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Gosden bandwagon keeps on rolling.
John Gosden has had a fantastic start to the flat season, and his run of victories continued at Epsom this afternoon, with Debussy and Duncan both having relatively easy wins in the Epsom Classic Trial and Heritage Handicap respectively.
The way things are going for the Gosden yard at present, multiple bet lovers cannot go far wrong by including the trainer's daily runners in a cross the card wager.
Fathom Five lands the first race at the new Epsom.
In front of a large crowd at the new Epsom, Fathom Five landed the first victory seen on Epsom's lightning fast sprint course in over eighteen months. Always up with the pace, Fathom Five, and another front runner, What A Shirt Full, took the first two positions, with the running on Indian Trail possibly a little unlucky in third place.
Royal Ascot attracts top foreign raiders.
In addition to the top British and Irish talent, this year's Royal Ascot card has attracted some of the best horses in the world.
Top Australian sprinter Take Over Target is to be joined by his up and coming compatriot Scenic Blast in the Group 1 sprints, but they will not have their own way, for Hungarian superstar Overdose, Hong Kong duo Inspiration and Tuscan Spirit, American sprinters Cannonball and Regardless of Outcome, plus South African stars J J the Jet Plane and Mythical Flight are also due to compete in the Kings Stand and Golden Jubilee Stakes.
Aidan O'Brien's Yeats will attempt to win a record breaking fourth Ascot Gold Cup, but he will have to face Godolphin's Australian Caulfield Cup winner All The Good, and top French stayer Kasbah Bliss.
Based on today's entries, Royal Ascot race-goers will also get the opportunity to watch Breeders Cup winner Conduit in the Prince of Wales's Stakes.
Swan very happy with Oodachee.
Since his second to Irish Raptor in the Topham Chase at Aintree, Charlie Swan feels Oodachee has progressed, and the trainer, who rode the winner of the old Whitbread Gold Cup on two occasions, feels his charge is the kind of horse who shows his best at this time of the national hunt season, and he is quietly confident Oodachee will turn in a good performance in Saturday's Bet 365 Gold Cup.
Aqlaam to miss Leicester date.
Last seen winning the Jersey Stakes, the William Haggas trained Aqlaam then suffered a training setback which kept him off the track for the remainder of last season. Although the four year old was due to have his seasonal debut in the Leicestershire Stakes at Leicester this Saturday, the current firm underfoot conditions have caused connections to rethink their plans, for in view of his previous health problems, they have decided not to risk 'jarring him up' in this weekend's Listed contest.
It is understood Aqlaam will now head directly to the Group 1 Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on 16 May.
Nashmiah very impressive in morning gallop.
Accompanied by Jamie Spencer, Lingfield winner Nashmiah turned in an extremely impressive gallop on the Lime Kilns in Newmarket this morning. Based on comments from trainer Clive Brittain, Spencer was so impressed with her turn of foot in this morning's seven furlong spin, he has decided to ride the filly in the Newmarket 1,000 Guineas.
It will be interesting to see if this confidence is mirrored in today's anti post markets for the Classic.
Charlie to have home debut at Sandown.
Last year's suprise winner of the Joel Stakes at Newmarket, Charlie Farnsbarns, who was last seen running down the field in the Dubai Duty Free at Nad al Sheba, will have his home debut in this weekend's Group 3 Gordon Richard Stakes at Sandown Park.
Trainer Brian Meehan thinks his charge has come on for the run in Dubai, and the Group 3 race is a more likely target for Charlie Farnsbarns to open his seasonal account.
Mullins to run Cheltenham stars at Punchestown.
Willie Mullins has confirmed Mikael D'Haguenet, Cooldine and Quevega as intended runners at next week's five day Punchestown Festival. The inclusion of the three Cheltenham Festival winners will boost an already outstanding list of entrants for next weeks races, but the state of the ground on Tuesday morning will dictate the actual races Mullins will select for each of his stable stars.
However, in today's announcement, Mullins did not mention Hurricane Fly, so it is difficult to know as to whether the trainer intends to take up the challenge to take on Go Native to decide the current season's top novice hurdler.
Epsom open new grandstand to the public.
Thanks to BBC2 coverage of three races at Epsom this afternoon, it will not just be the Epsom spectators who get a chance to glimpse the new Grandstand on the famous old course.
The total development, which includes the Grandstand and a new on-course hotel, has cost around thirty seven million pounds, but racecourse officials now believe it allows the famous course to take its rightful place amongst the top racecourses in europe.
The new Grandstand is named in honour of the Duchess of Cornwall, and the lady herself will be present to undertake the official opening ceremony prior to today's racing.
For the benefit of punters, Clerk of the Course Andrew Cooper confirms the straight course is riding good, while the main course is described as good to soft. After such a long break from racing, both courses are also described as level with a good covering of grass.
Punchestown hoping rain will attract Masterminded.
While the bulk of england and wales basks in delightful sunshine for the next few days, Ireland is forecast to receive some noticeable rain.
Due to solid underfoot conditions at Sandown Park , Paul Nicholls has already ruled out Masterminded's participation at the Esher track on Saturday, but officials at Punchestown are now hoping the softer ground forecast for the first day of the Festival on Tuesday 28 April, could persuade owner Jim Smith to pay the twenty thousand pound supplement to enter Masterminded in the two hundred thousand pound Kerrygold Champion Chase.
Small but select field for Sandown Classic Trial.
This Friday's Bet 365 Sandown Classic Trial has only attracted six horses, but we believe at least one of the runners will secure a Group 1 win before the end of the season, so the race is one to put in your notebooks.
The probable favourite will be Taameer, who was runner up to KiteWood in the Autumn Stakes at Ascot, but Aidan O'Brien has an interesting representative in the form of Malibu Bay. The son of El Prado has only appeared on a racecourse on one occasion, but was a good winner of his Naas Maiden back in October.
John Gosden has won this particular race on five occasions in the last seventeen years, and he is represented by Lingfield winner Big Bound, while Sir Michael Stoute uses the race to give an outing to Septapadi.
Barry Hills runs the unknown quantity Above Average, and Peter Chapple Hyam is represented by Easter Stakes third, Mishrif.
Veitch appeal totally rejected by BHA.
The professional gambler Patrick Veitch had recently made an appeal to the BHA to allow owners to indulge in lay betting on their horses, but in an official statement, the regulatory body for British horseracing has totally rejected the concept, as they see it frought with potential problems.
Editors Comment - It is not often we entirely agree with the BHA, but on the above point they are entirely correct. It is difficult enough for the average punter to pick a winner, but if we reached a situation were owners could bet on their horses losing a race, the temptation amongst certain owners would make it nigh on impossible to select the winner in certain races - So on this occasion, we applaud the BHA for their stance and decision.
Yeats has his seasonal debut on Sunday.
Aidan O'Brien had already indicated his triple Ascot Gold Cup winner Yeats was forward in his work, so it is no suprise he is to use this Sunday's Listed Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan as his stepping stone for the upcoming season.
Yeats obtained a small margin victory over Red Moloney in last year's corresponding race, before going on to land a record breaking third success at Ascot, but this year he is nine, and in this first run it will be importent to assess if time is eventually catching up with the record breaking top class stayer.
Main opposition in Sunday's race is likely to come from three time Curragh winner Baron de'l, and trainer Eddie Harty has confirmed his charge is in fine form prior to the Navan contest.
If ground conditions on Sunday exhibit cut, Michael Bell will also run recent Nottingham runner up the Betchworth Kid.
Newbury announce overall loss.
The economic recession is certainly beginning to hit the conference and seminar market, and a drop in bookings during the latter part of 2008 at the Newbury Racecourse Conference Centre is blamed by Newbury officials as the main cause of a working loss of around six hundred and sixty four thousand pounds for the whole of 2008.
For racecourses with large alternative facilities, and therefore, large operating costs, the Newbury result could be the 'norm' for the current year, and the larger racecourse organisations are going to have to cut their operational costs to the bone if they are to come through the current recession unscathed.
Chronicle turning their back on Irish sponsorship.
One of the leading on-course presences in Ireland, Chronicle Bookmakers, have announced they are cutting back on sponsorship at Irish fixtures in favour of an expansion of their sponsorship in britain. The firm have sited complacency amongst Irish courses as one of the reasons for their decision, but it is also believed the firm see a business opportunity in britain, and wish to invest in an area were they can obtain a large future return.
Amongst the firm's current fourteen british pitches, they have one at Chester, and their newest sponsorship deal will be the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes at this year's Chester May Festival, with the first day of the three day meeting due to start a fortnight today.
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