Mark Johnston

Mark Johnston Racing Raffle Launched

Racing fans will have the opportunity to own a 5% share in three new horses to be trained by Mark Johnston, as the Mark Johnston Racing Raffle was launched on Monday. Tickets cost just £2 and 20% of every sale goes to Racing Welfare. Racing Lotto is running the contest, with a share in the trainer's Kingsley Park 20 Partnership up for grabs. The yearlings will be sourced from the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. All costs association with the ownership are covered as part of the unique prize, which will...

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Qatar Racing Buys Rose Of Kildare

Qatar Racing has privately purchased last-out G3 Musidora S. winner Rose Of Kildare (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}-Cruck Realta {GB}, by Sixties Icon {GB}). She will be leased back to ownership group Kingsley Park 14 for the remainder of the season before joining Qatar Racing's broodmare band. Selected by trainer Mark Johnston's son and assistant Charlie for just €3,000 from the 2018 Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, Rose Of Kildare made an admirable 12 starts at two last year and saved the best for last, winning the G3 Firth Of Clyde...

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Freshman Sire Cannock Chase Off the Mark at Haydock

Vauterhill Stud-based sire Cannock Chase (Lemon Drop Kid) became the latest European freshman off the mark when Saeed Suhail's once-raced juvenile filly Run This Way (GB) outsmarted her ten rivals with a pillar-to-post victory in Tuesday's Follow BetVictor Racing On Twitter Fillies' Novice Median Auction S. at Haydock. 5th-Haydock, £5,400, Nov, 8-11, 2yo, f, 6f 212yT, 1:30.65, sf. RUN THIS WAY (GB) (f, 2, Cannock Chase--Prime Run {GB}, by Dansili {GB}), who finished off the radar when last of six in her July 30 unveiling over seven furlongs at Musselburgh,...

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The Weekly Wrap: Blue Is The Colour

A sea of blue dominated winner's enclosures in Britain and France this week, largely owing to the successful season currently being enjoyed by Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation and Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell team. The brothers occupy the top two slots in the owners' table in Britain, and Godolphin is also currently the leading owner in France. While Sheikh Mohammed has a significant number of horses in Chantilly with Andre Fabre, who oversaw the successful return of France's champion 2-year-old of last year, Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal), in the Listed Prix Kistena, it...

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Dante Glory For Night of Thunder's Thunderous

Completing a notable double on the York card for Mark Johnston and Franny Norton, Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Thunderous (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) outstayed the Niarchos Family's TDN Rising Star Highest Ground (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) to land Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. Unbeaten at two and possibly in need of his comeback when runner-up in Newmarket's Listed Fairway S., the 13-2 shot tracked Ballydoyle's Cormorant (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) throughout the early stages but looked booked for second as Oisin Murphy sent Highest Ground to the front with...

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Make Believe's Rose Of Kildare On Top In the Musidora

Looking in need of further than a mile when finishing strongly to be third in the June 21 G2 German 1000 Guineas, the Kingsley Park syndicate's Rose of Kildare (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) bounced out of a subsequent third in Epsom's G3 Princess Elizabeth S. five days previously to stamp her class on Thursday's G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. at York. Not suited by a tactical affair on Derby day, last year's G3 Firth of Clyde S. and G3 Oh So Sharp S. winner was sent straight to the front this...

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Qaader Targeting July Festival

Sheikh Hamdan's 'TDN Rising Star' Qaader (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), last seen finishing second in the G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot, could reappear in the G2 Superlative S. over seven furlongs on July 11 at Newmarket or the G2 July S. over a furlong shorter over the same course 48 hours earlier. Assistant trainer Charlie Johnston said, "The July Festival is where you are likely to see Qaader next, although we are flexible as to which race we will run him in. We could go up to seven...

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Freshman Sire Fascinating Rock Off the Mark at Thirsk

High Peak (Ire) (Fascinating Rock {Ire}), a debut runner-up at Newcastle earlier this month, justified odds-on favouritism to become the first winner for his Ballylinch Stud-based freshman sire (by Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in Tuesday's Join Racing TV Now Novice Median Auction S. at Thirsk. 1st-Thirsk, £5,400, Nov, 6-16, 2yo, 7fT, 1:27.70, g/s. HIGH PEAK (IRE) (c, 2, Fascinating Rock {Ire}--Expectation {Ire}, by Night Shift), who shaped with a deal of promise when second in his June 4 debut over six furlongs at Newcastle, duly delivered as the odds-on favourite going...

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A Different Kind of Royal Meeting

It's Royal Ascot once again, but not as we know it. No crowds, no fashion, no Queen. It is a case of "Royal Ascot At Home" for virtually everybody this year, even for the main players whose money makes it all possible. That said, at least there is still Frankie, Aidan O'Brien, Wesley Ward, Sir Michael Stoute and Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and all the other working equine and human cast and crew that make this week so special. One of Britain's most brilliant racehorses of recent years, Battaash...

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Night of Thunder's Qaader Gets Rising Star Tag at Newbury

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Qaader (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}), a €44,000 Goffs February purchase turned 110,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling, had his supporters as the 10-3 joint-favourite for Friday evening's MansionBet Proud To Support British Racing EBF Novice S. at Newbury. The March-foaled bay was prominent throughout the six-furlong test and gave little cause for concern, powering clear of overmatched rivals to earn 'TDN Rising Star' status in style. Qaader was quickly into stride to race in a leading wave of three spread across the track...

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No Ascot For Raffle Prize

Raffle Prize (Ire) (Slade Power {Ire}) will not make the quick turnaround for the Royal Meeting after trailing in last in the G1 1000 Guineas on Sunday. "It was very disappointing," said assistant trainer Charlie Johnston of the Guineas performance of last year's G2 Queen Mary S. and G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. winner. "She missed the break and was on the back foot early on and she just never seemed comfortable. Nothing physically obvious has come to light since, so it is very much back to the drawing board...

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West End Girl Heads Tattersalls Online Sale Opening June 13

Last year's G3 Sweet Solera S. winner West End Girl (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) heads five lots for the inaugural Tattersalls Online Sale, which will open for bidding on June 13 and conclude on June 15. The Alan Spence-owned and Mark Johnston-trained West End Girl was third in the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial on seasonal debut on June 5 and holds an entry for the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot on June 16. West End Girl boasts an attractive pedigree, too; she is out of a half-sister to dual...

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