York Racecourse

A trio of Group 1 races at the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival on Aug.18-21 and the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. on May 13 have all had their prize money boosted to pre-COVID levels, the racecourse announced on Wednesday. The G1 Juddmonte International on Aug. 18, rated the Longines World's Best Horse Race in 2020, will once again be worth £1 million, while the Aug. 19 G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks will be run for £400,000. The purse of the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. will also...

Shadwell had watched the first three races fall their way at York's Ebor Festival on Friday and so there were more than the usual share of nerves as their flagship Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) went to post for the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. In the event, he gave the team their most anxious moments of all the races they conquered on the card as he had to graft to subdue yet another flying filly from Michael Dods's Darlington yard in Que Amoro (Ire) (Es Que Love {Ire}). Finally managing...

On a day when York belonged to the royal blue of Shadwell, the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack S. played host to one of the operation's youngbloods as the new juvenile sprinting sensation Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) cut a dash in the gloom. Sent off the 5-2 favourite coming off an impressive Salisbury novice success over this six-furlong trip Aug. 9, the bay missed the kick and was adrift early but Jim Crowley was oozing confidence and in no mood to hurry. Tanking his way to the lead passing...

While Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is away, Enbihaar (Ire) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) has been allowed to play stayer and she ably demonstrated her aptitude for the division when taking York's G2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup on Friday. In the past two years Before Covid, this was the race that saw her exalted stablemate wrap up the £1million bonus but with that pot unavailable this time and Clarehaven's golden boy set on a different path it was up to Shadwell's imposing mare to help fill a void. Long regarded...

Despite the turmoil of the current world situation, it can only be described as a golden summer as far as the horses are concerned with Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) making history in their respective divisions. Friday sees the continuation of the welcome saga as the latter bids to follow up last year's tumultuous success in the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. at York. Breaking his duck in this race and Dayjur's track record in the process in 2019, Shadwell's...

Having beaten Frenetic (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the Listed Marwell S. over five furlongs at Naas Aug. 3, Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) was one of the main contenders for Thursday's G2 Sky Bet Lowther S. at York and she lived up to the billing when holding off Sacred (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in a pulsating finale. Always prominent, the 15-2 shot was marginally ahead approaching the furlong pole before being joined by that 15-8 favourite soon after. Pulling out extra for James Doyle in the run to...

Day two of York's Ebor festival means the G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks and few would bet against Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) prevailing in Thursday's feature following her emphatic successes in the G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Epsom Oaks. With Enable going elsewhere to avoid handing Ballydoyle's femme fatale weight-for-age, the chestnut who took the June 7 Newmarket and July 4 Epsom Classics by a cumulative margin of 13 1/2 lengths surely only needs a reproduction of the latter effort to see off four of her peers and one 4-year-old. With...

Godolphin's Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) continues to go from strength to strength and only had to go about his usual business to add Wednesday's star-studded G1 Juddmonte International to his G1 Coronation Cup and G1 Eclipse S. triumphs. Always content on the front end with William Buick holding on to something, the 11-8 favourite was brought up the centre of the home straight and stayed out of reach of Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to win by three lengths, with Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) 1 1/4 lengths away in third....

Only 11th in the July 4 G1 Epsom Derby, Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) relished being back on kinder terrain on Wednesday as he turned the G2 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur S. into a procession at York. Saddled with a three-pound penalty due to his clear-cut win in the G2 King Edward VII S. over this trip at Royal Ascot June 16, the 10-1 shot had one behind early but when moved forward by Martin Dwyer was able to take command with ease passing the two-furlong pole. Stretching clear despite...

With vital course-and-distance experience to call upon, Mark Johnston's Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) proved toughest in a war of attrition to land York's G3 Tattersalls Acomb S. on Wednesday. Successful over this seven-furlong trip on debut July 25, the 9-1 shot was placed prominently by Silvestre de Sousa from the outset and battled gamely to overhaul Spycatcher (Ire) (Vadamos {Fr}) close home. At the line, there was half a length between them, with the long-time leader Broxi (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) three lengths away in third having forced a...

Saturday's G2 Sky Bet York S. had the look of a competitive affair beforehand and there was no fluke in the dominant success of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani's Aspetar (Fr) (Al Kazeem {GB}) despite his odds of 11-1 suggesting otherwise. Successful in last year's G1 Preis von Europa and G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly, the 5-year-old had put in a highly creditable comeback performance when second in Sandown's Listed Gala S. July 5 and took the requisite step forward to put some smart rivals to the sword here....

Completing a notable double on the York card for Mark Johnston and Franny Norton, Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Thunderous (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) outstayed the Niarchos Family's TDN Rising Star Highest Ground (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) to land Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. Unbeaten at two and possibly in need of his comeback when runner-up in Newmarket's Listed Fairway S., the 13-2 shot tracked Ballydoyle's Cormorant (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) throughout the early stages but looked booked for second as Oisin Murphy sent Highest Ground to the front with...