The Lion In Winter

The Lion In Winter has been supplemented for Sunday's G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville, which could have a field of up to 10 runners.  The most recent win for Coolmore's son of Sea The Stars came over the same distance of seven furlongs (1400m) in last year's G3 Acomb Stakes at York, a race in which subsequent 2,000 Guineas winner Ruling Court (Justify) finished third. Also added to the field at Thursday's confirmation stage was Apollo Fountain (No Nay Never). Trained by Andre Fabre, he won the Listed Prix...

For so long now we have been used to the Galileo factor at Epsom, and while none of his final small crop of 13 has made the line-up for the Derby or the Oaks, we still find his name all over the place on the pages of this year's runners, merely starting to shuffle back a bit in the generation game.  Galileo's sons Frankel, Australia and Circus Maximus each have at least one runner in the Derby, and Frankel and Australia also have Oaks runners. Eight of the 19 Derby...

Cheshire Oaks heroine Minnie Hauk (Frankel) is the likely mount of Ryan Moore in the Betfred Oaks, according to trainer Aidan O'Brien, with the Ballydoyle team also set to call upon the services of Wayne Lordan and Colin Keane on a busy Classic weekend at Epsom. Speaking on a call hosted by the Jockey Club on Tuesday, O'Brien echoed his recent comments about Delacroix (Dubawi) being the horse most likely to have the benefit of Moore's assistance in Saturday's Betfred Derby, before clarifying the picture somewhat with regards the Oaks,...

Following Monday's confirmation stage, there remains the possibility of a maximum field going to post for Saturday's G1 Betfred Derby at Epsom, with market leader Delacroix (Dubawi) the standout name among 20 colts still in contention for the Classic. Last seen winning the G3 Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown by nearly three lengths, Delacroix is the sponsor's 5/2 favourite to provide trainer Aidan O'Brien with a record-extending 11th success in the Derby, having emerged as the stable's number one contender after The Lion In Winter (Sea The Stars) finished only...

Delacroix remains Ryan Moore's likeliest mount in the Betfred Derby, according to Aidan O'Brien, who has also pencilled in The Lion In Winter and Lambourn as intended runners in the Epsom Classic on Saturday, June 7. Moore's decision at next week's declaration stage promises to have a significant impact on the Derby betting, which currently sees The Lion In Winter as the 5/2 favourite with the sponsors, despite the son of Sea The Stars finishing only sixth on his return to action in the G2 Dante Stakes at York. Lambourn,...

A total of 25 colts remain in the June 7 £1.5-million G1 Betfred Derby (In Honour of His Highness Aga Khan IV) at the latest scratching stage. Part of a seven-strong Irish-trained contingent is The Lion In Winter (Sea The Stars), who is still the narrow 5-2 favourite, for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners, despite running sixth in the G2 Dante Stakes behind 4-1 chance Pride Of Arras (New Bay), who is trained by Ralph Beckett. Other colts carrying the Coolmore partners' colours include G3 Leopardstown's G3 Derby Trial...

Thursday's G2 Dante Stakes hero Pride Of Arras (New Bay) has improved to a Timeform rating of 119p after his performance at York. The rating is the highest given to any of the winners of the middle-distance Classic trials this spring. Topping all 3-year-olds via rankings is G1 2000 Guineas hero Ruling Court (Justify) at 123. G3 Acomb Stakes victor and Dante favourite The Lion In Winter (Sea The Stars) is third at 118+. Leopardstown's G3 Derby Trial Stakes winner Delacroix (Dubawi) and G1 Futurity Trophy Stakes scorer Hotazhell (Too...

Thursday, York, post time: 15:45, AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI DANTE STAKES-G2, £192,200, 3yo, 10f 56yT Field: Alpine Trail (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), Damysus (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Devil's Advocate (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Mister Rizz (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Nightwalker (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Pride Of Arras (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Royal Playwright (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Sea Scout (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Tuscan Hills (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko). TDN Verdict: After a few days of...

Wednesday, York, post time: 15:13, 1895 DUKE OF YORK CLIPPER STAKES-G2, £150,000, 3yo/up, 6fT Field: Elite Status (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal), Kerdos (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}), Marshman (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}), Night Raider (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Royal Zabeel (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Flora Of Bermuda (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Rage Of Bamby (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}). TDN Verdict: There is still plenty of time for Night Raider to justify his early TDN Rising Star tag, particularly having dominated Newcastle's Listed Golden Rose Stakes on only his third start...

The Lion In Winter (Sea The Stars), a stylish winner of the G3 Acomb Stakes in 2024, leads the 42 remaining G1 Betfred Derby entries following the latest scratching stage. One of 16 Irish-trained runners, he is trading at 100-30 on Betfred for the June 7 showpiece at Epsom. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, the bay has a slew of stablemates entered, including Wootton Bassett Group -winning colts Twain--third choice at 7-1 and a winner of the G1 Criterium International, Swagman, GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Henri Matisse, and G1...

Recent Southwell novice winner Nightime Dancer (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) has been added to the potential field for the Betfred Derby at the latest entry stage. Owned by Norway's Stall Perlen, the colt was bought as a foal by Peter and Ross Doyle for 110,000gns from his breeder GCE Farm and is trained by Richard Hannon. Nightime Dancer, whose granddam Ragsah (Ire) Shamardal) is a half-sister to Dubai Millennium (GB), has a fascinating pedigree as he is inbred to the latter's dam Colorado Dancer (Ire) and also to Urban Sea through...

ROSEGREEN, Ireland -- It's that time of year again. The countdown to the Classics. Better than Christmas. And there are few better ways to indulge dreams of what may be about to unfold in the coming weeks than by annoying Aidan O'Brien for a morning at Ballydoyle. He must find it irksome, all these pesky journalists turning up, as surely as the first swallow of spring. But if he does, he hides it well, and almost seems to revel in sharing what he clearly finds the most rewarding part of...