Roger Varian

Lady Of Spain will put her unbeaten record on the line in either the Sun Chariot Stakes or the Prix de l'Opera, with Roger Varian keen to test the waters at the highest level with the daughter of Phoenix Of Spain.  Both high-class contests take place on the same weekend, meaning the Carlburg Stables handler is able to make a late call with the progressive four-year-old, who delighted her team when making it five-out-of-five in the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes last time. Varian said, "She's in good form and has...

Roger Varian's new link-up with Godolphin is paying instant dividends with the promising Avicenna (Starspangledbanner) getting up late to capture Friday's Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster. Held up early by William Buick, the 11-2 shot who had won over course and distance on debut last month delivered a sustained effort down the wing to collar the 5-4 favourite Hankelow (Night Of Thunder) on the line. "He's a lovely horse and I'm very grateful to Sheikh Mohammed and the Godolphin team for supporting me with a few horses this year,"...

G2 Great Voltigeur runner-up Carmers (Wootton Bassett) is one of 15 horses remaining in the G1 St Leger at Doncaster next month at the latest entry stage. Trained by Paddy Twomey, he represents Fiona Carmichael. A winner at Ballinrobe at first asking in May, Carmers added the Listed Yeats Stakes to his haul at Navan later that month before claiming Royal Ascot glory in the G2 Queen's Vase in June. The Great Voltigeur was his first defeat. "We were very happy with him at York last week, finishing second in...

Godolphin broke new ground when sending Roger Varian their 450,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 sensation Avicenna (Starspangledbanner) and the two-year-old launched the new connection with a promising win on Saturday. Sent off the well-supported 10-11 favourite for Doncaster's seven-furlong novice, the May-foaled chestnut who is connected to the champion juvenile Xaar tracked the early leader Akho Mezzna (More Than Ready) and while it took time for the penny to drop in the closing stages he was firmly in command for a 1 3/4-length success. Smart debut at @DoncasterRaces! 👀 He...

Chapel Stud owner Roisin Close has opened up about the difficulties in standing stayers in the current climate but shared that her new boy Eldar Eldarov (GB) is expected to cover a full book of mares in his debut season at the stud. His stud fee has been set at £5,000. The Roger Varian-trained St Leger winner, who followed up in the Irish equivalent, had his career cut short after suffering a freak neck injury in the stalls ahead of the G2 Dubai Gold Cup last year.  The dual Group...

When champion miler Charyn (Ire) joined the lineup of stallions at Nurlan Bizakov's Sumbe for 2025, he was welcomed as the fifth Group 1 victor to call the young stallion operation home, following on the heels of Golden Horde (Ire) in 2021 and the trio of Mishriff (Ire), Belbek (GB) and Angel Bleu (Fr) in 2024. Yet Sumbe's Mathieu Le Forestier is confident in saying that this talented individual is more than simply the latest addition to a growing roster. "To put things into perspective, it's not only another Group 1...

The 41st running of the G1 Mile Championship was a salty one, and when the dust settled, it was Soul Rush (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) who came out on top to claim his first victory at the highest level in the autumn highlight at Kyoto on Sunday. The fourth betting choice faced a line up which included defending champion Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), who had last been seen in a runner-up effort in the G1 Yasuda Kinen, as well as European multiple Group 1 winner Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Soul...

Roger Varian will join British-based trainers Charlie Appleby, Saeed bin Suroor, John and Thady Gosden and Simon and Ed Crisford on the Godolphin roster for 2025.  The news was revealed by the Racing Post on Saturday that Varian would receive four yearlings on behalf of Godolphin ahead of the new season.  The support comes as a timely boost for Varian, who lost high profile owners Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum and Amo Racing this year.  Godolphin have previously had horses in training with Varian, highlighted by Group 1 winner Belardo,...

There was a sense of inevitability in the lead-up to Saturday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and for the vast majority of the mile feature as Nurlan Bizakov's Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Futoon {Ire}, by Kodiac {GB}) capped a near-perfect season at Ascot. Adding to his G1 Queen Anne Stakes and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois successes, the 13-8 favourite had only Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) to concern him late on but ultimately subdued his latest challenger to record a two-length success. Needing the occasional niggle from Silvestre De...

Amo Racing's King Of Steel, who provided Frankie Dettori with a fairytale ending to his riding career in Britain by winning the G1 Champion Stakes this time last year, has been retired to Tally-Ho Stud in Ireland. "It was one of the most memorable moments of my racing career," Dettori said. "King Of Steel excelled and gave me the perfect Ascot finale. I have no doubt he'll become a stallion to be reckoned with, and I'm deeply grateful to him for helping me close my Ascot career in such an...

Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's Sallaal (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Nahrain {GB}, by Selkirk), a Roger Varian-trained half-brother to this year's G1 1000 Guineas heroine Elmalka (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and multiple Group 1-winning globetrotter Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), went postward as the 11-4 second favourite for Tuesday's British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes at Great Yarmouth and registered a half-length debut victory in the seven-furlong contest. 2nd-Great Yarmouth, £9,950, Nov, 10-15, 2yo, 7f 3yT, 1:28.12, sf. SALLAAL (IRE) (c, 2, Frankel {GB}--Nahrain {GB} {G1SW-Fr, GISW-US, SW-Eng & GSP-Ire, $1,041,961}, by Selkirk) recovered from...

Multiple Group 1-winning miler Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) will retire at the end of the year and stand his first season for Sumbe at Haras de Montfort et Preaux in 2025. A fee for the Roger Varian trainee will be announced later. "I am delighted to announce that Charyn, the leading miler in Europe and impressive winner of this year's G1 Queen Anne Stakes and G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois, will retire at the end of the racing season to become the fifth Group 1 winner on Sumbe's stallion...