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

Ed Walker targets Prix Foy with Almaqam

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Ed Walker is hopeful his patience can be rewarded when Almaqam puts his Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe credentials to the test in the Prix Foy next month.

Held in the highest regard by his team, the dry summer and fast ground has rather curtailed the four-year-old’s progress since his impressive win over Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes back in May.

While that Sandown rival has gone on to contest – and win – some of the summer’s highest profile middle-distance events, Almaqam has only been seen the once since, finishing second to Royal Champion when a beaten favourite at York last month.

However, Walker is content to sit and wait for the right opportunity for his star colt to advertise his quality on his preferred going, now eyeing a move up to a mile and a half at ParisLongchamp on September 7 which could prove the catalyst for an exciting Arc tilt later in the autumn.

“He’s bouncing but it’s just a bit frustrating again that we can’t get him out and we’re just being patient and waiting for some soft ground,” said Walker.

“The plan at the moment is the Prix Foy and that will tell us if we’re going to have a crack at the Arc or not or head for the Champion Stakes.”

Almaqam was no match for Royal Champion
Almaqam was no match for Royal Champion at York (PA)

He went on: “I’m not sure if the ground may have caught him out at York last time really, as it was a very good performance from the winner. Probably the slightly drying ground and slick track just didn’t play to his strengths.

“He’s a hard horse to beat on soft ground so we just have to be patient.”

Almaqam is currently a best price of 50-1 for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, with odds of 16-1 available for the Qipco Champion Stakes on British Champions Day.

Eclipse one-two all set for International rematch at York

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Delacroix gets the chance to confirm Coral-Eclipse form with Ombudsman in what looks a fascinating renewal of the Juddmonte International at York.

The richest race of the four-day Ebor Festival has a hard act to follow, as 12 months ago when City Of Troy beat Calandagan it was again rated as the best race anywhere in the world.

Aidan O’Brien’s Delacroix may have failed to fire as a 2-1 favourite for the Derby in early June, trailing home ninth behind stablemate Lambourn, but he proved that form all wrong when coming from an uncompromising position to beat his elders in an pulsating Eclipse at Sandown in early July.

Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner Ombudsman was the horse he nabbed in the shadow of the post that day and while John and Thady Gosden’s runner is the marginal favourite to gain his revenge, O’Brien is happy with his charge ahead of the rematch.

“He seems in good form since Sandown, so I’m looking forward to it,” said the Ballydoyle handler.

“What he did at Sandown after the passage he had there was unusual (the way he quickened up), so we hope he runs well again.”

City Of Troy went to the Breeders’ Cup Classic last year and whoever wins the International will again be guaranteed a starting berth, should they wish to tackle the Del Mar dirt on November 1.

To ensure a true-run race at York after the sedate pace of the Eclipse, Godolphin supplemented the Andre Fabre-trained Birr Castle to help Ombudsman.

John Gosden said: “The Eclipse was a muddling race and we didn’t want the prospect of a repeat, so Godolphin have kindly provided us with a nice horse to use as a pacemaker and he arrived on Thursday.”

Danon Decile in action in Newmarket
Danon Decile in action in Newmarket (York Racecourse)

Adding the international flavour is the Japanese Derby winner Danon Decile, who has been in Newmarket for a couple of weeks.

He has not run since beating Calandagan in the Dubai Sheema Classic in early April, but that form looks strong given the runner-up has since won twice at Group One level.

Calandagan’s trainer Francis-Henri Graffard decided against sending his King George hero to York this time around, but does saddle a fascinating contender for the Aga Khan Studs in the unbeaten Daryz.

“Maybe this will all be too soon for him in his career, but I know Francis just felt the horse is in great form, he’s worked him for this race and when the horse is well he doesn’t like not running them because you never know what might happen,” said the the owners’ French stud manager Nemone Routh.

“We’ll take our chance and see where he ends up in the grand scheme. It helps that there’s a pacemaker as he’s a big horse with a big, long stride.”

She went on: “On paper you’d imagine he’ll stay a  mile and a half when you stand in beside him but for the moment he’s been running well over a mile and a quarter. A strongly-run 10 furlongs should suit him.

“There’s no excuses, it’s a level playing field with a long straight at York, it should be a guide as to where we fall among his generation.”

Both of the parents of Andrew Balding’s See The Fire won this race, for those who like their pedigrees.

The daughter of Sea The Stars and Arabian Queen produced her career-best over this course and distance when winning the Middleton Stakes earlier in the season and has since finished third in both the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and the Nassau.

“The Juddmonte is always, in my opinion, the strongest race of the year,” said Balding.

See The Fire was "electric" at York earlier in the season
See The Fire was “electric” at York earlier in the season (Mike Egerton/PA)

“It’s where the three-year-olds will always turn up against the older horses and you get that wonderful mix of perhaps horses stepping up from a mile to a mile and a quarter and horses dropping back from a mile and a half.

“I think this year it’s very strong, as you’d expect. There are a couple of exciting unknowns in there, the Japanese horse and the French horse. But the thing about See The Fire is we know she loves York. She’s unbeaten at the track. She was very impressive winning the Strensall last year and she was absolutely electric winning the Middleton this spring.

“I think certain horses favour York and she’s certainly one of those – it’s got to be to her advantage. I’m not saying that means she’s going to win the race, but it should make her very competitive.

“She seems to have come out of Goodwood very well, but you never really know until you run again. I hope she’s going there in really good form.”

Jack Davison hoping for Group One breakthrough with She’s Quality

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Jack Davison is confident She’s Quality can prove she is just that when attempting to end her run of near-misses in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

The four-year-old has been a regular raider to Britain this term, but so far has just fallen short, finishing second in all four outings – most recently when behind John and Sean Quinn’s reopposing Jm Jungle at Goodwood.

However, Davison has always seen the Knavesmire as the perfect place for his model of consistency to excel and she is backed to peak when it matters most to register a first success at Group One level.

“Ultimately she’s just been beaten by better horses on the day in her previous runs this season so I won’t make any excuses,” said Davison when analysing his charge’s season to date.

“What I will say though is I think she has learned a lot about sprinting in those four performances which will hopefully be in her favour on Friday and I think she has a very good chance of getting that number one by her name.

“It’s obvious that a quick five-furlongs on fast ground is exactly what she needs and this is the standout Group One option for her this year.

“We’ve been working towards it all season and I do think she thrives at this time of year which is another positive for a filly, so we’re really looking forward to it.”

She’s Quality is currently a best price of 10-1 for Nunthorpe glory, a race last won by the Irish when Edward Lynam’s Sole Power struck for the second time at York in 2014.

Carmers in good shape for York clash with Lambourn

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Paddy Twomey’s unbeaten colt Carmers is aiming for more success on British soil when he lines up in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes at York on Wednesday.

The Wootton Bassett three-year-old did not run at two, and has not put a foot wrong since making his debut with a win in a Ballinrobe maiden in early May.

He then took the Listed Yeats Stakes at Navan by a comfortable three lengths, after which he stepped up to Group Two level at Royal Ascot to claim the Queen’s Vase over a mile and six furlongs.

The colt is now heading for English shores again with his eye on another Group Two prize, this time stepping back to a mile and a half with Colin Keane booked to ride on the Knavesmire in the absence of the injured Billy Lee.

“He’s in very good form,” said Twomey.

“He’s trained really well since Ascot and has pleased us in everything he’s done, we’re really looking forward to getting him back out again.”

Carmers’ Queen’s Vase win at Ascot has looked like an increasingly solid piece of form – the runner-up, Furthur, has won the Geoffrey Freer since and the fifth-placed horse, Scandinavia, has subsequently struck twice when taking both the Bahrain Trophy and the Goodwood Cup.

Those performances bode well for Twomey’s runner, who will meet dual Derby winner Lambourn at York on quick ground the trainer feels his St Leger contender will relish.

“The race looks like it’s worked out really well, the form is very good from Ascot,” he said.

“I think the track at the Knavesmire will really suit him, it’s a big, galloping track and it will be fast ground which he really likes.

“He’d be very happy with the ground as it is, it was very quick ground at Ascot and he was very happy on that.”

Aidan O’Brien has chosen the Group Two as the next port of call for Lambourn, who has the option of the Leger or Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after this.

Impressive at Epsom, he was made to work extremely hard when following up at the Curragh by then stablemate Serious Contender, who had been beaten in a handicap at Royal Ascot and has since been sold to Hong Kong.

“Lambourn has obviously had four races this year, he’s fit, so he hasn’t done too much since the Curragh,” said O’Brien.

“We’ve just kept him ticking over really. Los Angeles came from the Curragh and Epsom to this race last year

“Mount Kilimanjaro had a break after winning at Chester. He’s just ready to start back really.

“It’s the same with Stay True, he just got beat in the Lingfield trial by another of ours (Puppet Master) and we gave him a break as that was just his second run, he’s just ready to start.

“They’ll improve a lot for the run.”

O’Brien also runs Thrice, seventh in the Irish Derby when last seen and prior to that the winner of the Gallinule Stakes.

William Haggas is represented by Glasgow Stakes runner-up Arabian Force, while Ralph Beckett’s Pride Of Arras, so impressive in the Dante but disappointing since, returns to York having been gelded.

Majestic Warrior aiming to realise long-term Ebor plan

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James Tate is hoping a long-term plan comes to fruition with Majestic Warrior in the Sky Bet Ebor at York on Saturday.

Successful in two of his first three races in 2023, the Churchill five-year-old then defied an absence of almost two years when bolting up at Thirsk in April.

Having seen his rating shoot up from 89 to 98, Tate has resisted the temptation to run since, instead electing to keep his powder dry for Europe’s richest Flat handicap.

“We’ve preserved his mark of 98, which we thought would get him in the race and give him the best chance I suppose,” said the Newmarket handler.

“The only concern is he doesn’t have as much experience as many of them in the field, but he’s in very good form, he’s a good horse and we’re looking forward to running him.

“We decided not to run him again after Thirsk and we’ll see if it’s a good plan halfway through Saturday afternoon.

“If he’d gone and won another small handicap he’d have been near enough top-weight, alternatively if we’d gone for a Listed race they’re probably worth £40,000 added most of those and this is £500,000 added, so we’ll give it a whirl and if it doesn’t work we can go somewhere else after.”

When asked whether he felt his charge was well handicapped, Tate added: “We hope so, but you don’t know do you? He’s a horse we’ve always liked, a mile and six (furlongs) will be his ideal trip, I would have thought, and I think he’d go on anything from good to soft to good to firm.”

‘A big player’ – Distant Storm brewing in Acomb Stakes

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Charlie Appleby is confident Distant Storm is heading to York as a “big player” for Wednesday’s Tattersalls Acomb Stakes.

The Godolphin team went to €1.9million to secure the colt’s services at the Arqana breeze-up sale in May and he gave them an immediate return on their investment when making a successful start to his career, albeit narrowly, at Newmarket’s July Festival.

That form could hardly have worked out better, with not only the runner-up Constitution River and the third Catullus winning since, but also the fifth, sixth, seventh, ninth and 10th home.

Couple that with the fact Distant Storm is bred in the purple as a son of Night Of Thunder out of Date With Destiny, who was the sole foal produced by the brilliant George Washington, and it is no surprise Appleby is expecting a bold showing from his charge on the Knavesmire.

“I’m very pleased with the way he has come out of Newmarket, he ran as we expected and has always shown himself up as a nice horse,” the Moulton Paddocks handler told Tattersalls.

“The Acomb was a race we had in mind once he broke his maiden. The way he’s done since his maiden means we’re going with confidence that he will be a big player.

“He’s a horse that’s developing all the time and hopefully looks as though he has got a bright future.”

Italy in the parade ring ahead of the bet365 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket
Italy in the parade ring ahead of the bet365 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket (Joe Giddens/PA)

The biggest threat to Distant Storm appears to be the Aidan O’Brien-trained Italy, who landed cramped odds on his Leopardstown introduction before finishing second to Appleby’s Saba Desert in the Group Two Superlative Stakes on the July course.

O’Brien said: “He ran well at Newmarket. The race was a bit messy but he ran well, he was still green.

“We think and hope he should have come on a bit and we’re expecting a nice run.”

Other contenders include Andrew Balding’s Newbury winner Gewan and David Menuisier’s Goodwood Galaxy, who won on his debut at Salisbury before placing a highly creditable fourth in Goodwood’s Vintage Stakes.

“He ran a good race at Goodwood and it makes sense to run here,” said Menuisier.

“I think he’ll be better over a mile, but there’s no ideal mile race coming up right now so it makes sense to go for the Acomb and then we’ll probably step him up in trip.

“He was slowly away at Goodwood and without that he could have finished even closer, but that is all in the past now and we’re looking to the future.”

Sparks flew at York when Electrocutionist made it an Italian job

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Danon Decile will add a global flavour to this year’s Juddmonte International Stakes at York. But 20 years ago it was the Italian job, as Electrocutionist sent sparks flying on the Knavesmire.

The last international raider to win the highlight of York’s season, Electrocutionist – rather fittingly ahead of the latest renewal – had a Japanese star a neck in arrears as daring trainer Valfredo Valiani enjoyed the crowning moment of his career at a place he will always hold dear.

“They are great memories and I love York, it is a gorgeous racecourse,” said Valiani, who also enjoyed Group One success on the Knavesmire with Super Tassa in the 2001 Yorkshire Oaks.

“Coming from Italy we don’t have up and downs, we have flat tracks and flat training centres, so York was just perfect.

Electrocutionist winning at York
Electrocutionist winning at York (John Giles/PA)

“The welcome we got from the racetrack was great and everyone was so nice to us. I can’t help but love York, as it is a place that has been so lucky for me.

“I have won Group races in Italy and France and England, but those wins at York are definitely the best achievements of my career.”

With Electrocutionist a champion in his native Italy, Valiani had long held ambitions of sending his nation’s flagbearer on the long raid from his base in Pisa to Yorkshire.

However, it was while the colt was lodging with the Italian’s compatriot and mentor Luca Cumani in the build up to his York date that excitement hit fever pitch, after Electrocutionist turned up the voltage under big-race pilot Mick Kinane with a scintillating piece of work on the Newmarket gallops.

Kinane would prove the final piece of the puzzle and after being given in-depth guidance on the eve of the Group One showpiece, Valiani’s gladiator was ready for his showdown with Kazuo Fujisawa Japan Cup hero Zenno Rob Roy in the white-hot atmosphere of York’s equine Colosseum.

Jockey Mick Kinane was a vital cog in Electrocutionist's York win
Jockey Mick Kinane was a vital cog in Electrocutionist’s York win (Niall Carson/PA)

“In May he won a Group Two in Italy and then he won the Gran Premio di Milano and straight after I said we’re going to run in York and I was pretty sure he would do very well,” said Valiani.

“We went there with a lot of confidence because I sent the horse to England about a month before the race and he did a very nice piece of work in the lead up under Mick Kinane on the Al Bahathri.

“I spoke to Mick at the Bedford Lodge Hotel the night before the race showing him all the videos of his previous races.

“I was talking him through them, showing him where I thought the jockey was doing well or doing wrong. I think we probably spent an hour talking and I just told him to to wait as long as he could, but then during the race I couldn’t help but think he had got him a bit too far back.

“He showed his class and won by a very short distance and when Mick jumped off he said ‘I knew I was going to win coming round the bend’ and I told him he should have called me as I have almost had a heart attack!

“He was a hell of a horse and it gave me great satisfaction.”

With a mid-race health scare avoided and his greatest racing accomplishment secured, the Tuscan trainer’s thoughts immediately turned to conquering Europe’s most prestigious middle-distance prize, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Parisian dreams would ultimately be vetoed, with Electrocutionist instead heading to Woodbine’s Canadian International for what would be his final start for Valiani in a spell that yielded six heroic victories and only two defeats.

Valiani said: “After York I wanted to run in the Arc, I was pretty sure he would have been in the first two and I still don’t think I was wrong, he could easily have done that.

“There were big discussions that lasted days and I ended up running him in a race in Canada and that is the only regret I really have with him that he didn’t get to run in the Arc.

“The only race he ever lost in Italy, he was beaten a nose by Shirocco, and the ground was slightly soft that day and he didn’t like that, he was a fantastic racehorse.”

Arc regrets will never diminish the Italian’s achievements on the Knavesmire and a love affair that had begun four years prior to Electrocutionist’s finest hour in Valiani’s care, when outsider Super Tassa silenced the swarming grandstands with her shock 25-1 triumph in the Yorkshire Oaks.

Super Tassa (left) winning at York
Super Tassa (left) winning at York (John Giles/PA)

That would be Italy’s first Group One triumph in Britain since Marguerite Vernaut’s successful sortie on the Champion Stakes in 1960, with the exploits of both Super Tassa and Electrocutionist ensuring Valiani’s place in both Italian and Yorkshire racing folklore.

“I think I have the best strike-rate at York in Group One races,” quipped Valiani.

“Super Tassa was 25-1 and I chose Kevin Darley to ride her as she was a filly who liked to come from behind and having watched a few races at York thought he was the perfect man. He did a hell of a job.

“I remember when Super Tassa won there were only four people shouting – my great friend and my teacher Luca Cumani, the owner Cyril Humphries, myself and my vet. Everyone else wasn’t talking at all because she caused such a shock.

“I love being a bloodstock agent, but I will never forget my training career which went on for 25 years and those days at York which were so lucky and so great.”

As for Electrocutionist, he would further advertise his class after Godolphin purchased him, winning the Dubai World Cup for Saeed bin Suroor and Frankie Dettori, before finishing second in both the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Racing Bulletin for 19/08/2025

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Stalls incident sees Windsor race voided

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Windsor officials declared the Free Digital Racecard At raceday-ready.com Apprentice Handicap void after a false start, with five of the seven riders involved each banned for 10 days.

Beaumadier, ridden by Conor Whiteley, appeared to anticipate the stalls opening, while at the same time Master Zack reared up under Ryan Kavanagh, with the gates triggered in the melee.

Kavanagh stepped on to the side of the stalls and Master Zack ran away with the blindfold on, breaking through a couple of the plastic rails but was caught and reported to be none the worse for the experience.

That left six running over the five furlongs, including Beaumadier who was very slowly away after his stalls incident and detached from the group, with Tommie Jakes passing the post first on Michael Attwater’s Cabeza De Llave.

Jakes told Sky Sports Racing: “I wouldn’t have seen the starter waving a flag as I was drawn wide. I don’t know why it was a false start anyway.

“I know a horse reared up just as I left the gates but I didn’t think anything of it really. I did hear a bit of screaming at the start but I thought that was when the one reared up.

“We just heard on the commentary and I didn’t see any flag, so I just carried on.”

Jack Doughty, Jack Dace, Taryn Langley and Alec Voikhansky all completed the course on their respective mounts and along with Jakes received a 10-day for failing to pull up.

Richard Westropp, chief stipendiary steward said: “Stall two (Beaumadier), the door flapped back into his path as the start was activated, so on the basis of that the starter called a false start.

“His flag was raised as it should be. All the horses ran but stall four (Master Zack) got loose.

“On the basis of the starter calling a false start, the recall man was stood right in the middle of the track, he waved his flag and blew his whistle, so procedures were followed to a tee.

“The jockeys told us in the inquiry they did not see the flag or hear the whistle, bar Mr Whiteley who did on horse number two, who actually activated the false start in the first place. He did see and made every effort to pull up his horse up.

“All the jockeys bar Conor Whiteley and Ryan Kavanagh have been banned for 10 days. Every jockey is entitled to an appeal, that is entirely up to them.

“Our footage is very clear, the recall man is stood in the middle of the track and blowing his whistle. I think all the procedures were followed correctly.”

Dace’s ban will run from September 3-13 inclusive, while the other four riders will be sidelined September 1-10.

Diamond Necklace among high-class Prestige entry

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Aidan O’Brien’s Diamond Necklace is among 19 entries for Sunday’s Virgin Bet Prestige Fillies’ Stakes at Goodwood.

The daughter of St Mark’s Basilica is a half-sister to Magic Wand and Chicquita and made a winning debut at the Curragh when beating better-fancied stablemate Minerva.

O’Brien has also entered Beautify, the only horse to beat Nunthorpe-bound Lady Iman this season, and Precise.

Sir Mark Prescott’s Moon Target, the Owen Burrows-trained Touleen and George Boughey’s Awaken, second to Venetian Sun in the Albany, are other top-class prospects entered.

As is David Menuisier’s Inis Mor, who created a favourable impression when winning on her debut at Newmarket, although she does have another option.

“She’s entered at Newmarket on Friday as well as the Prestige. We need to decide whether to run her with a penalty or in the Group Three,” said Menuisier.

“It wasn’t really a surprise how well she won, she had been working well in the morning. I don’t know about the strength of the race, but she’d always worked well.

“She can only improve when she goes up in trip when you see her pedigree.

“The aim is to run her in the Arqana race, the Criterium d’Automne, on the day before the Arc.”

Kalpana team closing in on Arc route decision

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The next destination for Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe favourite Kalpana is expected to be decided by the end of this week.

Connections are weighing up whether to go down the ‘Enable route’ and head to Kempton for the September Stakes or the more traditional path to the Arc by running a top-class filly in the Prix Vermeille.

Andrew Balding’s four-year-old is without a win in three races this season but has performed with credit in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, the Pretty Polly and the King George at Ascot leading to her heading the lists for the ParisLongchamp showpiece.

Owners Juddmonte won the Arc last year with Bluestocking who, like Kalpana, finished second in the King George and also ran in the Juddmonte International before winning the Prix Vermeille.

“Kalpana remains in good form,” said Barry Mahon, Juddmonte’s racing manager.

“She’s had a little freshen up but we’ve yet to fully commit to where she’s going to go next.

“The options are the September Stakes on the all-weather at Kempton or the Prix Vermeille.

“Hopefully we’ll have a decision by the end of this week.”

Qirat supplemented for Rosallion rematch at York

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Shock Sussex Stakes winner Qirat has been supplemented for the Sky Bet City of York Stakes on Saturday.

The Ralph Beckett-trained four-year-old was added to the Sussex field late in the day, primarily to carry out pacemaking duties for Field Of Gold, but he became the biggest-priced winner of a Group One in modern history at 150-1.

It cost his owners Juddmonte £70,000 to add him to the Goodwood race and they have paid another £40,000 to run him in York’s seven-furlong contest, which boasts top-level status for the first time this year.

“It looks the right race for him and Ralph felt strongly about it,” said Barry Mahon, racing manager for Juddmonte.

“The owners are happy to go along with it, he showed plenty of pace in the Sussex and while a mile is his optimum, I don’t think he’ll have any problem dropping back to seven.”

After his hold-up last week, Richard Hannon has rerouted Rosallion, narrowly denied by Qirat at Goodwood, and the pair are in line to meet once more.

Mahon said: “It looks like we could meet Rosallion again and we know he’s a top-class horse, but he obviously had a little issue last week which stopped him from running in France. We’re looking forward to taking him on again and hopefully we’ll be able to maintain our position from Goodwood.”

Hugo Palmer’s Seagulls Eleven, also a winner at Goodwood in Group Three company, is another, supplemented for the race.

Andrew Balding’s Never So Brave will aim to maintain his progression having won the Summer Mile last time out while Maranoa Charlie comes over from France to represent local owners Bond Thoroughbreds.

Lake Forest, Audience, Exactly, Cosmic Year, Quinault, Ten Bob Tony, Ides Of March and Annaf make up the total of 13 contenders.

Power Blue on National mission for Adrian Murray

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Adrian Murray is relishing stepping up to seven furlongs with his Phoenix Stakes hero Power Blue in next month’s Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes.

The son of Space Blues followed in the footsteps of Murray’s other Group One scorer Bucanero Fuerte when downing Aidan O’Brien’s True Love at the Curragh, proving his top-class potential after a string of fine runs in defeat since winning the opening race of the Irish turf season in March.

His handler has been delighted with his progress and even has half an eye on next year’s Classics as he looks forward to an appearance on day two of the Irish Champions Festival.

“I’m looking forward to the National Stakes with Power Blue and stepping up a furlong might even suit him better,” said Murray, who confirmed the aforementioned Bucanero Fuerte will run on the same card in the Flying Five Stakes after his win in the Group Three Phoenix Sprint.

“You would have to be looking at him being a possible Guineas horse and he would be entitled to be entered for those races.

“It will all depend on how he progresses from two to three but he’s done nothing but improve and he’s always been competitive, even when he has been beaten. Win or lose, he always shows up on the day and he ran a blinder the other day.

“His form is top-drawer stuff and he’s proving he’s a top-drawer horse.”

Delacroix and Ombudsman part of six-strong Juddmonte International field

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A fascinating six-runner field has been declared for the Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday, headlined by a rematch between Delacroix and Ombudsman.

The pair met in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, where Ryan Moore conjured a tremendous last-gasp effort from Aidan O’Brien’s Delacroix to deny the John and Thady Gosden-trained Ombudsman.

Ombudsman had earlier been very impressive in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and the four-year-old has yet to finish out of the first two in seven career starts.

Delacroix followed the traditional Ballydoyle Derby route to Epsom, winning the two Leopardstown trials, but never looked happy in the premier Classic. Back at 10 furlongs last time out, he showed this true colours.

The race truly lives up to its International name this year, with Danon Decile having travelled over from Japan for the contest. He was last seen beating subsequent King George winner Calandagan in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Daryz, from the same Francis-Henri Graffard stable as last year’s runner-up Calandagan, represents the Aga Khan Studs, aiming to be the first French-trained winner since Triptych in 1987.

Andrew Balding’s See The Fire, a 12-length winner of the Middleton Stakes over course and distance earlier in the season, is another with strong claims.

Birr Castle, supplemented last week, is set to play the role of pacemaker for Ombudsman.

Seven go to post in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes, where dual Derby winner Lambourn is the standout.

O’Brien’s colt faces three stablemates in Mount Kilimanjaro, Stay True and Thrice, while Paddy Twomey’s Carmers, the unbeaten Queen’s Vase winner, could give him plenty to think about and Dante winner Pride Of Arras aims to bounce back after being gelded.

Coolmore and Godolphin face off in the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes, with Italy and Distant Storm respectively in a field of eight.

Hollie Doyle retainer with Imad Al Sagar comes to an end

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Hollie Doyle will no longer act as the retained rider to owner Imad Al Sagar, with Oisin Murphy instead due to take up the position.

Doyle was in the saddle each time Al Sagar’s star mare Nashwa took to the track, guiding her to three Group One victories at the peak of her career.

The formal retainer may have now come to an end, but Al Sagar and his racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe hope to maintain their link with the rider.

Hollie Doyle enjoyed some huge moments with Nashwa
Hollie Doyle enjoyed some huge moments with Nashwa (David Davies/PA)

The latter said: “We’re keen to stress that we have had a fantastic relationship with Hollie throughout, and we hope that will continue for many years to come in different forms.

“There are, however, moments when it is time for a change and Imad felt this was the right time to move on.

“We will now use Oisin, when available, in the absence of Hollie.”

Doyle told attheraces.com: “Unfortunately, I was informed on Friday I’d lost my long-standing retainer with leading owner Imad Al Sagar. It came as a bit of a shock, particularly at this stage of the season.

“I’ve been a part of Imad’s operation for five years, riding 38 winners including at the highest of levels. We’ve enjoyed numerous stakes winners, a Royal Ascot winner and a Classic winner with the wonderful Nashwa in the Prix de Diane in 2022, followed by two further Group One successes.

“I have nothing but the utmost respect for Imad and would like to thank him for giving me such an amazing opportunity at a formative stage of my career. I wish him and the team the very best of luck in the future.”

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