Estimate

St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), a Group 1 winner at two and an unbeaten Classic winner at three who earned Horse of the Year honours last year, is set to cover a strong book of mares at Coolmore this season when he debuts at €65,000. A handful of black-type winners and producers have already been scanned in foal to St Mark's Basilica, including: Believe'N'Succeed (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}): the dam of G1 Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and New Zealand champion sprinter Bounding (Aus) (Lonhro...

In the concluding part of the series reflecting on the Queen's long attachment to thoroughbred racing and breeding, John Berry considers the prospect of a royal Derby runner in the year of the Platinum Jubilee The most significant addition to the royal roster of trainers came in the autumn of 1966, when some of that year's yearlings were sent to the West Ilsley stable of Major Dick Hern. This was the start of a wonderful partnership, which in time saw Hern become as synonymous with the royal string as formerly...