Ray Dawson

There must be something in the air at Haydock this month as Opulence Thoroughbreds and Teme Valley's newcomer Purosangue (GB) (Aclaim {Ire}--Avon Breeze {GB}, by Avonbridge {GB}) became the second TDN Rising Star on Thursday's evening fixture and the third in the last three meetings at the Merseyside venue. Unleashed by Andrew Balding having brought enough attention at April's Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale to fetch £125,000, the 5-1 shot proved a handful for Ray Dawson going to post and in the early stages before establishing a lead before halfway in...

Godolphin's homebred 2-year-old distaffer Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}--Modern Ideals {GB}, by New Approach {Ire}) exhibited an impressive array of gears when earning 'TDN Rising Star' status by daylight in her May 14 debut over six furlongs at Newmarket's Rowley Mile venue and followed up with a second in Royal Ascot's June 17 G3 Albany S. in her only other start last time. Lining up as a 4-1 chance for Friday's bet365-sponsored G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. at HQ's July course, the G1 Moyglare Stud S. nominee bounced back...

A day before her GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf-winning half-brother Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is set to tackle the G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains, the juvenile Mawj (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) did her own bit for family pride when powering to TDN Rising Star status at Newmarket. Sent off the outsider of three Godolphin runners in the six-furlong Denbury Homes British EBF Fillies' Novice S. at 12-1, the Saeed bin Suroor-trained homebred tracked the leaders travelling strongly under Ray Dawson. Launched on the stand's rail to lead...

Improving again off her success in the G3 Princess Margaret S. at Ascot July 24, Saeed Al Tayer's Zain Claudette (Ire) (No Nay Never) made the three-pound penalty of Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) tell as she denied that G3 Albany S. and G2 Duke of Cambridge S. winner by a length in Thursday's G2 Sky Bet Lowther S. at York. Always in the perfect spot closely tracking the pace, the 6-1 shot was delivered on the front end by Ray Dawson with a furlong remaining as Kirsten Rausing's previously-unbeaten 6-5...

Entering Saturday's G3 Princess Margaret Keeneland S. off an impressive maiden win over this six-furlong trip at Newmarket June 25, Saeed Al Tayer's Zain Claudette (Ire) (No Nay Never) was produced in the nick of time by the young weighing room talent Ray Dawson to nose out Desert Dreamer (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in a brief rainstorm at Ascot. Held up towards the rear early racing alongside the eventual runner-up, the 15-2 shot came stand's side of the pack while that 9-4 favourite was taken far side in what amounted...