Royal Ascot

In running out an impressive winner of the G2 San Clemente S. at Del Mar last weekend, Anisette (GB) (Awtaad {Ire}) capped a memorable few months for bloodstock agent Mark McStay, who helped source the filly privately on behalf of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.  McStay had already been provided with one of his biggest kicks in racing this summer when Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio), who he purchased on behalf of a host of American owners, landed the G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot.  Porta Fortuna could well be aimed at the...

Lope De Vega (Ire) (Shamardal) and New Bay (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) will be available to cover on Southern Hemisphere time this year, Ballylinch Stud's Eoin Fives told TTR AusNZ. They will stand for €60,000 (AU$98,957) and €40,000 (AU$65,971) respectively. In total, Lope De Vega has sired 18 Group 1 winners and 112 individual stakes winners across 12 different countries. From 2011 to 2014, he shuttled to the now-defunct Patinack Farm, and left an indelible stamp on the Australian industry. The result was four elite-level winners of nine Group 1s; Santa...

Charlie Hills confirms that G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. shocker Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) will be supplemented to Saturday's G1 Pertemps Network July Cup. Whether Royal Ascot partner Jamie Spencer will be available will depend on whether the rider can successfully appeal a careless riding ban from his winning effort aboard Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the G1 Pretty Polly S. The massive 80-1 upset came on the heels of a rough trip in the listed British E.B.F. 40th Anniversary Cathedral S. where the Fitri Hay-owned...

Aidan O'Brien says that he is looking forward to seeing what Paddington (GB), the brilliant Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace S. winner, can do over an extra two furlongs in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday and says the colt has made rare progress this season.  Paddington provided O'Brien with a record 83rd Royal Ascot victory when slamming the 2,000 Guineas winner Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the St James's Palace. The master of Ballydoyle went on to secure his 85th winner at the royal meeting before passing...

Surprise Queen Anne S. winner Triple Time (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) could bid to prove that Group 1 success at the royal meeting was no fluke when lining out in the Prix Jacques le Marois next month. The Kevin Ryan-trained colt had just a neck to spare over Inspiral at Ascot and a rematch is likely for Deauville. Adam Ryan, son and assistant to the Hambleton trainer, said, "Triple Time has come out of the race absolutely fine and done very well. It was his first run of the year so...

Shock Royal Ascot hero Khaadem (Ire) is likely to be supplemented for the Pertemps Network July Cup S. at Newmarket later this month providing conditions remain dry in the lead up to the race. Charlie Hills' seven-year-old has always threatened to be a high-class speedster and finally landed a long-awaited Group One victory when running out an 80-1 winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at the royal meeting. The son of Dark Angel (Ire) is reported to have bounced out of his Ascot run well and connections now...

Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) has returned home to Gilltown Stud for a well-deserved break after her Royal Ascot heroics and, according to Pat Downes, the triple Group 1 winner could kick-start her autumn campaign in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend.  Downes, the Aga Khan's manager of the Irish studs, has said that the most impressive aspect of Tahiyra's G1 Coronation S. success was the fact that Dermot Weld's charge was able to win despite the race not being run to suit. Downes said, "We were...

Dual Group 1-winning Australian sprinter Artorius (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) has been retired. He was trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman and, in a career spanning 17 starts for the father-and-son partnership, earned over £1.2 million in prize-money.  Artorius was last seen finishing fourth in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. The End Of An Era Following Artorius' brave fourth placing in Saturday's Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, the decision has been made to retire him to Newgate Farm. He retires the winner of 2...

Connections of the 2,000 Guineas winner Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) could bid to turn the tables on Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G1 Sussex S. at Goodwood after suffering a comprehensive defeat to Aidan O'Brien's Irish 2,000 Guineas winner in the St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot last week.  Frankie Dettori attempted to make all the running aboard Andrew Balding's Juddmonte-owned colt, who had no answer when Paddington swooped by early in the straight at Ascot, but those associated with the colt are far from downbeat after the...

Pack away your hats and spend a joyful week in jeans and trainers. Royal Ascot was fabulous, as it always is. Though we may have tipped into the meeting being padded with too many handicaps, the results throughout the five days provided plenty of great storylines, even beyond the headline-hogger that is Frankie Dettori.  Unquestionably, though, the best race anywhere in the world in the last week came at Hanshin on Sunday. In the Takarazuka Kinen, Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) ran the kind of race that few horses can...

Tom Clover will keep Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to a mile after her Royal Ascot heroics in the G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. and is now targeting the G1 Prix Rothschild. Rogue Millennium had done the majority of her racing over 10 furlongs prior to dropping back to the mile at Ascot last week and the move paid off in spades with the filly running out a gritty winner.  Clover has admitted that he is still pinching himself after his royal success and is looking forward to what the...

Sakheer (Ire) was found to have genuine excuses for disappointing in last Friday's Commonwealth Cup after trainer Roger Varian reported that the colt emerged from Royal Ascot with "front limb lameness". The Zoffany (Ire) colt won two of his three juvenile starts last season, including the Group 2 Mill Reef S. at Newbury, and after failing to see out the mile in the 2,000 Guineas, was sent off as short as 17-2 for the Commonwealth Cup. However, Sakheer trailed home last of the 13 runners reverting in trip, and Varian...