Shaikh Nasser Al Khalifa

Every day is a school day if you follow TDN. Thankfully, master of all subjects Emma Berry delivered yesterday's lesson on the Bay City Rollers--apparently one of the most popular bands of the 1970s--in her excellent Seven Days column, allowing me to stay in my lane with today's news that the unbeaten two-year-old colt of the same name is unlikely to run again this year after his comfortable victory in Saturday's G2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster. That is according to trainer George Scott, who already has his sights set on...

There is no doubt that one of the feel-good moments in an excellent week of action at Royal Ascot came when Isle Of Jura (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) won the G2 Hardwicke Stakes on the final day of the meeting. Much of the joy that sprung from the result was aimed towards jockey Callum Shepherd after he had missed out on a plum ride in the Derby. But the importance of the win for the horse's trainer, George Scott, who was enjoying a first Royal Ascot success, and his owner...

Royal Ascot was tremendous in myriad ways. Sun up, crowd up, and a spread of results which drew in some of the world's biggest owners and trainers alongside syndicates and smaller yards. Then on Sunday morning came the news that QIPCO is to significantly reduce its sponsorship of British racing from next year. British Champions Day will still be run in its name, and the company owned by Sheikhs Hamad and Fahad Al Thani will remain as an official partner of Ascot racecourse, but Newmarket's Guineas meeting, Ascot's King George...