Jonquil

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Juddmonte's group winner Zanzoun has been withdrawn from the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches after sustaining a setback in morning training, according to racing manager Barry Mahon.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...