Royal Ascot

Following his emphatic success in Friday's G2 King Edward VII Stakes, The Aga Khan's Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}--Calayana {Fr}, by Sinndar {Ire}) can arguably lay claim to being France's leading middle-distance performer. While the G1 Prix du Jockey Club passed him by due to his gelding operation and the Arc is not for him for the same reason, the future looks bright for the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained homebred after his six-length success in this mile-and-a-half "Ascot Derby". Rewarding a numerically-strong French Royal Ascot challenge this year by becoming the first from...

Donnacha O'Brien trainee and G1 1000 Guineas second Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio--Too Precious {Ire}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who won the G3 Albany Stakes on this day last year, doubled her elite-level tally when emerging best in a stellar renewal of Friday's G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Last term's G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine raced in a handy third after an alert getaway and slipstreamed Opera Singer (Justify) from halfway as Juddmonte's Skellet (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) set the tone up front. Shaken up when angled to the outer...

Emerging from the 2,000 Guineas to take the crown as Sprint King, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal) put genuine star quality into a division that badly needed it when dominating Friday's G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. Doubts as to whether the long-striding homebred could adapt to this speed test on fast summer ground were instantly dispelled as he moved so comfortably near the front under Tom Eaves. Allowed to coast to the lead two out, the 9-4 favourite, who could be the best that Kevin Ryan...

Coolmore's G3 Naas Fillies Sprint victrix Fairy Godmother (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Scintilating {GB}, by Siyouni {Fr}) looked booked for the also-ran slots in Friday's G3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, but unleashed a spectacular burst inside the final furlong to double her pattern-race tally in impressive fashion. The 425,000gns October Book 1 yearling and well-backed 15-8 favourite raced off the pace, nestled in the pack, through halfway in this straight six-furlong dash. Bustled along passing the quarter-mile marker, she made an exaggerated manoeuvre to the stands' side approaching the...

It had been a bit of a tough run for Skyfall Thoroughbreds' Geoffrey Von Honste, truth be told, and he was thinking that it was time to call it quits. Covid had been hard on business, there were a couple of bad breaks with the horses, and things just didn't seem to be working out for him in the Thoroughbred game. But they say that life is what happens when you're making other plans, and on Thursday, the thing that happened was that he became a Royal Ascot-winning breeder when...

When Aidan O'Brien resurrected City Of Troy (Justify) to win the Derby, he was rightly hailed as a genius. Sadly, it didn't take long for that piece of brilliance to be overshadowed by an expose-style documentary carried out by Ireland's national broadcaster [RTE] which concentrated on horses being sent to slaughter.  Admittedly, the documentary featured mostly non-thoroughbreds but the build-up and reaction to the programme has dominated the mainstream coverage of this sport in recent times. Not O'Brien's moment of magic that arguably should have been celebrated more than it...

ASCOT, UK -- It takes a good one to overcome adversity, and there can be no argument brooked when it comes to the talent of Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). It is writ large in form figures which predominantly feature the figure 1. But those bare statistics frame a year-long gap in which the horse was missing in action, with those around him fearing the worst as he battled to overcome an infection in a hind joint which nearly claimed his life.  "I saw him all the way through it and...

If Tuesday's St James's Palace Stakes was a blockbuster, Friday's G1 Coronation Stakes offers just as much intrigue with the 1,000 Guineas winner Elmalka (GB) (Kingman {GB}) joined by the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Rouhiya (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and one who just might have won either had the fates not intervened. Following her scintillating display in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day, Ballydoyle's Opera Singer (Justify) looked the one to beat in the Newmarket Classic but a training setback meant that she missed the...

Iraj Parvizi's Listed Dee Stakes third Jayarebe (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}--Alakhana {Fr}, by Dalakhani {Ire}), who made an impressive black-type breakthrough in April's Listed Feilden Stakes, bounced back in style to secure a career high in Thursday's G3 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot. Jayarebe broke smartly from the outside gate, but was trapped wide in a prominent position before accepting a tow in a share of third. Looming large when taking closer order off the home turn, the 7-1 chance hit the front passing the quarter-mile marker and was driven...

While copper has its origins in his moniker, Ballydoyle's star stayer Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Polished Gem {Ire}, by Danehill) was all gold after adding to his 2022 triumph in a thrilling renewal of Thursday's G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, becoming the first to regain his crown in the 2 1/2-mile contest since Kayf Tara (GB) (Sadler's Wells) did so at the turn of the century. His one-length victory provided Aidan O'Brien with a record-extending ninth edition, while Ryan Moore, now on four, remains some way shy of Lester Piggott's...

Securing the outright record of Royal Ascot winners, Ryan Moore was at his determined best to win a war of attrition on Ballydoyle's Port Fairy (Ire) (Australia {GB}--Fabulae {Ire}, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes. Not seen since finishing runner-up in the Listed Cheshire Oaks last month, the product of the Whisperview breeding operation was the pick of Moore of the stable pair and was prominently-placed from the outset. Temporarily swamped two out by the smooth-travelling Lava Stream (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), the 12-1 shot stayed...

Wathnan Racing's Shareholder (Not This Time--Cloudy Dancer {GB}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}) had only announced himself a G2 Norfolk Stakes candidate 12 days ago when winning Beverley's Two Year Old Trophy Conditions Stakes and made light of the quick turnaround to capture the Royal Ascot prize. Held on to by James Doyle early among the group racing up the centre, the Karl Burke-trained 12-1 shot was in front passing the two-furlong pole and asserted to score by a length from Tropical Storm (GB) (Eqtidaar {Ire}), with a head back to...