York

York's Listed Michael Seely Memorial Fillies' Stakes looked a strong contest full of exciting fillies on Friday and it was Peter Harris's unbeaten Kon Tiki who came through. Coming off all-weather wins at Wolverhampton and Kempton, the Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained daughter of Night Of Thunder swept by some smart peers approaching the final furlong and had half a length to spare over Bermuda Longtail at the line. Connections of the 11-2 winner are looking to avoid Royal Ascot this year. "She's trained well all winter--I had her in the Guineas, but...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Observations features Godolphin homebred Words Of Truth. 3.00 Newbury, Mdn, £12,000, 2yo, c/g, 6fT WORDS OF TRUTH (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is one of the key members of a fascinating race which hosts several Royal Ascot hopefuls. Representing the Charlie Appleby stable which has started brightly with...

In a rare diversion from the domination of the breeding superpowers this season, the Dante Stakes was a triumph for David and Lavinia Aykroyd, English owner-breeders with four broodmares at their disposal. And for the second year in a row, Yorkshire's key Derby trial went to a colt raised in the county at Copgrove Hall Stud. The Ralph Beckett-trained Pride Of Arras is out of the Oasis Dream mare Parnell's Dream, who is also an Aykroyd homebred and a boarder at the Harrogate farm formerly owned by Guy Reed, which...

As the only runner in Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes with a sole outing to his name, David Aykroyd's Pride Of Arras had a bit to find but at the end of York's time-honoured Derby trial he had little to prove. Set alight by Rossa Ryan heading to the two pole, the Ralph Beckett-trained Sandown maiden winner surged by a wall of closely-matched peers to take total control a furlong from home. At the line, the 18-1 shot who descends from Juddmonte's G3 Park Hill Stakes winner...

   Sent off the 8-11 favourite for Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' Stakes at York, Jeff Smith's See The Fire was in a class of her own at the end to fully justify the support. Always travelling with menace under Oisin Murphy, last year's G3 Strensall Stakes winner and G1 Nassau Stakes and G1 Sun Chariot Stakes-placed daughter of Sea The Stars moved through tiring rivals to take command two out.    Benefitting from the strong pace set by Doha, the homebred was able to stay more...

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...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred 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 the return of a Mehmas 'TDN Rising Star'. 4.55 York, Novice, £30,000, 2yo, 6fT WISE APPROACH (IRE) (Mehmas {Ire}) earned TDN Rising Star status on debut in the Royal Ascot Two-Year-Old Trial EBF Conditions Stakes last month and takes the next step towards the Royal meeting...

Relishing the step up to an extended 10 furlongs on Wednesday, Ballydoyle's Whirl dominated York's G3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes to continue Aidan O'Brien's remarkable run in the Classic Trials. Sixth on her seasonal bow in what could prove her final run at a mile in The Curragh's G3 Park Express Stakes, the daughter of Wootton Bassett from the family of Galileo's Hydrangea, Hermosa and The United States raced prominently from the outset off the strong tempo before being committed with three furlongs to race. Giving generously for Ryan Moore, last...

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...

Goodwood racecourse has made changes to its 2025 schedule that will see two of the highlight Group races move from the traditional Saturday slot to Sunday of the August Bank Holiday fixture at the Sussex track [22 to 24 August]. The Group 3 Prestige Stakes and Group 2 Celebration Mile are two of Goodwood's pinnacle contests outside of the Qatar Goodwood Festival. Both headline races will be staged on Sunday of the August Bank Holiday fixture for the first time, in a bid to spread the weekend's top-class racing action...

There are seven basic plots in fiction - and around the same number in sport. One is the removal of doubt. In language that no actual person ever used, Fleet Street newspapers used to love a win that "silenced the knockers." Racing is not short of those narratives but is unique in attaching them to animals who can't give press conferences, offer excuses, or just say they had an off day. Hence the debate is free to rage around whether a horse such as City Of Troy is as good...

Saturday's G2 City of York Stakes was primed for an upset with its dual winner Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) withdrawn and the exciting 3-year-old Lake Forest (GB) (No Nay Never) also exiting stage left after becoming upset in the stalls and so it proved with Breege (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) delivering the surprise outcome at 33-1. Without a win since capturing Epsom's G3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes over an extended mile, the John and Sean Quinn-trained Chasemore Farm homebred benefitted from a suicidal pace up front to come through under Colin Keane...