G1 Derby

Derby winner North Light (Ire) (Danehill) was euthanized on Mar. 20 due to complications from laminitis, The Stronach Group announced on Thursday. The 23-year-old stallion had been pensioned since 2020 and will be laid to rest at Adena South in Ocala Florida. Bred and raced by Ballymacoll Stud and trained by Sir Michael Stoute, the son of G1 Prix du Cadran heroine Sought Out (Ire) (Rainbow Quest) won one of two starts at two, and added the G2 Dante S. and G1 Derby in succession during the spring of 2004....

Dual Group 1 winner Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who won the Derby and King George in 2022, emerged from his Wednesday gallop in good order and is on target for the G1 Juddmonte International on Aug. 2. "Desert Crown worked this morning, he worked nicely and everybody was happy with him," said Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail. "He's not a great worker, as has been stated before, but everyone was very happy with him this morning and everything went as well as expected." The Sir Michael...

Ben Newman, who was filmed running onto the Epsom Downs course after the Derby had started and was subsequently apprehended by security in June, was spared jail time after his 18 weeks of imprisonment was suspended for two years, Sky Sports reported on Thursday. The defendant, 32 and part of  protest group Animal Rising, was also fined a total of £1,356. The defendant entered a guilty plea at Guildford Crown Court for causing a public nuisance. The judge criticised Newman for "endangering" the lives of police and security stationed around...

Fresh off of his victory in the G3 Ballysax S. on Sunday, White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) leads 19 other colts as second entries for the G1 Derby at Epsom on Saturday, June 3. Owned by Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez and trained by John Murphy, the colt scored a half-length upset in the Ballysax at 22-1. Several Derby second entries were also made by Charlie Appleby on behalf of Godolphin. Leading the sextet is GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf second Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), while listed winner Naval Power...

Charlie Appleby, fresh off two consecutive UK trainers' titles,  will have a host of stars to go to war with in 2023, among them Godolphin's undefeated G2 Gimcrack S. hero Noble Style (GB) (Kingman {GB}). The son of listed winner and Group 3-placed Eartha Kitt (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), named a 'TDN Rising Star' off his winning debut at Ascot in May, is earmarked for the G3 Greenham S. in April, before a possible bid for G1 2000 Guineas glory in May. He said, "Noble Style has not been seen since...

Progressive colt Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is a likely starter in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster on Sept. 11. The John and Thady Gosden-trained colt, who carries The Queen's silks, was a last out winner of the G3 Betway Solario S. at Sandown on Aug. 21. "Reach For The Moon is in really good form," said The Queen's Racing Manager John Warren after Reach For The Moon's stablemate Saga (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) won at Ascot on Friday. "He had a good blow yesterday...

A Guineas meeting in early June and the Derby and Oaks run in early July feature in the British Horseracing Authority's "best-case scenario" planning for a resumption of racing. With racing currently suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, the season's first four Classics have been delayed from their usual slots in the calendar. However, the sport's Resumption of Racing Group is working to draw up provisional plans for when racing is able to return, with "a phased approach" to racing behind closed doors anticipated in the immediate stages. In...