Jonquil

Saturday, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, post time: 20:00, ABU DHABI GOLD CUP-Listed, $1,000,000, 4yo/up, SH 3yo, 1600mT Field: Maljoom (Ire) (Caravaggio), Jonquil (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Quddwah (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Comanche Brave (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Aomori City (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Witness Stand (GB) (Expert Eye {GB}), Chicago Critic (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Strauss (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}), Dark Trooper (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Tumbler (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Crown Board (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Vafortino (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Andreas Vesalius (Ire) (Caravaggio), Folk Festival (Ire)...

Saturday, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, post time: 20:00, ABU DHABI GOLD CUP-Listed, $1,000,000, 4yo/up, SH 3yo, 1600mT Field: Maljoom (Ire) (Caravaggio), Jonquil (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Quddwah (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Comanche Brave (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Aomori City (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Witness Stand (GB) (Expert Eye {GB}), Chicago Critic (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Strauss (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}), Dark Trooper (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Tumbler (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Crown Board (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Vafortino (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Andreas Vesalius (Ire) (Caravaggio), Folk Festival (Ire)...

Andrew Balding has issued a positive bulletin on Jonquil (Lope De Vega) as the Juddmonte homebred prepares to line up in the inaugural $1-million Abu Dhabi Gold Cup, powered by ADNOC. Scheduled to take place at the Abu Dhabi Turf Club Racecourse on Saturday, the 1,600-metre contest has attracted entries from Europe, Japan and the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), with few more talented than the four-year-old Jonquil. The son of Lope De Vega showed high-class form in 2025 when winning the G2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood and G3 Greenham Stakes...

Tuesday, Goodwood, Britain, post time: 15:05, AL SHAQAB GOODWOOD CUP STAKES-G1, £500,000, 3yo/up, 16f 0y Field: Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), French Master (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Military Academy (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}), Sweet William (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}), Scandinavia (Justify). TDN Verdict: Last year's G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 St Leger runner-up Illinois was put forward as a last-minute substitute for Kyprios in last month's G1 Gold Cup and, with extra preparation time for this...

William Buick will deputise for the suspended Colin Keane aboard Field Of Gold when the outstanding son of Kingman lines up in next week's G1 Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Field Of Gold will be bidding for a third consecutive success at the top level, having established himself as the leading three-year-old miler in training with dominant performances in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes. Keane was in the saddle for both of those wins, with his appointment as Juddmonte's...

Kalpana is likely to kick off her campaign in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup later this month after a dirty scope ruled the four-year-old out of her intended return to action in Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' Stakes at York. Trained by Andrew Balding for Juddmonte, Kalpana was last seen winning the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot in October, looking a contender for further top honours in 2025 as she handed out a comprehensive two-length beating to her 13 rivals. Her connections had...

Connections of the runners in Sunday's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches will be able to breathe a sigh of relief when they look around the ParisLongchamp paddock and discover that the Godolphin blue is nowhere to be seen. Their domination of the early-season Classics, on both sides of the Atlantic, had to end somewhere, though it may not be in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains which precedes the fillies' equivalent. The red-hot combination that is Charlie Appleby and William Buick will be represented there by last year's G2 Vintage Stakes winner...

Juddmonte's group winner Zanzoun has been withdrawn from the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches after sustaining a setback in morning training, according to racing manager Barry Mahon. "She was a little off after exercise this morning, John and Thady called to say after she cantered they weren't happy with her and she looked a little tight behind," said Mahon. "When you are not in peak condition, you can't be heading off to the races, so we will have to sit and wait and diagnose whether it is muscular or something...

It is nearly 20 years since Speciosa (Ire) became the first Classic winner to emanate from the breeze-up sales. The man who sold her, Willie Browne, had been plying his trade in that sector since 1978, and, as the breeze-ups close in on their 50th anniversary, it is good to see that the Mocklershill maestro is still very much at the top of his game.  In fact, last week's Craven Sale at Tattersalls was a good one for the founding fathers of the breeze-up game. There was Browne turning €70,000...

Classic trials may be about as fashionable as corduroy these days but I still love both, so it has been a riveting few weeks considering which of the three-year-olds may be about to take a big step forwards or may already have shown their best. People love racing for different reasons but attempting to know the unknowable is a major draw, and those puzzles are there for all involved in different facets of the game, from breeders to owners, trainers or punters. Whether through formal trials, racecourse gallops, or stable...