Diego Velazquez (Ire)

Such an eye-catcher when fourth in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp in May, Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Sweepstake {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) who failed to stay the mile and a half of Royal Ascot's G2 King Edward VII Stakes roared back to form dropping to nine furlongs in Thursday's G3 Meld Stakes at Leopardstown. Kept wide early by Ryan Moore, the 8-11 favourite took up a prominent position and when sent for home two out stretched his rivals to breaking point en route...

Wednesday saw the draw made for Friday's two group 1 contests at Royal Ascot, with the 10 fillies set to contest the Coronation S. headed by Ballydoyle's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Opera Singer (Justify) and Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's 1,000 Guineas heroine Elmalka (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Opera Singer, who was returning from a setback when third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, has drawn an outside stall in nine for the mile feature while the Roger Varian-trained Newmarket Classic heroine is in seven. James Doyle takes over from Silvestre De...

While it is true that there is only one Derby, and what a Derby that was on Saturday, 24 hours after the Epsom jamboree there is a Classic of a different kind to help ease the comedown. Chantilly hosts the 184th renewal of the G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, which is a special if idiosyncratic monument in its own right staged over the rare trip of 10 1/2 furlongs. Therefore offering a contrasting test to the Blue Riband, the old "French Derby" is losing no ground on its counterpart...

Thursday also saw the draw made for Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, with Jeff Smith's G1 2,000 Guineas fourth Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) getting an inside post in two. In between the two ParisLongchamp conditions winners Sosie (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Look De Vega (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), the Clive Cox-trained G2 Royal Lodge S. scorer will at least have a tactical advantage in the 10 1/2-furlong Classic, with his trainer saying earlier this week, "He is very versatile and very balanced,...

Aidan O'Brien has confirmed City Of Troy (Justify), Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and outsider Euphoric (GB) (Frankel {GB}) as his three intended runners in the G1 Betfred Derby at Epsom on Saturday. "That is what we're thinking of, maybe the three," O'Brien said in a Zoom call hosted by France Galop on Tuesday. "Everything seems well with them all at the moment, so that's what we're thinking. "They're giving Friday and Saturday dry [forecast], so you often see the ground can be slow for the Oaks and perfect for...

Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), last seen finishing fourth in the G1 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, is said to be an intended runner in Sunday's G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly as he tries to provide trainer Clive Cox with a first Classic success. One of 21 colts still in contention for the Prix du Jockey Club, Ghostwriter shaped as if ready for a step up in trip when beaten four and a half lengths on the Rowley Mile, form which received a couple of boosts on Saturday when...

Aidan O'Brien's late supplement Cambridge (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is among 12 currently declared for the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. at York next Thursday. The Salisbury winner was second to G3 Chester Vase third Grosvenor Square (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G3 Eyrefield S. at Leopardstown last October. He returned to run fourth in the G3 Craven S. at Newmarket in April, and could be joined by the multiple group placed Chief Little Rock (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who was third in the Listed Blue Riband Trial on Apr....

Sunday's swathe of European stakes action is headlined by ParisLongchamp's Emirates-sponsored G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains. Both Classics have attracted double-figure fields with 15 distaffers set for the Pouliches and a baker's dozen declared for the colts' equivalent. Godolphin's G3 Prix Imprudence victrix Romantic Style (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), drawn out wide in 14, heads a six-strong overseas challenge in the €550,000 Pouliches. She will be joined by G1 Moyglare Stud S. runner-up Vespertilio (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and GI Breeders' Cup...

A total of 72 horses have been entered for the 2024 G1 Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 1, the richest race in Britain with total prize-money of £1.5 million. Of the 72, 23 are trained in Ireland, including the outstanding juvenile of 2023, City Of Troy (Justify), last seen winning the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket by three and a half lengths in impressive fashion. He is one of 17 entries for Aidan O'Brien, the most successful trainer in the history of the Classic having saddled nine winners since...

If it goes ahead, it's going to be tough at Doncaster on Saturday with the G1 Kameko Futurity Trophy being staged on ground that failed to survive an inspection for the Friday card. If there was a horse physically designed for such conditions, it is surely Godolphin's TDN Rising Star Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) who went through Newmarket's testing surface with relish when winning the G3 Autumn S. over this mile trip a fortnight earlier. Supplemented for this prize given how strongly he emerged from that experience, he bids...

Aidan O'Brien had already won nine of the 16 renewals of Leopardstown's revamped G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile S. and delivered another on Saturday with a stable one-two in the bargain. This race is a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf in California. Despite the impressive attitude of Capulet (Justify) at the head of affairs, it was the 8-15 favourite Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Sweepstake {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) who proved master of ceremonies as he took over a furlong from home en route to a...

He has become something of an enigma, but Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has the x-factor most dream of despite his sharp falls from grace and has the ball in his court ahead of Saturday's G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion S. Adept on Epsom's lively surface either side of unequal struggles through the rain-dampened sod at Newmarket and Ascot, Ballydoyle's beau ideal has the aid of the current heatwave at a Leopardstown track that he has already mastered when on the rise as a juvenile. Whatever the reason for...