The Foxes (Ire)

A total of 28 Group/Grade 1 winners have been entered for the HK$74-million FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on Apr. 27 which features a trio of Group 1 races. There are 95 horses vying for starts in the 2000-metre HK$28-million G1 FWD QEII Cup, 1600-metre HK$24-million G1 FWD Champions Mile and 1200-metre HK$22-million G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize. The local defense is anchored by Sprint Prize entrant Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) and miler Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), as well as the winners of the 2024 Mile...

Godolphin's ever-dependable Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) brought up the 16th victory of his globetrotting career with a second consecutive win in Sunday's US$2.5-million G3 H.H. The Amir Trophy, the showpiece event in the Qatari racing calendar. This year's renewal was run at the Al Uqda Equestrian Complex, and a day later than planned, after the original fixture at Al Rayyan on Saturday was postponed due to concerns about the safety of the track. The race was also run over the shorter distance of 2,300 metres (from 2,400 metres), but...

Andrew Balding has given a positive update on his G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup entry The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), who is set to face Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) on Sunday. He won a listed race at Newcastle over Group 1 winner Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) last month and galloped at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning. "He's got a fair bit to find with Romantic Warrior but I think we are certainly in the mix with the others," said Balding. "He has come...

Breeders' Cup winner Starlust (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) and Grade I runner-up The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) have both been supplemented to the Longines Hong Kong International Races, the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) announced on Tuesday. The former won the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in the colours of Fitri Hay and trainer Ralph Beckett. A winner of the G3 Sirenia Stakes in September of 2023, the colt wound up third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita two starts later. This term, Starlust managed a...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features G2 Dante S. hero The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}). 13.00 Southwell, Cond, £25,000, 4yo/up, 11f 23y (AWT) THE FOXES (IRE) (Churchill {Ire}) may not have hit the heights last term following his G2 Dante S. success, but King Power Racing's class act is back with the...

French Classic winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) heads a total of 60 entries for the $1-million Bahrain International Trophy, which has this year been upgraded to Group 2 status and is set to be run on Friday, November 17. The list of international challengers features horses from eight countries, including France, Germany, Britain and Ireland, with 38 group winners among them. Other notable entries include Godolphin's dual Group/Grade 1 winner Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Horizon Doré (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}), recent winner of the G2 Prix Dollar, G2...

   When a horse like Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) comes along, the challenge is to find a new narrative as big-race win follows big-race win. There is no up-and-down to colour the story, no bouncing back from adversity, no heroic turnaround from setback. It is a clear case of superiority winning out each time, as it feels to watch Man City's relentless march through football's major tournaments on the other side of the Pennines. Sometimes, the truth is the horse does the talking and it is clear that we are...

Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) heads a field of four for the G1 Juddmonte International S. at York with Aidan O'Brien's star three-year-old bidding for a fifth success at the highest level. His chief threat is Shadwell's G1 Prince Of Wales's S. hero Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). The John and Thady Gosden-trained colt will be accompanied by stablemate Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who bids to rebound off a third-placed effort in the G1 Nassau S at Goodwood. King Power Racing's Derby fifth The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) will have his first...

A pair of Grade I events for 3-year-olds on grass will co-anchor a loaded 12-race program at Belmont Park Saturday. European invader The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), a narrow winner of the G2 Dante S. May 18 and fifth-place finisher after stumbling at the start in the G1 English Derby June 3, will make the trip across the pond for trainer Andrew Balding for the GI Belmont Derby Invitational. The 7-2 morning-line favorite, drawn widest of all in post 11, will square off against 10 rivals, including GII Pennine Ridge...

Following a draw conducted live in Epsom's hallowed circle, a final field of 14 has been confirmed for Saturday's G1 Betfred Derby. Ballydoyle number one Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has pulled "lucky" stall 10, still the most beneficial draw in Derby history having housed Shahrastani, Reference Point (GB), Nashwan, Quest For Fame (GB), Generous (Ire), Galileo (Ire), Sir Percy (GB), Ruler of the World (Ire) and Masar (Ire). Chief market rival Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will exit from next door in nine, while leading contenders Passenger (Ulysses...

There was as much uncertainty as to what would start favourite for Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. than what would emerge on top in York's time-honoured Derby trial, but in the end it was one of the benchmark horses The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}--Tanaghum {GB}, by Darshaan {GB}) who held the bragging rights. King Power Racing's G2 Royal Lodge S. winner had been undone by Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the G3 Craven S. at Newmarket last month but appreciated this step up to an extended 10...

Group winner The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), second in the G3 Craven S. to Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) last month, is likely for the G2 Dante S. at York mid-month, according to jockey Oisin Murphy. The King Power runner secured Newmarket's G2 Royal Lodge S. in September, and he will be trying the 10-furlong distance for the first time at York. "He's a lovely horse," said Murphy, who rode the colt in the Craven at Newmarket. "In hindsight I wish I had just followed Indestructible a bit longer. "We felt...