Estrange will set her sights on one of two big autumn Group One prizes after her second-placed run in the Yorkshire Oaks last week.
The four-year-old began her season with a Group Three win at Listed level at Haydock, after which she returned to the same track to take the Group Two Lancashire Oaks.
She continued to progress up the levels on the Knavesmire, facing a stiff task carrying a penalty for her age and facing dual Oaks heroine Minnie Hauk on ground quicker than ideal.
Estrange after finishing second in the Yorkshire Oaks (Ashley Iveson/PA)
While the latter was ultimately a convincing winner, Estrange was a long way from being disgraced when beaten three and a half lengths for trainer David O’Meara under Danny Tudhope.
“She did very well, we thought she ran a blinder,” said Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud.
“We were in two minds as to whether or not to run because of the ground, but it was only a four-runner race and a Group One at a premier track.
“We wanted to run if we could, I think the public wanted to see her and the racecourse wanted her to run.
“The ground wasn’t ideal, I’d have loved that shower of rain that I imagined was going to happen, but she ran very well and it’s no disgrace to be beaten giving 9lb to a dual Classic winner and probably the best three-year-old filly around.”
Both the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot and the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe are under consideration for the grey’s next outing, as is the prospect of her delaying her broodmare career and returning to training next season.
Estrange after winning on the final day of the season at Doncaster last year (Nick Robson/PA)
Richardson said: “We could go straight for the Arc now or we could go to Ascot, I don’t think she’ll have a run in between, it just depends on what happens with the ground. But it has got to rain at some point, so hopefully we can get some soft ground in autumn.
“She’s given us a great deal of pleasure already and we will see how things unravel during the rest of the year, Mrs Thompson hasn’t decided whether she will be retiring at the end of the season or possibly staying in training next year.
“They are a long time in the paddock when they go off to have babies, and she missed out on her two-year-old year so perhaps she could keep going in 2026.”
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Zahrann will face an acid test of his potential when stepping into elite company for the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes next month.
Always held in the highest regard by trainer Johnny Murtagh, the son of Night Of Thunder quickly bounced back from a momentum-halting second to Ralph Beckett’s Amiloc in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot to stylishly claim the Royal Whip Stakes earlier this month
Having seen off the likes of Aidan O’Brien’s proven Group One performer Los Angeles at the Curragh when regaining the winning thread, connections are now eager to see how the lightly-raced colt fares when moving up to the top level for the first time at Leopardstown on September 13.
“At the moment Leopardstown is the plan and our thinking behind running in the Royal Whip was to see if he could earn a spot in the Irish Champion and we think he did,” said Pat Downes, general manager at the Aga Khan’s Irish studs.
“It’s obviously looking like being a strong race, as it always is, but we’re excited to let him take his chance and see what happens.
“We certainly feel there is more improvement to come, as you need with three-year-olds at this time of the year. He possibly still looked a bit raw the last day at the Curragh, but we were really happy with his win and we’re now looking forward to what he can do against top company.
“We’ll learn a lot about him in that race.”
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Paddy Twomey’s Carmers will turn his attention to the Betfred St Leger after his fine run to finish second in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.
The Wootton Bassett colt arrived on the Knavesmire unbeaten in three runs, with a maiden and a Listed win followed by victory in the Queen’s Vase at the Royal meeting in June.
Stepping down to a mile and half for the first time in a field that included the dual Derby winner Lambourn with a penalty for his Ascot win, he did connections proud when beaten only a length, setting himself up nicely for a return to a longer trip in the Group One St Leger at Doncaster in mid September.
“We were very happy with him at York last week, finishing second in the Great Voltigeur on his first time dropping in trip to a mile and a half,” said Twomey.
“He travelled through the race well and hit the line strong, I thought it was a very good trial for the St Leger at Doncaster in a few weeks.
“On numbers it looked his best run to date, he’s a progressive horse and I think stepping back to a mile and six at Doncaster will really suit him.”
Carmers is one of 15 remaining in the hunt for Classic honours on Town Moor after the latest entry stage, with Aidan O’Brien responsible for over half of those to stand their ground.
Goodwood Cup hero and red-hot favourite Scandinavia heads Ballydoyle’s eight possibles, with dual Derby hero Lambourn also still in the mix along with Stay True after both finished behind Twomey’s Classic hope on the Knavesmire.
Surprisingly Minnie Hauk also remains in the Leger picture despite O’Brien’s suggestion she had alternative big-race alternatives, but stablemate Whirl is one of the more notable scratchings.
With Twomey and Joseph O’Brien’s Derby third Tennessee Stud making it 10 Irish challengers in total at this stage, it is left to Lazy Griff to lead a five-strong home defence made up from just four trainers.
Joining Middleham Park Racing’s dual Classic-placed contender among the potential runners is William Haggas’ Great Voltigeur third Arabian Force, Andrew Balding’s pair of Furthur and Melrose scorer Tarriance and Roger Varian’s Rahiebb.
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Diego Velazquez will make the final two starts of his career in America after his poignant Prix Jacques le Marois success in the famous Sangster silks.
Transferred into the ownership of Sam Sangster on behalf of a syndicate he heads in the days prior to the Deauville Group One, Aidan O’Brien’s son of Frankel produced a career best to deliver a nostalgic victory that harked back to the glory days of old at Ballydoyle.
Now the Diego Velazquez team have their sights set on further big-race glory, with first a trip to Keeneland for the Coolmore Turf Mile on October 4, a race that serves as a ‘win and you’re in’ for the colt’s main objective, the Breeders’ Cup Mile in early November.
Diego Velazquez just holds on from the fast-finishing Notable Speech to land the Group One @AgaKhanStuds Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville! 🏆🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/xrHpn7ahoE
Reflecting on France and looking ahead to the future, Sangster said: “It was an incredible day and I was filled by confidence by Aidan before the Marois and he ran as he said he would. Aidan said he would give everything on the track and he’s so tough and genuine.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if he goes on and wins another one now before the season is out. We’ll absolutely take him to America now and he’s a horse who will really suit the Breeders’ Cup being at Del Mar.
“We wouldn’t be waiting for Del Mar so the obvious step would be Keeneland for the race there. He’s a horse that travels and it’s a ‘win and you’re in’ for the Breeders’ Cup Mile so it ticks a lot of boxes for his programme.”
Diego Velazquez’s Stateside adventure will bring the curtain down on his on-track career. He is set to join the National Stud for stallion duties in November and there is plenty of excitement building around the next stage of his journey.
Sam Sangster enjoyed a day to remember at Deauville (Mike Egerton/PA)
“One chapter closes and the next one will start and hopefully this is a story of many chapters,” continued Sangster.
“Already talking to breeders from the UK and Ireland there has been a hugely positive response to the horse and he is going to qualify for some very nice mares.
“The guys who have bought into him are also very keen to support him with some proper mares, as will I myself.
“So the end of the racing career is just the icing on the cake for a project with the wheels already in motion to make sure we do everything we can to ensure the horse makes it as a stallion, and hopefully it all pays off.
“It was a dream day at Deauville and the world is his oyster now. He’s going to be a stallion to suit many people and as one door closes the next chapter will open at the National Stud in November.”
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Lake Forest is likely to gain another Australian stamp on his passport this autumn after his gallant second in the City of York Stakes.
The William Haggas-trained chestnut enjoyed a lucrative trip to Rosehill in November last year when winning the richly-endowed Golden Eagle ahead of Lazzat, who would later go on to win the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Lake Forest’s own Royal Ascot appearance saw him finish fifth in the Queen Anne, after which he was sixth in the Criterion at York and second in the Lennox at Goodwood.
He stepped back up to Group One level on his return to the Knavesmire at the weekend and ran a fine race under Tom Marquand, coming home half a length behind Never So Brave.
Sean Graham, racing manager to co-owner Tony Bloom, said: “The thing about Lake Forest is that he loves being in a battle, he doesn’t want to see too much daylight and in the race at York earlier in the season (eventual winner) Quinault had everything strung out like the washing.
“The same thing happened in the Lennox but he still ran a blinder as he was the only horse to come from off the pace, that form has stacked up because Jonquil (fifth) went on to win the Celebration Mile.
“We know he wants seven and a half furlongs in a strongly-run race with plenty in it on quick ground, so there are a couple of races for him in Australia in October and November and that will be the long-term plan.
“There’s one in Sydney and then there’s one on the final day of the Melbourne Carnival, both are quite valuable.
“He’s proven he can travel, he’s proven he’s tough as teak and when the ground starts to soften there won’t be much for him here anyway.”
Haggas also trains Sky Majesty for the same owners, with Ian McAleavy co-owning both horses alongside Bloom, and she is another horse in rare form having won the Group Three Ballyogan Stakes at Naas on Sunday.
She was a winner at the same track at Listed level prior to that, and with her liking for some cut in the ground it is likely that Champions Day at Ascot will be a key target now.
The filly won the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte on heavy ground at Chantilly last term, and having truly hit her stride this year she could bid for a Group One title to add to that Group Two win.
“Tom Marquand said the ground was beautiful at Naas, with a good bit of cut in it,” said Graham.
“I think her main target for the end of the season will be the Champions Sprint on Champions Day at Ascot, hopefully the ground will come up soft then.
“We’ll wait to see how she is before making any decisions, but that would be what we’re thinking.”
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The Lion In Winter could be set for a quick return to France for the Prix du Moulin on September 7.
Favourite during the off season for both the 2000 Guineas and Derby, so far his season has not gone to plan.
Beaten as an odds-on favourite in the Dante, he was also well held in the Derby before being narrowly touched off in the Prix Jean Prat over seven furlongs.
He then proved disappointing again back up to a mile in the Prix Jacques le Marois when attempting to make all.
Despite that latest reversal, the son of Sea The Stars could now be set for further Group One action on the continent, with O’Brien confident a mile is his forte.
O’Brien said: “He’s good. We went in front on him and he didn’t like it.
“I’d say he’s probably a miler but he probably needs to take his time a little bit in his races.
“He could go back to France for the race over a mile, the Moulin, that could be him but we have others for it like Henri (Matisse) so it’s whether he runs with him or not, depending on what the lads want to do.”
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Venetian Sun is Curragh-bound after enhancing her already big reputation with a superb defeat of Gstaad in the Prix Morny at Deauville.
Trained by Karl Burke and owned by Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy, the Starman filly is unbeaten in four starts having followed a Carlisle debut with an Albany Stakes triumph at Royal Ascot.
She then won the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket to further prove herself a top-class prospect, earning a shot at Group One level against the colts at Deauville as a result.
There she took the scalp of Aidan O’Brien’s Coventry winner Gstaad by a short neck, giving rider Clifford Lee a first Group One triumph and rewarding the courage of connections in aiming high.
They believe she will be better still over seven furlongs, and with that in mind the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on September 14 is next up, ahead of a winter break that will lead into her Classic season next year.
“Karl Burke has never disguised how much he thought of this filly, even before she ran and made her debut at Carlisle,” said Sean Graham, racing manager to Bloom.
“I actually travelled from London that day, three and a quarter hours on the train, because he was waxing lyrical about her work at home.
“She went and did it well enough without blowing us away with the performance, and when she went to Ascot you’d probably have struggled to fancy her based on that form.
“But her work between Carlisle and Ascot was just sensational, she was working with Lethal Levi and he couldn’t get away from her.
“Karl was working her with these five- and six-year-olds, proper Listed and Group sprinters, and they couldn’t get her off the bridle.
“The performance at Ascot was very, very good, the plan was then to give her a break and bring her back for the Lowther or an autumn campaign, but she only lost four kilos having travelled up to Ascot and back to Middleham on the box and then run in sweltering heat.
“Karl said the race hadn’t taken a thing out of her so that’s why we decided to go to Newmarket, and though on the day it didn’t look as though she won it that impressively, the second-placed horse of Ed Walker’s (Royal Fixation) has gone and won the Lowther since so the form stacks up.
“Our plan was just to go to the Moyglore because we think she’ll be better over seven furlongs, but Karl said the filly was in fantastic form at home and though it was a Group One over six furlongs against the colts, Ian and Tony are great sports people.
“We thought we’d have a crack and that she’d lose nothing in defeat if she was beaten by a very impressive winner.
“Like her other wins, the race wasn’t really run to suit but she wasn’t giving an inch and she still won.
“All being well we will go to the Moyglare for her next and probably final start of the year, then we’ll put her away and hopefully bring her back for the Guineas next year.”
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Tim Easterby landed his second Listed race in a matter of days when Anaisa shocked her rivals in the British Stallion Studs EBF Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy Stakes.
The lowest-rated runner in the seven-strong field, the teak-tough Ardad filly had only run in a valuable sales race at Newmarket on Saturday.
Sent off a 12-1 chance, David Allan could be spotted travelling noticeably well two furlongs out and it was a matter of if the split would come in time.
When it did, Anaisa was good enough to take advantage, beating another of the outsiders, Awraad by half a length.
The betting suggested it would be a shootout between George Boughey’s Amorim, who clearly did not act on the track, and Simon and Ed Crisford’s Al Shaham, a dual course and distance winner who surprisingly was beaten a long way out.
Easterby had struck at York at the weekend, in the Julia Graves Roses Stakes with Revival Power, but was winning this contest for the first time since 2004 with Space Shuttle.
Easterby said: “She’s so tough. She ran in the sales race the other day but she was drawn one so she had no chance.
“She ended up running a blinder to finish sixth. I was a little worried about running her again, but we’d already declared her and I bred her so I was keen to try to get some black type as her half-brother is in the sales at Newmarket – he’s really nice, he’s by Mattmu.
“She ended up winning it quite nicely. Dave said they went really hard so he just sat in and filled her with confidence.
“I still have the mare, but I was too tight to put her in the Redcar Two-Year-Old Trophy!”
The course enclosure was packed to the rafters (Nick Robson/PA)
While still falling some way short of the 10,000 plus who attended the Great St Wilfrid card nine days ago, a healthy crowd of over 7,000 were present on a sunny Bank Holiday Monday at the Garden Racecourse.
However, as a healthy percentage of those were for the course enclosure in the middle, traffic tailbacks in both directions were up to an hour long. Jockey Shane Gray missed a ride in the circumstances, while others had to jump out of their car and run the last bit to the track.
With three races still to go, the course announcer advised that it would take longer than normal to leave the course.
“We don’t have an exact crowd figure yet, but we’re looking at over 7,000. We’d usually get the upper end of 5,000,” said clerk of the course Jon Mullin.
“What has obviously helped is the weather forecast, it’s not a surprise and for once people have been able to plan accordingly.
“Because of that it obviously took people longer to get into the course, which is unfortunate, and what we couldn’t do anything about was we had a car breakdown early in the day.
“Even without that it would have been busy getting in, but that obviously compounded matters.
“I’ve never seen the course enclosure as busy as it is today in my years here, but when the weather is like this it’s a great place to take a picnic and sit in the sun.”
Mullin added: “It has been an eventful day all told, we’ve had two cardiac incidents before racing, the air ambulance came but it was decided against using it, as well as other medical incidents for the doctor to deal with throughout the day.”
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Connections of the evergreen campaigner Sir Busker have paid tribute to their grand servant after he bowed out following his 60th career start at York on Saturday.
The nine-year-old has been trained by William Knight and owned by the leading racing partnership Kennet Valley Syndicates throughout his eight seasons in action, collecting over £660,000 in prize-money to dwarf the €25,000 sum he was purchased for as a yearling.
A seven-time winner who was also the runner-up on 12 occasions, the gelding took his owners to many a big meeting and did them proud time and again – notably winning the Silver Royal Hunt Cup at the 2020 Royal meeting.
He hit upon a rich vein of form in 2022, when a profitable spell in the Middle East was followed by creditable efforts in the Lockinge and the Queen Anne before a well-deserved victory in the Group Two York Stakes.
Connections’ fearless campaigning was rewarded once again in the Juddmonte International at the same track later in the term, where he finished third behind Baaeed and Mishriff in what was arguably a career-best performance.
It was during a later trip to Dubai that he would suffer an eye injury that almost saw him lose the eyeball itself, but with an operation and the care of Knight’s team he was nursed back to health to resume his career.
A win back at York last term was therefore an emotional event for his owners, and after crossing the line for a 60th time at the weekend they have decided the moment is right to call time on his career and allow him to step into a new role as a hack and galloping nanny to his younger stablemates.
“It was great to see him on Saturday, I know it wasn’t the result we all wanted but he came back safe and sound and that is the most important thing,” said Sam Hoskins of Kennet Valley Syndicates.
“That was his 60th race, he was won over £660,000 in prize-money and he has just been the dream syndicate horse. It has been an amazing journey along the way.
“He started off as a two-year-old rated in the 70s and he went up to those lofty ratings when winning the York Stakes in 2022 and finishing third to Baaeed in the Juddmonte International.
“He nearly lost an eye in Dubai as a seven-year-old, he lost all his condition and when he came back he didn’t seem like the same horse.
“He gradually put that condition back on and started running well on the all-weather, then he came back and won at York last year and gave us all an incredible day.
“He nearly won at Sandown this season but in the end the ground was a little too quick, and it was a little too quick for him at York too.
“It’s the right moment for him to bow out and I’m delighted that he’s going to stay on at William Knight’s to lead the babies.
“He will be William’s hack, it’s lovely that he and everyone in the yard will get to still see him and he can hopefully impart his knowledge on the younger horses.
“He’s much-loved in the yard, they’ve always done such a fantastic job with him over the years and he absolutely loves being there.
“He’s quite well known in Newmarket, people like picking him out of the string in the morning. He’s just been an amazing, amazing horse – the dream horse for a syndicate.”
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Richard Hannon sees Rosallion as a horse that would be ideally suited to the Breeders’ Cup, should owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid agree with his trainer regarding a trip to Del Mar.
Last year’s Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes winner has found victory as a four-year-old elusive so far, finishing second in both the Queen Anne Stakes and Sussex Stakes before taking fourth in the newly-upgraded City of York Stakes at the weekend.
Speaking on Nick Luck’s Daily podcast, Hannon conceded: “His run was disappointing, I watched it again over the weekend, he got his head down and battled and tried his best, but he didn’t quite run to what he has been doing in his last two races.
“We’ll have to dust ourselves off and look at where we are going to go next. I’ve always thought he would be very adaptable to the Breeders’ Cup Mile, with the way he travels and his speed.
“I honestly think he would go round there like Scalextric, but then again you’re relying on getting a good draw and if he does that he would have early speed and with two bends he’d be able to kick off the last bend. I’ve always thought he’d be very hard to beat in a Breeders’ Cup.
“I talked to Sheikh Mohammed Obaid this morning, I don’t think the Moulin… it comes a little quick and I don’t want to go to a race like that off the back of this so close to it.
“I’d love to go to the Breeders’ Cup, but let’s see how it goes. We’ve also got to think of him as a stallion and I think it’s essential that we win somewhere.”
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Publish is on course to return to the familiar territory of Sandown after he stood out among a stellar set of names entered for the BetMGM Solario Stakes on Saturday.
The son of Kingman was edged out on debut at the Esher track in July, but soon set the second straight when impressing back at Sandown later that month and heads into this Group Three event with his star firmly on the rise.
John and Thady Gosden’s colt is already as short as 10-1 in places for next year’s 2000 Guineas and could now follow in the footsteps of both his father and Clarehaven stablemate Field Of Gold by claiming the Solario.
Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte, said: “This was the initial plan and hopefully that remains the same so we will look forward to seeing him again.
“He’s a beautiful horse, a very big horse and he’s probably more of a three-year-old type. John and Thady have both said he’s not a horse to over-race this year, he’s all about next year.
“He could be exciting, I know he has only won a maiden but we’re hopeful he is able to make the jump into the next grade.”
It was one of Charlie Appleby’s string that denied Publish on debut and the Moulton Paddocks handler could unleash stylish Newmarket novice winner Pacific Avenue in a race he won with subsequent Derby hero Masar in 2017).
Other notables in the 11-strong possibles list include Andrew Balding’s Chesham winner Humidity and the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Zanthos.
The latter, a daughter of Sioux Nation, cost €1million at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year and it was easy to see why as she scorched to a three-length victory in her July course debut.
She could now be a rare filly to take on the colts in this race, as her team search for the right opportunity to set up high-ranking events later in the season.
“She’s super well and we still haven’t quite figured out what we’re doing with her yet,” said Ed Crisford.
“The fillies’ races at the Curragh (Debutante Stakes) and Goodwood (Prestige Stakes) came a bit quick for her and it would have been bringing her back just two weeks later.
“We’re happy to enter in the Solario against the colts and then see what we think and there’s also novice options.
“We want to run her again before the Rockfel if we can and we just need to take it step by step.”
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Jessica Harrington has been forced to rule Green Impact out for the remainder of the season.
A smart juvenile, he beat Delacroix in his maiden and in the Champion Juvenile Stakes at the Curragh.
This season he finished sixth to Ruling Court in the 2000 Guineas before winning a Listed race which teed him up for a crack at the Irish Derby.
Sixth again there, he was last seen finishing fourth in the Sky Bet York Stakes, but he picked up an injury on the Knavesmire.
“Green Impact won’t run again this season. He got an injury in York,” said Harrington.
“He’ll be back next year.”
Fellow smart juvenile Hotazhell, who also beat Delacroix in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster, has had a frustrating season waiting for his preferred soft ground.
He has not been far away in three Group Ones, the most recent of which was the Saratoga Derby where he was beaten a length and three-quarters into fourth.
“We’re waiting with Hotazhell and he could run at the Irish Champions Festival, he could go to France and there is also British Champions Day,” said Harrington.
“We’ll run him when we get suitable ground.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2.77454934-scaled.jpg12802560Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2025-08-25 11:47:232025-08-25 11:47:23Green Impact set to miss rest of season
Charlie Johnston is praying for rain, as he counts down the days until Lazy Griff goes for Betfred St Leger glory at Doncaster next month.
The Middleham Park Racing-owned colt has already given his connections a real thrill when placing in both the Derby at Epsom and Irish equivalent this summer, but Johnston has always felt the extended stamina emphasis of the oldest Classic would play to his stable star’s strengths.
Content to head straight to Town Moor fresh, Johnston was a keen observer of York’s Great Voltigeur Stakes last week. Although it is conditions in South Yorkshire that are giving him most concern.
Johnston said: “Doncaster is coming round quick, it’s only 19 days – not that we’re counting them down.
“All is good apart from the weather and surely this summer will end at some point and the rain will come because we will need it.
“It was a fairly easy watch the Voltigeur for us, nothing too scary came out of that and I think if we can get a bit of ease in the ground then we will be really looking forward to Doncaster.”
The defeat of Lazy Griff’s dual Derby conqueror Lambourn at York saw his Aidan O’Brien-trained stablemate and Goodwood Cup scorer Scandinavia harden as favourite for the final Classic of the year.
The Kingsley Park challenger is now 11-2 second-favourite with the race sponsors, a position Johnston feels is a fair reflection of his claims, as the Middleham handler relishes another crack at the cream of Ballydoyle on September 13.
Johnston continued: “Even before the Voltigeur, I knew where we stood with Lambourn and I could see reasons why we could reverse that scoreline up in distance and on slower ground.
“We have no idea where we stand with Scandinavia and we’re under no illusions that he looks to set a high bar.
“But I do think we’re rightfully second-favourite now and his biggest danger and we’re looking forward to that challenge.”
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