained filly rattled home fourth in the G2 Temple Stakes at Haydock in May, before taking the G1 King Charles III Stakes by a length at Royal Ascot in June over...

Last year's G1 Nunthorpe S. winner Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) is reported to have returned from his below-par effort at Haydock on Saturday with "a bit of bruising on his off-side and lower rib cage", though trainer Adam West is optimistic of a swift return to action for his stable star. Runner-up in the G2 Temple S. on his first start of the season, Live In The Dream returned to Merseyside as a short-priced favourite for the Listed Achilles S. at the weekend, but his...

Trainer Clive Cox has confirmed that all roads lead to Royal Ascot for Kerdos (Ire) following the four-year-old's victory in Saturday's G2 Temple S. at Haydock. Cox was winning the race for a third time having previously struck in 2016 with Kerdos's sire, Profitable (Ire), and the following year with Priceless (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), a half-sister to Kerdos's granddam, Ballyalla (GB) (Mind Games {GB}). Profitable went on to win the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot on his next start and that five-furlong sprint--which will be run...

Springing a surprise in the G2 Temple S. at Haydock on Saturday, John Connolly and Alan Spence's Kerdos (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}) became the latest from the never-ending Clive Cox manufacturing line to garner one of Britain's big sprints. Boasting just one black-type success so far in his career, having mastered the Listed Bullet Sprint S. in September, the 4-year-old had caught the eye when staying on into fifth in Newmarket's G3 Palace House S. three weeks ago but still had a jump to make to get to this level. Using...

The unbeaten Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) features among 11 entries for Saturday's G2 Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Sandy Lane S. at Haydock. Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, Vandeek proved himself a high-class sprinting two-year-old in 2023 when he signed off with back-to-back Group 1 victories in the Prix Morny at Deauville and Middle Park S. at Newmarket. Already a short-priced favourite for next month's G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, Vandeek is set to warm up for that assignment on Merseyside this weekend, with Chris Wall, racing...

Adam West has outlined his plans in 2024 for stable star Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}), who is likely to make his first start of the campaign in the G2 Temple S. at Haydock on Saturday, May 25. In 2023, Live In The Dream provided his trainer with a first Group 1 success when winning the Nunthorpe S. at York's Ebor Festival, beating Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) by a length at odds of 28/1. He was subsequently sent on his travels and performed...

Group 1 winner Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) has been scratched from the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint by trainer Archie Watson. A winner of the King's Stand S. this term, the Victorious Racing runner was due to be ridden by Luke Morris, as his regular rider Hollie Doyle is serving a suspension. Europeans are still strongly represented in the Santa Anita affair, however, as G1 Nunthorpe S. hero Live In the Dream (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) is still signed on, as is Aesop's Fables (Ire) (No Nay Never).

The parade of graded stakes races this Saturday is like a Christmas tree laden with presents. Towards the end of the celebration, as the wadded paper congregates, there will be a customary wistfulness that slowly sets in. We never want it to end. With 17, yes 17, graded races on the docket--nine of those have Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' status--it is going to be a splendid day to receive as Belmont at the Big A, Keeneland Race Course, Woodbine Racetrack, Gulfstream Park, Hastings Racecourse and Santa Anita Park...

Breeders' Cup qualifier Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}), who won the G1 Nunthorpe S. in August, is doing well prior to an intended start in the Oct. 7 GII Woodford S. at Keeneland. "He's very well, he's out of quarantine and he took the travelling very well," trainer Adam West said on Tuesday. "You can't do too much in quarantine, he had a little canter on the track for the first time yesterday and he's breezing on the grass today, then it'll be a light blow...

Racing Welfare's annual ARC Malton Open Day is set to take place this Sunday, Sept. 10, and again this year racing fans will have the opportunity to follow their favourite horses from their stables to York Racecourse. Eleven trainers have opened their doors to the public, of which several--Tim Easterby, Richard Fahey, Roger Fell, Sean Murray, Adrian Keatley and Nigel Tinkler--have horses running at York Sunday for a total of 23 runners on the day. This year, participants in the event will also meet and chat with jockey Sean Kirrane,...

   It was a case of carpe diem at York on Friday, as Steve and Jolene De'Lemos's Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}--Approaching Autumn {GB}, by New Approach {Ire}) carried some of the minnows of the racing world aloft on his shoulders with a sensational front-running display in the feature G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. Rapid from the gates, rapid throughout the first three furlongs and ruthlessly determined for the final two, the kingpin of Adam West's small Epsom base strained every nerve and sinew to...