Sakheer (Ire)

Chris Wall, racing manager for owners KHK Racing, has issued a positive bulletin on last year's star juvenile Vandeek (GB) and dual Classic winner Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) as the countdown continues to the start of the Flat season on turf. The yellow-and-black-striped colours of KHK Racing have been carried to notable success since they first appeared on British racecourses in 2020 and the latest campaign was arguably the operation's best yet following the emergence of the unbeaten Vandeek, who proved himself a high-class sprinting two-year-old for Simon and...

Last season's Cazoo St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) will try and add the Irish equivalent during this year's Irish Champions Festival. "The target for him is to go to the Irish St Leger and that is very much still on the cards at the moment," said Chris Wall, racing manager for owners KHK Racing Ltd. "He's grand and it's all systems go for that." The 4-year-old was originally slated to contest the G3 St Leger trial earlier this month, however, was subsequently declared a non-runner after not...

Royal Ascot Friday sees the Irish contingent to the fore as TDN Rising Stars Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) exercise iron grips on the feature G1 Coronation S. and G1 Commonwealth Cup respectively. While the former flashed her considerable talent just twice as a juvenile, Ballydoyle's champion of 2022 domineered his way through three important black-type tests before injury halted his momentum. Now the winner of the Irish 1000 Guineas, Tahiyra comfortably has the measure of chief rival Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never)...

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...

TDN Rising Star Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) will be forced to miss Saturday's G1 Darley Dewhurst S. at Newmarket after trainer Roger Varian revealed that the G2 Mill Reef S. winner has scoped dirty. Having been supplemented for the seven-furlong feature on Monday, KHK Racing's emerging luminary will now wait until 2023 to test his Classic credentials. "This is of course very frustrating and disappointing and I am very sorry for owners KHK Racing and everyone connected with the horse," Varian posted on Twitter on Thursday. "He will be put...

KHK Racing's 2-year-old twice-raced colt Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}--Shortmile Lady {Ire}, by Arcano {Ire}), a promising debut second at Windsor in August, attained 'TDN Rising Stardom' with a wide-margin demolition at Haydock on the first of this month and repeated the dose with another imperious performance in Saturday's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. at Newbury. The 4-5 favourite was alert from the stalls and found a smooth rhythm in a handy third through the early fractions of this black-type bow. Tanking forward to loom large on the bridle...

It is all about the 2-year-olds in Europe on Saturday, with Newbury's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. enjoying the prestige bragging rights. A week after celebrating Classic glory, KHK Racing, Roger Varian and David Egan combine again with the exciting 'TDN Rising Star' Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who is a warm order following his six-length Haydock novice rout at the start of the month. "He has looked of good ability throughout the summer," commented Varian, who also has Nurlan Bizakov's Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Clive Cox may...

KHK Racing's once-raced 2-year-old colt Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}--Shortmile Lady {Ire}, by Arcano {Ire}), who shaped with a deal of promise when posting a debut second going six furlongs at Windsor last month, was a class above his rivals in Thursday's Auction Finance EBF Novice S. over the same trip at Haydock and attained 'TDN Rising Star' status with a mightily impressive display of raw power. Swiftly into stride for an early advantage, the 1-2 favourite was untroubled from halfway and extended clear in hand to easily rout Acai (Ire)...