Flat season

Joseph O'Brien has an array of talent to look forward to this season, headed by G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hope Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Group 1 winner Above The Curve (American Pharoah) and smart additions to the stable in Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Mooneista (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and Ottilien (Fr) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). But a yard as big as Owning Hill needs a conveyor belt of youngsters coming through the ranks and O'Brien can boast just that. Last season's stats back up such a statement. With...

Ger Lyons has been competing at the top table of Irish racing for well over a decade and recorded breakthrough Classic success in 2020 when Siskin (First Defence) stormed to G1 Irish 2000 Guineas glory under Colin Keane at the Curragh. The pair didn't have to wait long to record their second when, just five weeks later, Even So (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) landed the Irish Oaks. Lyons has a typically-strong team of older horses to go to war with this season. Tough Talk and Hellsing appear to be the pick...

While the British flat turf season officially kicked off at Doncaster at the end of last month, the real beginning takes place on Tuesday as Newmarket open their three-day Craven meeting. Any self-respecting fan of racing will feel that familiar warmth at the prospect of the fixture that hosts the Nell Gwyn, the European Free, the Earl of Sefton and of course the Craven itself. Tuesday's card has two longstanding race titles in the Alex Scott Maiden S. which gets the action underway and the Listed Feilden S. which pitches...

Apprentice Laura Pearson is taking a break from riding until the start of the Flat season in March. Pearson, who currently has a five-pound claim, announced the news at Wolverhampton on Sunday. On top of the apprentice jockeys' title race with 22 winners, Pearson has 23 winners left before her claim is reduced to three pounds. Pearson made the call after discussing the issue with trainer Tom Clover and her agent Steve Croft. "We've had a good chat about it, myself and the governor [Clover] and my agent--and you've got...

In this TDN series we ask a group of experts for their predictions for the 2020 flat season in Europe. Today we hear from Dermot Cantillon. TDN: Who do you think will be the leading first-season sire this year? DC: This time last year there were some very positive comments coming from the breeze-up men for Night Of Thunder (Ire). This year I'm hearing similar talk about Belardo (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). A Group 1-winning 2-year-old, so it will be interesting how his breezers sell but it could be...