Latest horse racing news from UK, Ireland, and around the world.

No rush to commit to autumn target for Estrange

/in /by

Connections of Estrange remain undecided as to whether to shoot for Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe glory or target Qipco Champions Day at Ascot next month.

With a pre-Arc trip to Paris for this weekend’s Prix Vermeille ruled out, trainer David O’Meara and owners Cheveley Park Stud now face a straight choice between aiming for Europe’s premier middle-distance contest on October 5, or taking the perceived easier option of the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes a fortnight later.

After seeing Estrange chase home Aidan O’Brien’s Minnie Hauk in the Yorkshire Oaks two weeks ago, Cheveley Park director Richard Thompson admitted the Arc was a “dream” target, but the team are understandably in no rush to make concrete plans.

Cheveley Park’s managing director, Chris Richardson, said: “Obviously we’ll keep both options open and see what happens – we wouldn’t be ruling out either option at this point.

“I think Mrs Thompson is probably favouring Ascot, I believe, and her son Richard is favouring Longchamp perhaps.

“Obviously Minnie Hauk if is going for the Arc and some of Aidan O’Brien other big ones, we’ll just have to assess what’s going where.

“We’ve got plenty of time and there’ll be plenty of discussion before we make our mind up. We’ll see what the ground is looking like and what the competition is.

“In the 50th year of their ownership of the stud, it would be a bit of a dream to expect to win the Arc, but it would be fun to have a runner.”

Lazy Griff team waiting on St Leger jockey plans

/in /by

Owners Middleham Park Racing will have to play the waiting game before firming up jockey plans for Betfred St Leger chance Lazy Griff, with hopes William Buick might be available to ride at Doncaster.

Christophe Soumillon rode Charlie Johnston’s star three-year-old to win a French Group Three last year and was also aboard when he finished second in the Derby at Epsom, but with Ryan Moore sidelined by a leg injury, the Belgian jockey has been called up by Aidan O’Brien for the Irish Champions Festival on the same weekend.

Two-time champion jockey Buick partnered Lazy Griff when he finished third in the Irish Derby last time out, but on what will be a hectic weekend on the racing calendar in Ireland, Canada and the UK, Middleham Park’s Mike Prince admitted jockey plans will not be firmly in place until at least six days before the final Classic of the season.

“Obviously Christophe was going to ride, but he’s now going over to Ireland to ride for Aidan,” Prince said.

“We are just waiting really because it’s Irish Champions Weekend, there’s racing in Canada as well with Woodbine, so we are just waiting on some clarity on which jockeys are where.

“William, who rode him in the Irish Derby, obviously will have to see where Charlie Appleby is going and what he wants him to ride, so we aren’t going to know until Monday or Tuesday of next week.

“So we have to sit on our hands a little bit and see who is where, really. It’s a shame because there is top-quality racing all around the world on the same weekend. It’s a bit tricky. Come Monday or Tuesday, we will have a plan in place.”

Lazy Griff has placed in all of his three starts this season, with O’Brien’s Lambourn winning each Group contest.

The first of those came in the Chester Vase in May, a performance which led to Johnston setting out a plan for Doncaster and a possible fourth contest of the campaign between the classy three-year-olds.

“He’s had a nice rest since the Irish Derby and Charlie has been building him up nicely, he’s due to do his last piece of work on Saturday and then it’s all systems go for Doncaster,” Prince added.

“We thought we had a nice horse going into the season and then he obviously showed up well at Chester, but he’s run in the Derby and the Irish Derby – they were just both excellent performances.

“He had an excellent season so far and it is by no means over as yet.

“He’s by Protectionist – a Melbourne Cup winner – and the way he finished off in the Irish Derby, he was in his best work in those last couple of furlongs.

“This is the race that Charlie has had in mind for him since Chester really, so I think a step up in trip will suit him nicely and this spell of wet weather as well. Charlie’s gone on record saying that he doesn’t really want to run him on fast ground, but I don’t think he will encounter that at Doncaster now.

“The more rain the merrier, not that he wants it heavy, but the soft side of good and he’s got a good turn of foot and a bit of juice in the ground will suit him to a tee.”

Ombudsman has Ascot in his sights after bypassing Irish Champion date

/in /by

Godolphin are putting their faith in “master trainer” John Gosden to pull off an exciting autumn schedule with Ombudsman after the handler ruled this year’s star performer out of a third clash with Delacroix in the Irish Champion Stakes.

The son of Night Of Thunder, who Gosden trains in partnership with son Thady, reversed an agonising defeat in the Coral-Eclipse to level the score with Aidan O’Brien’s leading colt in tremendous fashion in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

That was the Clarehaven inmate’s second big victory of the season after success in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, but he will miss another rematch at Leopardstown after his training team elected to freshen up their star performer ahead of important dates later in the season.

“I spoke to John this (Wednesday) morning and he’s a master trainer and I think the plan he has set out is very much similar to what he had in mind after the win in the Juddmonte International,” Godolphin’s managing director Hugh Anderson told the PA news agency.

“There is no man better able at setting out a challenging campaign for a fabulous racehorse than John and we look forward to hopefully some good results in the autumn.

“He’s been a star this year and Ombudsman and (Kentucky Derby winner) Sovereignty are out of the real top-drawer. Godolphin have had some good horses down the years but to have these two in the same year is really excellent.”

With a trip to Ireland off the table and a tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe already ruled out, a return to the scene of his summer high for Ascot’s Qipco Champion Stakes on October 18 now looks the obvious next port of call.

That could bring tantalising trips abroad for both the Breeders’ Cup and Japan Cup into play, with Anderson full of praise for the Gosdens’ excellent management of Ombudsman’s career to date which has yielded six victories from eight starts and those all important Group One triumphs at 10 furlongs.

Hugh Anderson (right) after Ombudsman's win at York
Hugh Anderson (right) after Ombudsman’s win at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

“I’m not sure if we will be able to get all three of those races in, but those races are certainly what John has in mind,” continued Anderson.

“It’s a classic example of where a trainer will need to watch the weather, watch his horse and work out the best options.

“But what I will say about Ombudsman is the way he has been trained over his career is very much to John and Thady’s credit, with the watchword being patience and that has delivered fantastic results.

“He didn’t race at two and then was very lightly raced at three and he’s hit these huge highs at four. So whatever John thinks is best for him is going to prove to be good for Godolphin.”

Sky Majesty the Haydock hope for William Haggas in Saturday’s Sprint Cup

/in /by

Sky Majesty will bid to give William Haggas back-to-back victories in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday, with the trainer opting against running Almeraq in the Group One contest.

The three-year-old Almeraq was a five-length winner of the Ayr Gold Cup Trial last time and with that big handicap later this month already ruled out, Haggas and owners Shadwell were deliberating making a swift leap to Group One level.

However, a smaller step to Listed company is now the plan, with Almeraq to contest the Starman Garrowby Stakes at York the day after Sky Majesty lines up on Merseyside.

Haggas said: “We’re just going to run Sky Majesty at Haydock and Almeraq will head to York on Sunday.

“Any rain is going to suit Sky Majesty well and she’s heading there bang in form.

“Whether that form is good enough we will see, but she goes there fully entitled to take a shot.”

Owned by Brighton and Hove Albion supremo Tony Bloom alongside Ian McAleavy, Sky Majesty has really hit her stride of late with two impressive victories in Ireland which convinced connections to stump up the supplementary fee of £20,000.

The owners’ racing manager Sean Graham added: “Her best run last year was at Chantilly when she won on heavy ground.

“We’re very hopeful she will prove up to Group One level and if there’s going to be plenty of runners you can often need a little luck in running and sometimes the draw can play a part, but we’d be very happy she is heading there in good form and she’s entitled to take her chance.”

With the ground currently described as good, good to soft in places on Merseyside, it could prove the ideal opportunity for the filly to step back up to the highest level while in peak condition.

Sky Majesty also holds a Group One entry for the Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot on October 18, with Saturday’s outing set to provide a guide for future targets.

Sky Majesty rafter winning at Ayr last season
Sky Majesty rafter winning at Ayr last season (Steve Welsh/PA)

“You don’t get too many chances to have a crack at a Group One when conditions are in your favour and also she holds an entry in the Group One at Ascot on British Champions Day,” continued Graham.

“So Saturday will tell us if she has a right to run in that or if we’re flying a bit high and it will give us an idea where we’re going to go for the rest of the season as well.”

Sky Majesty is currently a 10-1 chance with the sponsors for the Sprint Cup.

William Haggas ‘gutted’ as setback scuppers Merchant’s Arc hopes

/in /by

Merchant will not run in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after suffering a setback which will rule him out for the remainder of the season.

The Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-owned colt was a Royal Ascot hero earlier in the summer before following up in the gloom of a rainy Goodwood afternoon in the Gordon Stakes, a battling success that inspired dreams of ParisLongchamp glory this autumn.

The son of Teofilo was due to put his Arc aspirations to the test in the ‘win-and-you’re-in’ Prix Niel this Sunday, but trainer William Haggas has been left “gutted”, as his name was missing from the list of confirmations on Wednesday.

Haggas told the PA news agency: “He’s just met with a little setback so unfortunately he will be out for the rest of the year.

“It was always the plan to go to ParisLongchamp for the Prix Niel but unfortunately we’re not going.

“We feel a bit gutted but sadly that’s just the way it goes.”

Merchant ends his season having won three of his four starts and advanced his career record to four wins from seven.

He has risen to an official rating of 115 thanks to his winning heroics, firstly at York during the Dante meeting and then subsequently in the King George V Stakes and at Goodwood.

Salisbury lose Dick Poole card for second successive season

/in /by

Salisbury has felt the full force of the weather and has been forced to abandon their early-September Dick Poole card for the second year in a row due to waterlogging.

The Wiltshire track lost the seven-race fixture, which has the Group Three juvenile event as its feature, on the day of racing 12 months ago, but this time around the action has been curtailed over 24 hours before it was due to take place with the course failing a 9am inspection on Wednesday following significant rainfall.

Salisbury clerk of the course Jeremy Martin said: “The abandonment is a great disappointment to everyone here and it is actually the second year in a row we have lost our main meeting of the season.

“It is of a consequence of around 60mm of rain in the last six days and of course we raced on Friday August 29 on ground that was practically soft.

“Although we railed a lot of it off, there is still plenty of the course that we can’t avoid like either side of the fibresand crossing, the dips and the lower areas of the dips between the four furlong marker and the two and a half.

“The ground there is very wet and they are areas which are unstable, and likewise in the last furlong, it can’t be avoided.

“The weather has changed quickly in the last week, we’ve had a lot of rain and there is more forecast throughout today and during the night, with potential for another 10-15mm.

“With that in mind there was no way the areas that were giving me concern were going to get better, they were only going to get worse, so it was in everybody’s interest we made an early decision and people could make other plans.

“We’re very disappointed as it’s a great card. I’ve been here 25 years and prior to last year we had never lost this fixture and now we’ve lost it two years in a row. It’s very disappointing and the rains have definitely arrived with a vengeance after five months of lovely sunny weather.”

Last year’s Dick Poole was rearranged for Salisbury’s Friday evening fixture just over a week later and officials are hopeful a similar arrangement could be made this time around.

Martin continued: “In terms of rescheduling the Dick Poole, I need to have a conversation with the BHA, there is the option of moving it to next Friday if everybody is willing to pull together.

“That will be something I will be working on today and it worked last year so let’s hope we can make it work this year.

“Last year when we rearranged we had a nice winner in Tabiti and next Friday is a seven-race card so hopefully the Dick Poole can be added to it.”

Racing Bulletin for 03/09/2025

/in /by

Latest News and Features

Your first 30 days for just £1

Today's Racing

Click on course names to view our course guides. Click on race times to access that racecard. Times highlighted in yellow are free races of the day.

Lingfield Park

Standard

 13:35 14:05 14:35 15:05 15:35 16:05 16:35 17:05 17:35
Bath

Good

 14:20 14:50 15:20 15:50 16:20 16:50 17:25
Hamilton Park

Good to Soft

 16:13 16:45 17:15 17:45 18:15 18:45 19:15 19:45
Kempton Park

Standard / Slow

 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00

Today's Featured Article

My Simple Ratings Method Revisited

Today's Feature of the Day is...

Trainer Statistics report

Good luck!


Mill Reef beckons for Into The Sky

/in /by

Jim Boyle has a return to Newbury for the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef in mind for his runaway debut winner Into The Sky.

The Starman colt made a serious impression when taking to the racecourse for the first time last week, cruising to a seven-and-a-half-length victory at 80-1.

With plenty of well-bred, costly purchases behind him, the 25,000 guinea buy very much caught the eye and is pencilled in for a step up in grade back at Newbury later this season, for which he would need supplementing at a cost of £6250.

“The most likely race for him now would be the Mill Reef at Newbury on the 20th of September,” said Boyle.

“He’s come out of his race grand, we’re very happy with him. Visually it was extremely impressive and that was backed up by the time.

“You couldn’t fail to be pleased with that, we’re just looking forward to his next run and hoping he can back it up.

“We’ve never had a two-year-old of the sort of quality that we’d be looking to go to the Mill Reef with any degree of expectation.”

Into The Sky’s early promise is another feather in the cap of the sire Starman, whose earlier progeny have been excelling on the racecourse.

Boyle said: “I have another Starman in the yard, he’s a lot more backward and may not see the track this year but he’ll be a smashing horse for next year.”

Lifeplan on course for Middle Park outing

/in /by

Declan Carroll’s Gimcrack winner Lifeplan will head next for the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on September 27.

The Kodi Bear colt arrived on the Knavesmire with one run under his belt as he claimed one-length victory at Thirsk in late July.

He remained at the same six-furlong trip for the Gimcrack but stepped sharply up to Group Two level, a hike in calibre that proved well within his reach as he prevailed by a length under Zak Wheatley.

The Middle Park was mentioned as a next step in the aftermath of the triumph and that remains the plan, with the two-year-old’s season likely to come to a close afterwards as Classic aspirations await next term.

“He’s come out of York grand and we’re looking at the Middle Park for him,” said Carroll.

“He would like a bit of juice in the ground, it was plenty quick enough for him at York at this stage of his career so we’d really be keeping an eye on the ground.

“He’d never really been away from home much, he’d not been a breeze-up horse or anything like that but he has been very professional in everything he’s done right from the start.

“The Middle Park will definitely be his last run this year, we won’t run him again after that. We’ll be looking at him as a Guineas horse if everything goes well at Newmarket.”

Rossa Ryan joins 1,000 winner club at Goodwood

/in /by

Rossa Ryan secured a major milestone when riding the 1,000th winner of his career on Lopeo at Goodwood.

Riding for David Menuisier, Lopeo (4-1) stayed pn powerfully in testing conditions to win the British EBF Peter Willett Future Stayers’ Maiden Stakes.

Career highlights for Ryan include last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe win on Bluestocking and a July Cup success on Shaquille.

“I wasn’t aware of 1,000 career winners but I was aware I was approaching 1,000 in Britain as I’ve a friend who is always on about it, so I’ve a few more to go for that. It’s great to get it,” Ryan told Racing TV.

“I’ve had a lot of good support from good people and I’ve a fantastic agent (Steve Croft) behind me, I think I’ve ridden 850 winners under him so I owe it all to him.

“I had an unbelievable grounding with Richard Hannon which helped me get the Amo job and that evolved on to Ralph (Beckett), it’s been a good journey. So far, so good.

“I have a lot of support, most of the time I can leave the races at the races. This year has been great, it hasn’t been as good as last year but I think I took last year for granted given what Bluestocking did.

“It’s something I have to learn to adapt to but I think I’m coping all right with it.”

No decision yet on promising Almeraq’s weekend target

/in /by

Connections of Almeraq have yet to decide whether to throw the promising colt in “at the deep end” in Saturday’s Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock.

The William Haggas-trained three-year-old has won two of his four starts to date and was last seen making a mockery of an opening mark of 90 on his handicap debut at Ayr in July.

The son of Dark Angel has the option of returning to Scotland for the Ladbrokes Ayr Gold Cup later this month but owners Shadwell are favouring a step up in class this weekend, with the Listed Garrowby Stakes at York on Sunday a possible alternative to Saturday’s Group One feature on Merseyside.

“No decision has been made as yet,” Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold said on Tuesday.

“I spoke to William this morning and it’s sort of depending a bit on the weather and how much rain they get (at Haydock). We’d like a good bit of rain for him as we know he likes soft ground and also we’re just debating whether we throw him in at the deep end or take a more gentle approach.

“We’ve been very patient with him, William has been very patient. He hasn’t had much racing and is a very unexposed horse, so from that point of view it might be asking too much to lob him straight in against the best and that’s what we’re discussing.”

If Almeraq does not head for Haydock, he could instead step up to the highest level on Qipco Champions Day at Ascot next month.

Gold added: “He’s in a Listed race at York on Sunday, so whether we go down that route first to try and make him a Stakes winner and then if he was to win that and win nicely we could look at the British Champions Sprint.

“He’s had so little racing this horse and has missed so much of the year with the firm ground, it will just be nice to get him back on the track and see where we’re going with him.

“There certainly is rain around, but you never quite know where it’s going to hit, so we’re going to work the horse in the morning, have another chat then and try and make the right decision.

“He’s also in at Ayr, but he’s not a Stakes winner as yet and we every much hope that he is Stakes class, so it would be nice to make him a Stakes winner.”

Moon Target team optimistic for the future

/in /by

Moon Target remains under consideration for some major end-of-season prizes, despite suffering defeat for the first time in the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood late last month.

Sir Mark Prescott’s filly looked a hugely exciting prospect when making a winning debut at Newmarket in mid-July and she was just as impressive on her second start at Yarmouth under a penalty.

She was a hot favourite to complete her hat-trick at Group Three level on the Sussex Downs, but was under pressure some way from home and was eventually beaten three-quarters of a length by Aidan O’Brien’s Irish raider Precise.

Moon Target in the parade ring at Goodwood
Moon Target in the parade ring at Goodwood (Steven Paston/PA)

“She ran well and it was the first proper race she’d been in really because in her first couple of races she just sort of dictated,” said Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud.

“Things didn’t quite go her way as she was slow out of the stalls and got a bit of a bump and was caught wide. The winner had a dream run and we were always on the back foot.”

Moon Target holds big-race entries in the Rockfel Stakes and the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket. When asked whether those high-profile contests could be on the agenda, Richardson added: “I wouldn’t want to step on Sir Mark’s toes, but we’ll certainly be discussing those sort of races and see where we go.

“I think a step up to a mile will benefit her and I wouldn’t mind trying her on slightly easier ground. The sire (Cracksman) produces horses that go on soft ground and there’s a bit of a Pivotal influence there, so we’ll see.”

Another Cheveley Park-owned juvenile filly who could test her powers at Group-race level before the season is out is the Andrew Balding-trained Imperial Ballet, who bolted up on her introduction at Newbury last week.

Richardson said: “We were very pleased and pleasantly surprised as she’d never been on the grass, so we weren’t really expecting a huge amount.

“We haven’t really thought about plans for her yet, but we will probably creep away I would expect with a view to having a little dart at the Oh So Sharp Stakes in October, maybe.”

Clive Cox planning attack on big juvenile prizes with star pair

/in /by

Clive Cox is keen to see if star juveniles A Bit Of Spirit and Coppull can bag more big-race success in the two-year-old division in the final third of the season.

A Bit Of Spirit returned to winning ways with a battling display at Sandown to come out on top in a four-way finish to the Solario Stakes and with the Lambourn handler still very much on a high from that Group Three triumph, the next step of the youngster’s career could involve a move up to Group One company.

“He’s come out of the race really well and we were delighted with the determination and courage he showed, it was a really pleasing success,” said Cox.

“We’ve got to decide where we’re going next now, but he’s shown he doesn’t mind a bit of ease in the ground.

A Bit Of Spirit (second left) winning at Sandown
A Bit Of Spirit (second left) winning at Sandown (Steven Paston/PA)

“He’s in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in France and in the Dewhurst, but we’ll allow him this week and then move forward accordingly.

“We’ve got choices and they’re all available. We’ve had such a dry summer and with the weather just beginning to take a turn, we might just watch and feel how everything pans out.

“We’re all still very much on a high from the success at the weekend.”

While A Bit Of Spirit’s next target is still to be determined, it appears Richmond Stakes scorer Coppull will bid to get back on track in Newmarket’s Middle Park Stakes later this month after finishing fifth in a red-hot Prix Morny when last seen.

“The idea would be to head to the Middle Park,” continued Cox. “He’s less proven on an easier surface and since coming home from France we’ve been a bit gentler with him but I’m sure we can resume a positive approach with him soon and look forward to the Middle Park as our next intended target.”

Coppull (right) winning the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood
Coppull (right) winning the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood (Andrew Matthews/PA)

He went on: “It was very very quick ground over there in Deauville. We were drawn on a wing with the American horse (Outfielder) on the other side. We were thinking he would go and make the running and we were caught a little bit wide and he was a bit too keen and to be fair, the ground was quick enough for him.”

Cox will also go in search of further two-year-old riches with Song Of The Clyde who will now take a well-known path to Doncaster’s Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes on September 11 after already picking up one huge bounty with victory at York last month.

The Middleham Park Racing-owned son of Sergei Prokofiev cashed in over £300,000 in prize-money when giving the Beechdown Stables handler a third-straight win in the Harry’s Half Million By Goffs sales race.

“I think he’s well enough qualified for the Weatherbys race at Doncaster and it’s six and a half, which I think will be within his compass,” said Cox.

“That will be our intended route and would mirror the same step we took with Dragon Leader who won the same race at York in 2023 before running very well (to finish second) in the Doncaster race.”

Gstaad going up in distance in bid to be National hero

/in /by

Gstaad is expected to thrive over seven furlongs when he tries the trip for the first time in the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh next weekend.

A hugely impressive winner of the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, he met with defeat on his next start in what looked a red-hot Prix Morny at Deauville.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien was encouraged by the way he finished that race off though, and expects him to improve for the step up in trip.

Gstaad was a brilliant winner of the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot
Gstaad was a brilliant winner of the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot (John Walton/PA)

“Gstaad will love seven furlongs,” said O’Brien. “He went to France but it was a little bit early, he came back heavier than he went so he’s going to be very comfortable at seven, he always was.

“The original plan was that he was going to go to the Curragh for a stiff six (Phoenix Stakes) but we didn’t get to go obviously. The filly (True Love) was to go to Deauville but they had to swap around.

“That was the way it worked but it didn’t suit either, the filly would probably be better over a quick six and he would have been better over a stiff six but that’s the way it was.

“He’s a fair horse, he stays, he’s quick, he’s a big hardy horse and you could see him going through the line at Deauville.”

He may be joined in the National Stakes at the Irish Champions Festival by Italy, second to Gewan in the Acomb Stakes at York.

“It’s possible Italy could join him, he ran well at York. He got back a little bit, he’s still a little immature mentally but we’re happy with him since so it’s a strong possibility he will,” said O’Brien.

Another potentially smart juvenile from the yard is Montreal, who is heading towards the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown a day earlier.

The son of Sea The Stars could be joined by a plethora of stablemates.

“Montreal was very impressive at Leopardstown when he won the last day,” added O’Brien.

“The Frankel horse who won in Killarney is a possible (Benvenuto Cellini) and the Frankel horse that won at the Curragh is a possible (New Zealand), as is the Frankel that won at Galway, Action. We’ve the horse that won at Goodwood by Camelot, Isaac Newton, he’s possible. They’re all possibles.”

Composing is building a fine reputation
Composing is building a fine reputation (Damien Eagers/PA)

Composing looks a very nice type among the fillies and is set to head the Moyglare Stud Stakes team.

He said: “Composing won very well the last day. She’s a very straightforward, honest to God filly.

“She doesn’t mind making the running and you have to follow her because she stays. She’s a good filly so that will be the plan with her.

“Beautify could run, she won a Group Two at the Curragh a while ago but she couldn’t run any more because she had penalties wherever she went. She’d be very happy going up to seven.

“There’s the filly who won at Goodwood as well (Precise) she might go or she might wait.”

Illinois and Jan Brueghel set for Irish St Leger clash

/in /by

Two Ballydoyle heavyweights in Illinois and Jan Brueghel are on a collision course in the Comer Group Irish St Leger at the Curragh on Sunday week.

Illinois finished second to Trawlerman in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June and was then beaten by younger stablemate Scandinavia in the Goodwood Cup.

Jan Brueghel beat Illinois by a neck in last year’s St Leger at Doncaster and was too good for Calandagan in this summer’s Coronation Cup, but trainer Aidan O’Brien has admitted to getting his tactics all wrong when he attempted to make all in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Speaking at a press morning at his Ballydoyle Stables ahead of the Irish Champions Festival, O’Brien said: “I think Illinois and Jan Brueghel will take each other on, the lads are very happy for that to happen. They are two older horses.

“We might not have seen the best of Illinois yet because the Gold Cup was a bit hard on him and his preparation up to it might not have been brilliant. He might have felt that a little bit in Goodwood, but we think he’s in a good place again. It might take until next year to get him right back.

“Jan Brueghel, we absolutely made a hash of it in the King George but he’s very well. Obviously he’s very idle in front, he needs something to be running at but he stays very well and he’s in good shape.

“You get plenty of days like Ascot but it’s sport and you have to take the good with the bad, you often learn more from the bad. At least we know what not to do with him any more, we won’t ask him to make his own running. He loves following a horse, stays very well but he is lazy.”

When asked if Jan Brueghel could be a Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe contender, O’Brien added: “He could be anything if the pace is on. We did the perfect thing with him at Epsom and then the completely wrong thing at Ascot.”

Your first 30 days for just £1