Newbury Racecourse

Michael Pescod's Chindit (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) arguably set the standard in Sunday's G3 Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham S. at Newbury and while he had to work he was able to prevail in a tight finale to the seven-furlong Guineas trial. Successful in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster in September before finishing ninth in the G1 Dewhurst S. on a soft surface at Newmarket in October, the 7-4 favourite was on contrasting ground here and may have been feeling it racing in mid-division early under Pat...

Trying a seventh furlong for the first time in Sunday's G3 Fred Darling S. at Newbury, Jeff Smith's G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) had just enough stamina to see it out and deny the dark horse Statement (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) in a bobber. Held out wide halfway down the field under Oisin Murphy, the 9-4 favourite swooped to the front with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and had to battle as the Martyn Meade trainee joined her soon after. Getting her nose down on the...

Newbury Racecourse is in talks with the British Horseracing Authority to continue its role as a vaccination centre while simultaneously holding racing. Located in Berkshire, the venue is a COVID-19 vaccination centre and has the capacity to vaccinate 1,500 people daily. However, that service was halted on Wednesday, as that date marked a National Hunt card. Vaccinations will resume on Thursday, Jan. 21. The next fixture at the course in on Feb. 13. Newbury is not providing vaccinations seven days a week at this time. "The BHA supports the idea...

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's twice-raced Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) broke through tackling six furlongs in a July 28 Goodwood maiden and continued his upward path with a decisive victory returning in Saturday's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. at Newbury. The February-foaled bay, who had posted a close-up fourth in a July 19 novice heat over Newbury's straight six in his only other start, was 3/4-of-a-length too good for King Power Racing's 475,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling Fivethousandtoone (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), with G1 Prix Morny third...

For so long one of those "nearly horses" in the best company, Saeed Suhail's Dream of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead) had all the cards fall in his favour on Saturday and duly showed what he is made of with a romp through the easy ground in Newbury's G2 Unibet Hungerford S. Always cantering in the hands of Oisin Murphy, the 13-8 favourite who was last seen finishing a painfully narrow runner-up in Royal Ascot's G1 Diamond Jubilee S. June 20 was given the green light two out and surged clear...

One of Shadwell's plethora of Royal Ascot winners, Hukum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) took a step forward on Saturday to readily dismiss some seasoned and proficient members of the older brigade in Newbury's G3 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Geoffrey Freer S. While the G1 St Leger has so far evaded Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, this could be the one after all this time if the head of the empire chooses to channel him in that direction following this emphatic success from one of the operation's most promising young talents. So...

Manton Park Racing's Method (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) was one of the hot topics among the current crop of juveniles after his striking debut at Doncaster June 26, having beaten the subsequent G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. runner-up Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) there by 4 1/4 lengths. Entering Saturday's six-furlong Listed bet365 Rose Bowl S. at Newbury as the deserved 5-6 favourite, the bay read the script perfectly to exit with reputation enhanced. Anchored behind the pace by Oisin Murphy early, he was delivered to cut down Mighty Gurkha (Ire)...

John Gosden again has a now-customary clutch of high-class prospects among his 3-year-old fillies in 2020 and Juddmonte's Franconia (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was the latest to join in when winning Saturdays Listed Abingdon Fillies' S. at Newbury in the style of a ready-made Oaks contender. Sent off the 7-4 favourite despite having only finished second in a seven-furlong novice at Chelmsford in November, the homebred travelled strongly in a share of third off the honest pace and when sent to the front passing the two-furlong pole by Frankie Dettori drew...

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's 350,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling Lord Campari (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) ran sixth behind the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GN}) over seven furlongs in his Aug. 30 debut at Sandown and exploded onto the scene with a Rising Star of his own when upped to one mile in division one of Saturday's It's Not Rocket Science With MansionBet Novice S. at Newbury. The 15-8 second favourite was sharply into stride and on the front end from the outset. In command...

Ballylinch Stud resident New Bay (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) became the latest freshman sire to strike when the appropriately named Charlie Fellowes trainee First Prophet (Ire) overcame greenness in Friday evening's It's Not Rocket Science With MansionBet EBF Novice S. at Newbury. 6th-Newbury, £6,400, Nov, 6-12, 2yo, 7fT, 1:27.03, gd. FIRST PROPHET (IRE) (c, 2, New Bay {GB}--Lus Na Greine {Ire}, by Pour Moi {Ire}) was swiftly into stride and raced up front in a prominent third through halfway in this debut. An ominous presence to his rivals throughout, the well-backed...

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...

Newbury Racecourse has offered its extensive space while waiving site fees for varying relief efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among initiatives, Newbury has banded with Age Concern Newbury & District and Swift Couriers, who have delivered meals on wheels in the district for over 50 years, to feed the elderly in West Berkshire during the crisis. The effort is being overseen by Healthwatch West Berkshire in consultation with West Berkshire Council Adult Social Care and Public Health. In addition to providing a dedicated area of the site, Newbury offers use...