The Lion In Winter (Ire)

Saturday's G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes favourite The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has been ruled out of the seven-furlong feature by Aidan O'Brien after suffering a bruised foot. Ryan Moore will now take the ride on the Curragh maiden winner Expanded (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), with Godolphin's G1 Middle Park Stakes winner Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) now favourite with the British bookmakers.

On the eve of Saturday's G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes, we are in familiar territory anticipating a show of force from Ballydoyle's latest golden prospect in what seems to be a permanent autumnal ritual. Newmarket's cherished jewel is still the ultimate juvenile contest in the European calendar and its appeal to the Rosegreen establishment is as potent as ever. Where Dr Vincent O'Brien supplied seven winners, Aidan's haul of eight is set to grow exponentially starting possibly (and probably) with TDN Rising Star The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars...

Middle Park winner Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is set to step up to seven furlongs for Saturday's G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, having been supplemented by owners Godolphin at a cost of £35,000. Beaten just once in four career starts, Shadow Of Light is one of eight horses in contention for the premier two-year-old contest in Britain, with the others including stable-mate Ancient Truth (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) as Charlie Appleby seeks a third win in the Dewhurst after those of Pinatubo (Ire) in 2019 and...

It's that time of year where most of the stories in the bloodstock world are being written in the sales ring, with the ink used to tell the tale of Book 1 of the Goffs Orby Sale still fresh on the page and the major plotlines ahead of next week's Tattersalls October Yearling Sale already starting to take shape. But as the search continues for the Classic winners of 2026, it's worth also reminding ourselves of the many stories still waiting to be written on the racecourse in the closing...

The unbeaten Lake Victoria (Ire) is now Timeform's highest-rated two-year-old filly in Europe, it was announced on Monday. The daughter of Frankel (GB) earned a Timeform rating of 119p for her impressive success in Saturday's G1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket when beating Daylight (Fr) (Earthlight {Ire}) by three lengths. G1 Phoenix Stakes winner Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), who finished only fourth at Newmarket, remains the best of the rest in this division with a rating of 113. Incidentally, Hooray (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was the last filly to be...

Camelot (GB)'s Los Angeles (Ire) is likely to contest the G1 Irish Champion Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend alongside Aidan O'Brien stablemates August Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Luxemborg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), O'Brien revealed on Monday. The master of Ballydoyle also outlined plans for other runners from his stable for the mid-September meeting. Five-for-six in his young career, with a third in the G1 Derby followed by victories in the G1 Irish Derby and G2 Great Voltigeur Stakes in June and August, respectively, Los Angeles faces a tough ask...

With his win in the G3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes this past Wednesday, The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has broken the fillies' stranglehold on the Timeform 2-year-old rankings, having taken up the mantel as the second-highest juvenile this season. The effort at York earned a 115p, which puts him behind stablemate Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) at 116p but ahead of Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) with a 113p and Fairy Godmother (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) at 112p. The new rating is the highest by a juvenile...

Aidan O'Brien trainee The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--What A Home {Ire}, by Lope De Vega {Ire}), a €375,000 Goffs Orby yearling, attained 'TDN Rising Star' status with an impressive debut display tackling seven furlongs at the Curragh last month and stepped forward to deliver a track-record performance over the same trip in Wednesday's G3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes at York. The 2-1 second favourite was swiftly into stride and raced on the front end from flagfall in this one-turn test. Nudged along when threatened passing the quarter-mile...

TDN Rising Star Sea The Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) suffered his lone career defeat when fourth in the 2008 renewal of the Curragh's Juddmonte Chaldean Irish EBF Maiden and his son The Lion In Winter (Ire), a €375,000 Goffs Orby yearling, restored family honour in the seven-furlong contest by delivering a stunning closing burst to earn a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette of his own in this year's edition. The 11-2 chance tracked the leaders from off the pace, racing eighth, through the early stages of this debut. Cajoled closer...