The King

William Haggas is charting a path back towards Royal Ascot with Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and nominated the G2 Hardwicke S. as the main objective for the King and Queen's colt before a possible tilt at races in Australia in the autumn. Winner of the King George V S. last term, Desert Hero went on to claim Group 3 honours in the Gordon S. at Goodwood before finishing third to Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in the G1 St Leger. Haggas had suggested that an Australian campaign...

It was Mike Tyson who famously said, 'everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.' Racing is a sport where the metaphoric punches can be unrelenting.  Therefore, when New York-based trainer Tom Morley dreamed up the idea of purchasing a filly with the idea of returning home to England to try and win the G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot, he knew the plan was a daring one.  But credit to Cynane (Omaha Beach), bought for $250,000 through Oracle Bloodstock at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale,...

One-time Derby favourite Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will return to action at Saint-Cloud on Saturday. Connections of the John and Thady Gosden-trained colt opted to sidestep the Derby after he picked up a mid-season setback. Instead, Reach For The Moon was aimed at Royal Ascot, where he was beaten as a 2-5 favourite behind Claymore (Fr) (New Bay {GB}) in the Hampton Court S. Now owned by the King, he is back in action over a mile in Paris for the Group 3 Prix Perth,...

Sir Michael Stoute trainee Just Fine (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Bint Almatar, by Kingmambo) registered a first win for His Majesty King Charles III when defeating eight rivals by 4 1/2 lengths, and more, in Tuesday's Kube Leicester's Premier Event Hire Venue Handicap at Leicester. The Godolphin-bred 4-year-old gelding, sent postward as the 10-3 second favourite for the 10-furlong contest, came from off the pace under Ryan Moore to lead approaching the final furlong and lengthened clear in the closing stages to defeat Sea The Casper (Ire) (Sea The Stars...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this Sunday and Monday running at Chukyo and Nakayama Racecourses, with a pair of newly turned 3-year-old fillies taking a step up into Group 3 competition off maiden-breaking victories: Sunday, January 9, 2022 3rd-CKO, ¥9,900,000 ($86k), Maiden, 3yo, 1900m THE KING (JPN) (c, 3,...