Whistlejacket (Ire)

Emulating his half-brother Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal), Godolphin's Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Winters Moon {Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}) took a major stride forward to dominate Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. Content to track the 4-5 market-leader Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never) and the front-running Dash Dizzy (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), the Charlie Appleby-trained 11-4 second favourite, who had been second in the G2 Gimcrack Stakes at York in August, was sent forward by William Buick to take command approaching two out and surge to...

The unbeaten Defence Minister (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) could become a first Group 1 runner in Britain for Qatar's champion trainer Hamad Al-Jehani in this Saturday's Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes. The winner of both of his starts for Wathnan Racing, Defence Minister also holds an entry for the G3 Somerville Tattersall Stakes on Thursday, but has now been supplemented for the Group 1 contest. Wathnan Racing's advisor Richard Brown said, "With all the rain and a very changeable forecast we want to have a range of possible targets for...

He's been a bit hit-and-miss so far in his brief career, but Ballydoyle's Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never--Adventure Seeker {Fr}, by Bering {GB}) was in front where it mattered to master his peers in Sunday's stallion-making G1 Sumbe Prix Morny at Deauville. Breaking fast to get the stands' rail, the 27-10 favourite was able to force the pace without the kind of pressure he had endured during last Sunday's G1 Phoenix Stakes. The G2 July Stakes winner kept finding for Ryan Moore to get to the line 3/4 of a...

Baron Edouard de Rothschild's four-time Group 1 winner Mqse De Sevigne (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), who successfully defended her G1 Prix Rothschild title at Deauville last month, will return to the Normandy venue in an attempt to register back-to-back victories in Sunday's G1 Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet. She will encounter four rivals after all five overnight contenders stood their ground for the €250,000 10-furlong contest. Opposition includes 'TDN Rising Star' Left Sea (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was supplemented at a cost of €18,000, and the enigmatic Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill...

As a heralded and unbeaten member of the dominant 2-year-old fillies' division entering Saturday's G1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh, Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}--Pavlosk, by Arch) was always going to be a force to be reckoned with and in the event she was too much for Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never) to handle in the first major clash of the sexes in this age group. Surrendering a length and a half from the gates to the Ballydoyle representative, the Ger Lyons-trained G3 Anglesey Stakes winner...

Saturday's G1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh sees the first Group 1 action for the juveniles of 2024 and a fascinating colt-filly clash as Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never) meets Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}). The former, who is seeking to extend Aidan O'Brien's tally of 17 successes in the six-furlong feature, like his full-brother Little Big Bear (Ire) went to Royal Ascot and Newmarket's July Festival and unlike him lost at the former meeting when one of the week's shock losers in fourth in the G2 Norfolk Stakes. While...

Peter Brant and Coolmore's Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never--Adventure Seeker {Fr}, by Bering {GB}) led home the stands' side group when fourth in last month's G2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and found plenty in the closing stages to secure an ultimately impressive tally in Thursday's G2 Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes at Newmarket. Breaking on the lead and remaining there throughout, the 11-10 favourite came under pressure when threatened on both sides passing the quarter-mile marker and kept on powerfully, despite drifting left on the climb, to prevail by...

Having suffered one of Royal Ascot's most unexpected reversals, Ballydoyle's Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never) heads to Newmarket's July Festival on Thursday with a point to prove in the G2 Kingdom of Bahrain July Stakes. Caught out by the speed test of the G2 Norfolk Stakes, the Listed First Flier Stakes winner could manage only fourth as the heavily-supported 10-11 favourite and duly reverts to a more suitable six-furlong trip to put his substantial reputation back on track. His brother Little Big Bear (Ire) came here two years ago only...

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...

If you believe that Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is the best stayer to emerge from Ballydoyle since Yeats (Ire), then it could be said that all those that lined up for last year's G1 Gold Cup in his absence were granted a stay of execution. Back to Royal Ascot on Thursday with his severe injury woes behind him, the latest sakura from the ever-flourishing branch of one of Moyglare's great trees is one of the week's major stories. Aidan O'Brien described ahead of last year's G1 Irish St Leger bid...

Ten stayers will line up in Thursday's G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, with the 2022 title-holder Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) looking to regain his crown having missed out through injury 12 months ago. He will be Aidan O'Brien's sole runner, while John and Thady Gosden saddle a trio in Wathnan Racing's Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), Godolphin's Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}) and Normandie Stud's Sweet William (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Willie Mullins has booked Colin Keane for the ride on the Riccis' Vauban (Fr) (Galiway {GB}), while...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never--Adventure Seeker {Fr}, by Bering {GB}) debuted with a runner-up finish in an Apr. 21 six-furlong maiden at the Curragh and made no mistake dropped down in trip for Monday's Listed GAIN First Flier S. back at the Co. Kildare venue. Sharply into stride to race on the front end from flagfall in this black-type bow, the 500,000gns Tattersalls Book 1 graduate was shaken up soon after passing the quarter-mile pole and surged clear under continued urging inside the final furlong to easily...