Royal Scotsman (Ire)

Sunday saw the confirmations for 2024 Royal Ascot's opening day fixture, where the G1 St James's Palace S. is the rightful stage for the coming together of the 2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroes Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}). The latter has been supplemented for the mile contest and is joined by fellow French raider Darlinghurst (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), while Ballydoyle rely on last year's G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. hero Henry Longfellow (Ire)...

Living without the limelight for some time, Fitri Hay's Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) picked Derby day to relight his fire when dominating Epsom's G3 Betfred Diomed S. from the front. Allowed to stride on from the outset of the extended-mile contest by Jamie Spencer, the Paul and Oliver Cole-trained 17-2 shot who had been out of the frame three times since finishing third in the G1 2,000 Guineas last May kept rolling to record an emphatic 2 1/4-length success from Royal Dubai (Fr) (Seahenge). For Oliver Cole, the return...

Following Monday's confirmation stage, Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) remain on course for a blockbuster clash in Saturday's G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. at Newbury. Of the 11 possible runners, Big Rock and Inspiral are the only two who have previously been successful at the top level. Big Rock--who will be having his first start for Maurizio Guarnieri having recently left Christopher Head's Chantilly yard--made the breakthrough in Group 1 company when winning the Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot on his final...

The Classic-placed Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who bears the colours of Mrs. Fitri Hay, will not race again this season due to bone bruising, co-trainer Paul Cole revealed on Saturday. However, the G2 Richmond S. winner will return next year. "He's suffered from bone bruising, which is quite rare but not a long-term issue," said Paul Cole, who trains with his son Oliver. "Sadly he won't run again this season. "My intention is to win as many Group 1s over a mile as I can with him next year."...

TDN Rising Star Hi Royal (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) will bid to go one better than his second placing in the G1 2000 Guineas on Saturday, as Jaber Abdullah's homebred headed 11 runners for the Curragh's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas. Reunited with Oisin Murphy, who steered him at Newmarket, the Kevin Ryan trainee received the favourable inside stall two with Fitri Hay's Guineas third Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) in seven under Jamie Spencer. He is deputising for the Paul and Oliver Cole-trained colt's regular rider Jim Crowley, who is...

The Classic-placed Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) has been supplemented to the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas on Saturday, and the field now stands at 12. Trained by Paul and Oliver Cole for Mrs. Fitri Hay, the G1 Dewhurst S. runner-up and Guineas third is joined by the Guineas second and fourth Hi Royal (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Galeron (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) respectively. A trio of colts line up from Aidan O'Brien in Age Of Kings (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road) and Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}). Sunday's G1...

Persistent rain in the lead-up to Saturday's G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas turned the ground to soft at Newmarket and while several of the race's big names floundered, Juddmonte's ultra-professional Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Suelita {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) stayed straight and true to win with authority. Providing Frankie Dettori with the ultimate final ride in the mile Classic, the Andrew Balding-trained 7-2 second favourite tracked TDN Rising Star Hi Royal (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) up the centre and as that 125-1 shot began to veer left heading into the dip and...

Saturday's G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas asks the usual set of questions, with the Classic generation due to be examined for the first time with their raw material and any flaws about to be exposed on Newmarket's Rowley Mile which was the scene of thundery conditions on Friday afternoon. Aside from the ever-present quandary of pace positioning and ground conditions, with the latter scenario complicated by the sight of looming dense clouds on Guineas eve, there is the annual unknown of just how dominant last year's leading 2-year-olds still are. Will...

The G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas sees a contentious field of 14 try their hands at gaining an all-important Classic next to their names. Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners bring two striking colts to the fray in potential G1 Betfred Derby headliner Auguste Rodin and G1 Phoenix S. winner Little Big Bear. Juddmonte's star Chaldean is looking for redemption after dislodging retiring reinsman Frankie Dettori in the G3 Greenham S. last month. If the latter duo succeed, it would be the Italian's fourth Guineas. We took a look at the...

Despite losing Frankie Dettori once the gates flew in the G3 Greenham S. on Saturday, Juddmonte's Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) remains part of the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas field. After Tuesday's latest scratching stage, 20 colts are still entered in the first Classic of the British season on Saturday, May 6. A winner of four of his six starts, the G1 Dewhurst S. hero is one of two in the one-mile race for Andrew Balding. Second in the Dewhurst, G2 Richmond S. scorer Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) will attempt...

Mrs. Fitri Hay's Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), fresh off a narrow second in the G1 Dewhurst S., will now head to winter quarters. His next intended start is the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May. A second up winner at Goodwood on May 20, the colt was third in the G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot before taking the G2 Richmond S. back at Goodwood. Prior to his Dewhurst second he was fifth in the G2 Gimcrack S. at York. Oliver Cole, who trains with his father Paul,...