Passenger

Flaxman Stables homebred and multiple group winner Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) is recovering well from surgery and has started his rehabilitation, according to Niarchos family racing manager Alan Cooper. A winner of three of his six starts, the G2 Huxley Stakes and G3 Winter Hill Stakes hero, who placed in the G2 Dante Stakes last year, sustained a condylar fracture when third to Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G2 York Stakes on July 27. The Sir Michael Stoute trainee has since undergone surgery to repair the injury. Cooper said,...

The lack of top-class talent in this season's sprint division was laid bare by Timeform on Tuesday as the organisation revealed that the class of 2024 currently rank well below the 10 highest-rated sprinters to have raced in Europe since 2015. Australian-trained sprinter Asfoora (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) achieved a rating of 122 when winning the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, a figure that was matched this month by Mill Stream (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) when he gained his first Group 1 success in the July Cup at Newmarket,...

Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) could make his eagerly-awaited return to the track in the Sky Bet York Stakes if getting the go-ahead from trainer Sir Michael Stoute. The Niarchos family-owned colt made a thrilling start to his four-year-old campaign, brushing Israr (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) aside with a degree of ease at Chester in the Huxley Stakes. However, a setback has kept him on the sidelines since, ruling out a clash with Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and then a Coral-Eclipse showdown...

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) will miss the G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday week as he continues his recovery from a setback which ruled him out of Royal Ascot. Sparingly raced as a three-year-old when his standout efforts included an unlucky-in-running third in the G2 Dante Stakes at York and a narrow victory in the G3 Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor, Passenger looked an improved model when returning from nearly nine months off with a smooth win in the G2 Huxley Stakes at Chester in May, beating...

Niarchos runner Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}), favoured for the G1 Prince Of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot later this month, will not participate after sustaining a setback according to the owner's racing manager Alan Cooper. Third in the G2 Dante S. and a winner of the G3 Winter Hill S. at three, the 4-year-old colt returned with a 1 1/2-length victory in the G2 Huxley S. at Chester on May 10 for Sir Michael Stoute. Cooper said, "He has an infection and it would be a race against time to have...

Saturday's G1 Derby winner City Of Troy (Justify) and progressive four-year-old Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) head the betting for the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. after the latest entries were released on Tuesday. A total of 40 horses remain in contention for the first big clash of the generations in the middle-distance division, which will be run at Sandown on Saturday, July 6 and offers total prize-money of £750,000. Golden Horn (GB) in 2015 was the last Derby winner to follow up in the Eclipse and trainer Aidan O'Brien identified this race as...

Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) will look to provide trainer Sir Michael Stoute with a fifth success in the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot next month following his triumphant return to action at Chester. Sparingly raced as a three-year-old when his standout performances included an unlucky-in-running third in the G2 Dante S. at York and a narrow victory in the G3 Winter Hill S. at Windsor, Passenger looked an improved model when returning from nearly nine months off with a smooth win in the G3 Huxley S. on the...

Last term's G1 Derby 12th Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}--Dilmun, by War Front) continued on his pathway back to the highest level when striking late to secure a record-extending eighth renewal for veteran maestro Sir Michael Stoute in Friday's G2 Huxley S. at Chester. Flaxman Stables' homebred 4-year-old settled into a smooth rhythm, within range of the leaders, in fifth for most of the extended 10-furlong test. Making eyecatching headway on the bridle into contention rounding the home turn, the 7-4 second favourite swept by last term's G2 Princess Of Wales's S....

Saturday's European black-type count stands at a baker's dozen, with eight group races in Britain and Ireland alone featuring several movers and shakers towards the elite level kicking off with Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in York's G3 Strensall S. and culminating five hours later with the fellow Sir Michael Stoute-trained Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) in the G3 Weatherbys Global Stallions Winter Hill S. at Windsor. Nostrum was surprisingly beaten by fellow TDN Rising Star Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) in Goodwood's G3 Thoroughbred S. last time, but is...

   For once in these days of volatile climate, the sun is shining on the Surrey Downs and all the righteous colts assembled for the latest G1 Betfred Derby. Lester Piggott, who is commemorated by one of the card's handicaps carrying his name, was always refererred to patronisingly as the "housewife's choice" in the Blue Riband thanks largely to his association with Ballydoyle. Rosegreen's sacred establishment continues to support this mile-and-a-half Classic like a pillar of iron and 2023's chosen one is Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), whose attempt...

Following a draw conducted live in Epsom's hallowed circle, a final field of 14 has been confirmed for Saturday's G1 Betfred Derby. Ballydoyle number one Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has pulled "lucky" stall 10, still the most beneficial draw in Derby history having housed Shahrastani, Reference Point (GB), Nashwan, Quest For Fame (GB), Generous (Ire), Galileo (Ire), Sir Percy (GB), Ruler of the World (Ire) and Masar (Ire). Chief market rival Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will exit from next door in nine, while leading contenders Passenger (Ulysses...

The Niarchos Family has had no shortage of Classic success over the years, including at Epsom, where they won a memorably emotional Oaks with the Sir Henry Cecil-trained Light Shift (Kingmambo), but there is to date one omission from their roll call of big-race wins. "We've always dreamt of winning the Derby. We haven't yet, but let's hope that Saturday can go the right way," Alan Cooper, the operation's racing manager, told TDN on Wednesday.  That dream could become reality if Passenger continues to show the level of improvement that...