The Lion In Winter (Ire)

Adding another bizarre twist to the 2025 Qipco British Champions Day, the 100-1 shot Cicero's Gift (Muhaarar) swooped under Jason Watson to conquer for the sport's revered Hills family in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Not really in the vicinity of the best of these on form, Rosehill Racing's gelding outstayed The Lion In Winter (Sea The Stars) in the final furlong to register the second of the card's major upsets by 1 1/4 lengths. Alakazi (Footstepsinthesand) was a neck away in third as the big favourites all failed...

Coming into Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp very much under the radar, Al Shaqab's Sahlan (Wootton Bassett) became the latest of Francis Graffard's brigade to enter the spotlight during the trainer's unforgettable year. Edging a tight photo ahead of Rosallion (Blue Point), the highly-regarded three-year-old whose finest hour prior to this had been a latest win in the G3 Prix Daphnis landed odds of 16-1 from racing's relentless hard-luck story. Securing an unexpected eighth top-level victory for the stable in 2025, Mickael Barzalona thrust him to a...

Providing an instant return on the investment of Resolute Bloodstock, Woodshauna (Wooded) was the one to edge a pulsating four-way go in Sunday's G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville. Sold for £625,000 at Goffs London by Al Shaqab following his defeat of the subsequent G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Time For Sandals in the six-furlong G3 Prix Texanita at Chantilly in May, the 12-1 shot was able to get between the tight gaps and seize the advantage late for Christophe Soumillon. "We decided to skip Ascot, as I wanted the horse...

After the draw had been made for Saturday's G1 Betfred Derby in Epsom's Picture House on Wednesday, Team Godolphin were relieved that one box had been ticked regarding their G1 2,000 Guineas hero Ruling Court. Set to exit from a favourable stall in seven, the son of Justify now has only to navigate the race's notorious twists and turns and bottlenecks and stay the mile and a half. "We have always felt that the 2,000 Guineas is one of the best trials for the Derby and Ruling Court has trained...

Juddmonte's impressive G3 Craven Stakes hero Field Of Gold (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) has earned a rating of 121p for that performance and now anchors Timeform's 3-year-old ratings. The grey, on ratings, is now favoured for the upcoming G1 2000 Guineas. Godolphin's Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), a winner of the G1 Dewhurst Stakes and Timeform's champion juvenile, is rated 120. Previously, Field Of Gold held a rating of 110p after winning the G3 Solario Stakes at two. He beat G2 Royal Lodge Stakes hero Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB)...

The entries for the first two British Classics of the season have been released, with 57 horses entered in the Betfred 2,000 Guineas and another 43 in the Betfred 1,000 Guineas. Aidan O'Brien is responsible for eight possible runners as he seeks a record-extending eleventh success in the 2,000 Guineas, which is scheduled to take place at Newmarket on Saturday, May 3. They include the ante-post favourite The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was unbeaten in two starts as a two-year-old, including the G3 Acomb Stakes...

Saturday's G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes favourite The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has been ruled out of the seven-furlong feature by Aidan O'Brien after suffering a bruised foot. Ryan Moore will now take the ride on the Curragh maiden winner Expanded (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), with Godolphin's G1 Middle Park Stakes winner Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) now favourite with the British bookmakers.

On the eve of Saturday's G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes, we are in familiar territory anticipating a show of force from Ballydoyle's latest golden prospect in what seems to be a permanent autumnal ritual. Newmarket's cherished jewel is still the ultimate juvenile contest in the European calendar and its appeal to the Rosegreen establishment is as potent as ever. Where Dr Vincent O'Brien supplied seven winners, Aidan's haul of eight is set to grow exponentially starting possibly (and probably) with TDN Rising Star The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars...

Middle Park winner Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is set to step up to seven furlongs for Saturday's G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, having been supplemented by owners Godolphin at a cost of £35,000. Beaten just once in four career starts, Shadow Of Light is one of eight horses in contention for the premier two-year-old contest in Britain, with the others including stable-mate Ancient Truth (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) as Charlie Appleby seeks a third win in the Dewhurst after those of Pinatubo (Ire) in 2019 and...

It's that time of year where most of the stories in the bloodstock world are being written in the sales ring, with the ink used to tell the tale of Book 1 of the Goffs Orby Sale still fresh on the page and the major plotlines ahead of next week's Tattersalls October Yearling Sale already starting to take shape. But as the search continues for the Classic winners of 2026, it's worth also reminding ourselves of the many stories still waiting to be written on the racecourse in the closing...

The unbeaten Lake Victoria (Ire) is now Timeform's highest-rated two-year-old filly in Europe, it was announced on Monday. The daughter of Frankel (GB) earned a Timeform rating of 119p for her impressive success in Saturday's G1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket when beating Daylight (Fr) (Earthlight {Ire}) by three lengths. G1 Phoenix Stakes winner Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), who finished only fourth at Newmarket, remains the best of the rest in this division with a rating of 113. Incidentally, Hooray (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was the last filly to be...

Camelot (GB)'s Los Angeles (Ire) is likely to contest the G1 Irish Champion Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend alongside Aidan O'Brien stablemates August Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Luxemborg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), O'Brien revealed on Monday. The master of Ballydoyle also outlined plans for other runners from his stable for the mid-September meeting. Five-for-six in his young career, with a third in the G1 Derby followed by victories in the G1 Irish Derby and G2 Great Voltigeur Stakes in June and August, respectively, Los Angeles faces a tough ask...