Palace Pier (GB)

Royal Ascot 2021 will be a unique experience for an action-starved public and the lucky 12,000-strong crowd witnessed a textbook beginning on Tuesday as the world's leading Thoroughbred Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) provided the ultimate showman Frankie Dettori with the latest in his catalogue of Royal winners in the G1 Queen Anne S., a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile this fall. While odds of 2-7 suggested a total eclipse was imminent, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's TDN Rising Star could only partially overshadow...

   Frankie Dettori left it late to win his second consecutive jockey's title at Royal Ascot in 2020, so this time he will be looking for an instant boost via Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the opening G1 Queen Anne S. on Tuesday. If form is any guide, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's 'TDN Rising Star' can be fully expected to hand the Italian a 74th winner at the meeting, having been his 73rd on the Saturday of the last renewal when causing a minor surprise in the...

While it is expected that The Queen will be at Royal Ascot on Tuesday, the fact that the monarch is not going to attend each day and that there will be no royal procession means that as far as normality is concerned we are far from out of the woods. In an upgrade on the atmospheric void that was 2020, there will be 12,000 in attendance to create some buzz at Flat racing's magnificent summer showcase which still boasts a strong, if slightly diminished, international element. While French entries have...

Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who won the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. in late May, is the new top-rated horse on the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings at a mark of 125. He was previously ranked 121 on the back of his G2 bet365 Mile victory earlier this spring. Sitting in second is Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) at 123. Three horses share third at 122--Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) for his GI Resorts World Casino Manhattan S. win, Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), and Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper). Adayar...

Frankie Dettori could afford to be at his showboating best at Newbury on Saturday, with TDN Rising Star Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in imperious mood as he gave his evergreen rider the ideal big-race thrill in the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. Hot property as the 1-2 favourite following his eight-length comeback success in the Apr. 23 G2 Sandown Mile, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's G1 St James's Palace S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois hero travelled typically smoothly in the early stages despite ending up towards...

Sandown played host to the TDN Rising Star Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) on Friday and Clarehaven's heir apparent did not disappoint on his return in the G2 bet365 Mile. Still an unknown quantity despite wins in the G1 St James's Palace S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois last term, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's 4-11 favourite who signed off 2020 with a third in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot shadowed Shadwell's well-regarded Khuzaam (Kitten's Joy) throughout the early stages. Left in front passing three...

Champion stayer Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will make his 2021 racecourse bow in the G3 Sagaro S. on Apr. 28, the Racing Post reported on Tuesday. The accomplished stayer captured the G1 Gold Cup on June 18 and July 28 G1 Goodwood Cup and ran second in the G2 Prix Foy in September. Cutting back to 1 ½ miles for the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the chestnut entire reported home seventh and was an uncharacteristic 12th in the G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup on Oct....

Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) might be retired to the Juddmonte paddocks, but there will still be plenty of equine stars spread across five group races on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday, as fields were drawn on Thursday morning. 2019 G1 QIPCO Champion S. winner Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is aiming for her second consecutive Champion S. score, and the Coolmore runner has been in prime form of late, with three Group 1 wins this season, her only loss a second to formidable frontrunner Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire})...

Godolphin's Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) remains firmly atop the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings with a mark of 130, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities announced on Thursday. The Godolphin bay is undefeated this year with scores in the G3 Dubai Millennium S. in February, the G1 Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup S. ahead of Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (121) on June 5, the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. over Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) (124) at Sandown on July 5 and a latest victory in the G1 Juddmonte International S. over...

Heavy ground must have played against TDN Rising Star Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in Sunday's G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois, but such is the prowess of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's unbeaten colossus that he duly overcame with a cosy success in one of the best renewals of Deauville's feature in recent times. Settled last early by an ever-confident Frankie Dettori, the 13-10 favourite who came to prominence in the June 20 G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot moved to Alpine Star...

Royal Ascot Group 1 winner Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who is unbeaten in four starts, worked well on Saturday in advance of the Aug. 19 G1 Prix Jacques le Marois, according to trainer John Gosden. The Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum colourbearer graduated on debut at Sandown last August and added a novice race there a month later before being shelved. Successful in a June 6 handicap at Newcastle over the all-weather, the bay saluted in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot in his latest...

MGSW Threat (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) will take his chance in the G1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket rather than head to France this weekend. Trainer Richard Hannon had earmarked Sunday's seven-furlong G1 Prix Jean Prat for last year's G2 Gimcrack S. winner--but he has had a change of heart. Threat finished fifth to Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) over a mile in the G1 St James's Palace S. on his only outing to date this season. Hannon told his website www.richardhannonracing.co.uk: "As long as there are no last-minute glitches, the...