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Cumani has Triomphe in Brigadier Gerard.
At the one and a half furlong from home point in this evening's Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown, it looked like the two market leaders, Pipe Dreamer and Conduit would battle it out, but as the two hit the furlong pole, Pipe Dreamer started to fade, and the race looked like a clear win for Conduit. But under a sustained drive the Luca Cumani trainedCima de Triomphe started to bridge the gap to Conduit, and almost unbelievably he got up to deny Sir Michael Stoute's St Leger winner by a very short noes.
This was a very welcome win for the Cumani camp, as they have been fairly quiet in britain so far this season. Meanwhile, Conduit lost very little in defeat, as it was his first run of the season, and today's ten furlong trip was on the short side for a proven stayer.
The big disappointment was John Gosden's Pipe Dreamer. He came easily to the front and looked like he was assured of victory, but then tamely faded at the crucial stage of the race.
Geordieland upsets Gold Cup favourite.
Unlike the football team in the area from which he takes his name, Geordieland has suddenly woken up to how to win races, and this evening's Group 2 victory in the Henry II Stakes at Sandown Park also put the proverbial 'cat amongst the pigeons' for the betting in the Ascot Gold Cup market. For in securing his win today, Geordieland saw off the challenge from the well touted and extremely well supported anti post favourite for the Ascot Gold Cup, Patkai.
It will be very interesting to see how the leading bookmaking firms react to this result when they open for normal office business tomorrow morning.
Alandi finds Hindu Kush too tough.
David Nicholls british raider Hindu Kush, formerly with Aidan O'Brien, reversed the placing with Alandi on their first meeting earlier in the season. In this evening's Listed Seamus and Rosemary Mcgrath Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown, he led from start to finish, and try as he might in the final two furlongs, favourite Alandi could get no closer than the winning margin of one length.
Alpine Rose lands Prix Carrida.
The Alain de royer-dupre trained Alpine Rose gained her first pattern success at this afternoon's meeting at Saint Cloud. Racing close to the pace, jockey Gerard Mosse gave her the office in the home straight, and she ran on with enthusiasm to hold runner-up Greek Dance by half a length, thereby claiming her first ever pattern success in this afternoon's Group 2.
Bolger selects Oh Goodness Me for Oaks.
Jim Bolger has decided Cuis Ghaire will now go straight to the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot following her poor performance on heavy ground in the Irish 1,000 Guineas. This makes Oh Goodness Me, third in last Sunday's Classic as the stables only representative in the Investec Epsom Oaks. Talking about his decision this morning, Bolger said,
"Cuis Ghaire does not like soft ground or awkward tracks, so we are sending her straight to Ascot for the Coronation Stakes".
"Oh Goodness Me ran a good race on Sunday, and with a bit of luck in running, I see no reason why she should not be thereabouts in the Oaks".
Knight preparing King for success.
Despite having two Listed race successes on the all weather this year, the William Knight trained King of Dixie was slightly disappointing when finishing only fifth in the Listed Doncaster Mile at the beginning of the flat turf season.
However, the trainer is confident his five year old is in fine form prior to his run in this weekend's On The House Listed contest at Goodwood, and he believes King of Dixie should be crowned as the eventual victor in the one mile race.
Changes to Listowel three day meeting.
Further to our earlier story, (see below). Following a midday inspection, officials at Listowel decided parts of the course were currently unraceable, and although better weather is forecast, they wanted the course to have time to recover for their planned three day Irish Bank Holiday Meeting.
After seeking, and receiving permission from Horse Racing Ireland, Saturday's proposed fixture at Listowel has been put off until Sunday. Sunday's planned card now transfers to Tuesday, and Monday's card remains the same.
Rainbow the only illumination at Breakfast With The Stars.
This morning Epsom held its pre Derby Breakfast With The Stars audience, but pre-meeting clues were few and far between.
Aidan O'Brien gave little away apart from the fact he was delighted to still have nine of the twenty in the Investec Derby, but we are no further forward on Johnnie Murtagh's choice, with O'Brien commenting,
"Johnnie will give most of the main contenders another couple of spins before he finally makes up his mind".
Jim Bolger indicated Gan Amhras was in fine form, but would prefer a bit of cut for the Derby, and if the ground at Epsom came up soft, he would probably be replaced in the line-up by stable mate Fergus MacIver.
However, one of John Gosden's charges lightened proceedings when Rainbow view took a spin over the Epsom course with stable mate Expresso Star, and although she came in a length behind her older companion, she seemed to handle the course, and quite frankly never came out of first gear as she deliberately stayed behind today's pace maker. Gosden later added,
"We just wanted her to have a spin on the track, besides if she had got alongside Expresso Star, he would have started racing, and I didn't want her to have her Oaks run before the event".
"She is beginning to grow up at last, and I think she will have a very good chance if she stays the mile and a half of the Oaks trip".
Circumstances correct for Pipe Dreamer.
Having won a St Leger and Breeders Cup Turf, we all know Conduit is a talented horse, but giving him his first seasonal run over ten furlongs is a bit of a risk. The trip in tonight's Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown could be on the short side for a horse used to wiining over twelve furlongs or further, but the main obstacle could be John Gosden's Pipe Dreamer.
Just touched off by Conduit's stable mate Tartan Bearer over the same course and distance back in April, Pipe Dreamer is reported to have come on for his first run, and connections are unusually confident about his chances this evening. Add to those details the fact the bookmakers rate Pipe Dreamer as the favourite for tonight's Group 3 contest, and it would seem Conduit may have to settle for a satisfactory second place on his first run of the current season.
J J impresses this morning.
Double Group 1 winning sprinter J J the Jetplane had a training gallop on the Rowley Mile Course at Newmarket this morning, and against a stable mate, he quickened impressively at the end of his session. The South African star is in Britain for the Royal Ascot and Newmarket July Meetings, and he is due to have his first british run in this coming Monday's Listed Leisure Stakes at Windsor, where he will be partnered by top jockey Ryan Moore.
The run on the Rowley course this morning is interesting, and it may suggest connections have their main sights on the July Cup.
Delighted Dascomb looking for royal confirmation.
Trainer Tom Dascomb was absolutely delighted with Don't Tell Mary's four length demolition of her rivals in yesterday evening's Listed Hilary Needler Trophy at Beverley, and he is now setting the filly's sights on the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot. Speaking after the race Dascomb said,
"She suprised me when she won at Bath, and she suprised me again this evening, particularly with the margin of her win. As she seems to be improving with each race, I suppose we should go for the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot".
Don't Tell Mary is the only racing progeny from the sire Starcraft, but despite his current lack of representation, the filly's victory last evening made him the first of the new season sires to land a Listed race.
Tartan Bearer to go straight to Royal Ascot.
As unsuitable heavy ground caused Tartan Bearer to miss out on his proposed engagement at last weekend's Curragh meeting, it was thought he would have another run prior to Royal Ascot, but it seems connections have decided this is not necessary, and he will now head straight to the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Ascot on 17 June.
Duncan impresses prior to Hardwicke run.
Many punters will know, since going to the John Gosden stable, Duncan has been a revelation, picking up wins at Epsom and Ascot already this seasonr, and yesterday morning in a gallop with stable mate Bronze Cannon on the Lime Kilns at Newmarket, he was reported to be looking particularly sharp prior to his run in next month's Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Listowel hold early inspection.
With a three day meeting due to start on Saturday, and with racing conditions already described as heavy, officials at Listowel are to hold an early precautionary inspection of their racing surfaces at noon today.
Loudspeaker system introduced for Irish national hunt starts.
Having witnessed its use in british national hunt racing, the Irish Turf Club tried out a loudspeaker system at the starts of the races at the Fairyhouse Easter and Punchestown Festivals, and starting officials found the radio microphone system so effective at controlling events prior to the off, it has now been approved for full time use in Irish national hunt racing from the beginning of June.
Your chance to purchase Clement's racing wisdom.
For those of you who appreciated the little horseracing pearls of wisdom penned by the recently departed Sir Clement Freud, we are delighted to inform you a book including a whole host of his humorous and insightfull articles on the subject of horseracing will be on sale from next Thursday, 04 June.
Kempton plan a musical first.
If you have been to the races in the last couple of years, you will have become accustomed to hearing music in between and after racing at British and Irish racecourses, but in a first, for the one mile three furlong handicap at Kempton Park on 08 June, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will play the William Tell Overture as a sound track to the race.
Based on the in-field area, the orchestra will have their music played through the public address system as the race unfolds, so any horse entered in the race which has 'William' or 'Swiss' included in its name, already has an unfair advantage on its rivals.
Celebrate your winnings, or commiserate with others with fine wines & champagne’s:
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