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

Zanahiyr gets back to winning ways at Galway

Zanahiyr made a welcome return to the winning ways in the Kinlay Hostel Chase on the final day of the Galway Festival.

Third in the 2023 Champion Hurdle, Gordon Elliott’s one-time Triumph Hurdle favourite was third in the Galway Plate last year and was making his second appearance of the week at the Ballybrit track after finishing seventh and well held in this year’s feature chase.

Sent off 9-4 in the hands of Jack Kennedy, this was far from an easy assignment with Willie Mullins’ Blood Diamond the odds-on favourite, but the eight-year-old rolled back the years to strike for the first time since shedding his maiden status over fences in February 2024.

Kennedy said: “Delighted for the horse. He’s been a great horse, placed in Champion Hurdles and it’s nice for him to get his head in front today.

“I was happy enough to tip away in front, I didn’t go mad, and it worked out well.

“He was brilliant at the last two in the dip and is better when you are going on with him and not getting in too tight.

“It’s been a great week.”

Elsewhere John McConnell’s Ballystone kept on well to win in the Kenny Galway Peugeot Handicap Hurdle.

It was a dream success for his jockey Alex Harvey who was full of praise for the 14-1 scorer.

Harvey said: “He’s a lovely horse, very genuine. I got a lovely run around on the inside and it was just a matter of holding onto him and pressing the button.

“He put his head down on the run-in and galloped away to the line.

“The ground was a question as he wants a bit of nicer ground. To be honest it’s just the slow side of good bar the straight which is borderline heavy.

“He’s progressive and I can’t wait to see him over a fence.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a kid and you dream about having a winner so to have two in the week is unbelievable.”

Jel Pepper among strong British contingent in Ballyhane Stakes

Jel Pepper travels to Ireland in search of major riches in the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes at Naas.

An impressive winner on his Goodwood debut in early June, Paul and Oliver Cole’s charge then finished a promising third behind Zavateri in Newmarket’s Group Two July Stakes.

The winner gave that form a significant boost by following up in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood on Tuesday and connections of Jel Pepper are expecting a bold showing from their charge in Monday’s €200,000 feature in County Kildare.

“Jel Pepper is a good horse who ran very well in the July Stakes and we have missed Goodwood with him to go to Naas,” said Oliver Cole.

“It is great prize money and I believe the ground will be on the easy side of good which will play to his strengths as he likes a bit of a cut in the ground.

“It is quite daunting coming to Ireland because there are so many good horses but these races are fantastic and it is brilliant to have a horse good enough to take part.”

Jel Pepper is one of five British-trained contenders along with Richard Fahey’s Cosmic Clarets, the George Scott-trained Front Line Fury and Kevin Ryan’s pair of Tropical Dreamer and There’s A Chance.

Scott’s contender missed out on a hat-trick when denied by a head at Ascot last time, but the Newmarket handler has plenty of belief in his solid operator ahead of this raiding mission.

He said: “He’s a really dependable two-year-old who just turns up runs his race and always seems to be improving.

“I’m really pleased with him and he’s taken another step forward since Ascot where he was very much a sitting duck.

“We think we are well drawn but you never quite know and I guess it will depend on where the pace and quality in the race is. I think he will go and run his usual solid race and will be there and thereabouts at the finish.

“He arguably has to come forward again from what he’s shown but he’s a tough horse and really cool and I’m very fond of him.”

The home team is headed by Joseph O’Brien’s Prix Robert Papin winner Green Sense.

Kalpana taking things easy before big autumn targets

Kalpana will take a well-trodden path to Paris after she ignited dreams of back-to-back wins in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for owners Juddmonte when second in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Andrew Balding’s star filly found just French raider Calandagan too good in Ascot’s mid-summer showpiece, replicating the effort of Juddmonte’s Bluestocking 12 months ago, who would go on to score in both the Prix Vermeille and Europe’s richest middle-distance prize in the autumn.

Kalpana is set for a short break to recover from her Ascot exertions, but as a general 7-1 favourite for the Arc could follow the ‘Bluestocking route’ to the French capital with the Vermeille a possibility for her return.

Kempton’s Unibet September Stakes on September 6, a race the daughter of Study Of Man won last season before landing Group One success on British Champions Day – and used by the great Enable to tee-up Arc glory in 2018, is another option at her disposal.

“She ran huge and the handicapper put her official rating up again which shows she ran a career best,” said Juddmonte’s European racing manager Barry Mahon, reflecting on her Ascot second.

“She’s so genuine and just always tries her heart out and Andrew is going to give her a little break now just to freshen her up with the autumn in mind.

“What that will look like we’re not quite sure yet, but we’ve got the Prix Vermeille and September Stakes as the two races we will look at and hopefully, ultimately it is the Arc in October.

“Both races have lead us to Arc glory in the past so the owners will sit down with Andrew in a few weeks time and see which way they want to go.”

Prior to her second to Calandagan, Kalpana has also performed with credit in two appearances at the Curragh when third in the Tattersalls Gold Cup after an interrupted passage, then runner-up to Whirl in a thrilling renewal of the Pretty Polly Stakes.

Buoyed by those fine efforts in defeat on quicker going over the summer months, the Kalpana team are now excited about what could come when encountering envisaged easier conditions in the second half of the season when combined with her preferred mile and a half distance.

Mahon added: “She’ll be ready to go in the autumn and hopefully there will be a little bit more juice in the ground which we know she likes and will suit her. She’s shown such a high level of form on good and good to firm that we feel there is a bit more to come on softer ground.

“She’s favourite for the Arc and I don’t know if that indicates much or not but it is one of Europe’s premier middle-distance races and definitely the type of races Juddmonte want to be competing in.”

Deauville calling for progressive Almeraq

Impressive recent Ayr winner Almeraq could head to France next weekend for the Listed Prix Moonlight Cloud at Deauville.

The lightly-raced William Haggas-trained colt bolted up in Scotland, winning an Ayr Gold Cup trial by five lengths.

Given how impressive he was a hefty rise in the weights was on the cards and he has been put up a stone by the assessor.

Haggas now holds Group-race aspirations for the Shadwell-owned three-year-old, but a tilt at the Ayr Gold Cup next month has not been ruled out.

“We’ve put him in a Listed race at Deauville, so that is a possibility,” said Haggas.

“He went up 14lb for his win the other day so he will get in the Ayr Gold Cup now.

“I’ll put him in it. We hope that he’s going to reach dizzier heights than that at some point at this stage.”

Racing Bulletin for 03/08/2025

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.

Galway

Good

13:50 14:20 14:55 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30
Chester

Good

14:10 14:45 15:20 15:52 16:22 16:52 17:22
Yarmouth

Good

14:32 15:07 15:42 16:12 16:42 17:12

Today's Featured Article

Chester Draw & Pace Bias: Part 1

Today's Feature of the Day is...

Pace Maps for ALL races

Good luck!


Tyson Fury takes centre stage at Doncaster

Tyson Fury was the star attraction at Doncaster on Saturday, with the former heavyweight world champion on hand to see one of his horses in action on Town Moor.

Accompanied by his wife Paris, Fury watched Big Gypsy King – a winner at Chelmsford on her penultimate start – contest the Unison Campaigning For Public Services Handicap over seven furlongs.

The Oliver Cole-trained filly, who Fury owns with his manager Spencer Brown, was a 7-1 shot to strike gold in the hands of Luke Morris and hopes appeared high beforehand, with Fury telling Sky Sports Racing: “She’s in great shape, she’s running (working) well at the stables, so let’s hope she can put it into practice here today.

“She won (at Chelmsford), she smashed it, so hopefully she can do the same here today at Doncaster.

“We’re here in Paris’ home town, so we want to win today.”

Big Gypsy King, however, did not live up to the billing, trailing home last of 11 runners.

The three-year-old is not the only horse Fury owns, with the 36-year-old adding: “I’ve been around horses most of my life and at the latter end of my career I started getting into a few different horses.”

Not for the first time, Fury announced his retirement from boxing in January after losing his rematch against Oleksandr Usyk by unanimous decision the previous month.

And despite rumours of another comeback, when asked when he would return to the ring, he said: “Never, I’m too old. Look at my beard, all grey. Boxing’s a young man’s game.”

Evanesco is Goodwood Eyecatcher following narrow defeat

It is surely only a matter of time before Evanesco opens his account judged on a promising second run at Goodwood on Saturday.

Ultimately well beaten when fifth on his Haydock debut a month ago, Charlie Johnston’s charge was a 14-1 shot for his next assignment in what looked a strong contest on the Sussex Downs.

The Too Darn Hot colt clearly learnt plenty from that initial effort as he was travelling best of all entering the final furlong before being run down by Aidan O’Brien’s odds-on favourite Isaac Newton. It will be a surprise if Evanesco does not make it third time lucky in maiden company next time.

Action another ace in O’Brien’s juvenile pack

Action put himself in line for some big targets later in the campaign as he shed his maiden tag on the penultimate day of the Galway Festival.

A Frankel half-brother to this year’s dual Derby hero Lambourn, Action finished behind his Aidan O’Brien-trained stablemates New Zealand and Isaac Newton on his initial run, with the latter boosting the form when prevailing at Goodwood just moments before the Whiriskey Refrigeration Irish EBF Maiden.

Sent off the 4-9 favourite in the hands of Wayne Lordan, Action was a length and a quarter too good for Perisher and Group race targets could now be on the horizon, with Paddy Power making him a 33-1 shot for next year’s Derby.

Action and jockey Wayne Lordan after winning the Whiriskey Refrigeration Irish EBF Maiden
Action and jockey Wayne Lordan after winning the Whiriskey Refrigeration Irish EBF Maiden (PA)

O’Brien’s representative Chris Armstrong said: “Wayne knows the family inside out and they have been very good to him.

“He is a smashing colt, he had a lovely run at the Curragh first time out and just five minutes before this race jumped off, the horse that beat him, Isaac Newton, won at Goodwood, so I’d say it was a very strong maiden.

“It was his first time out in front and he was very green and raw but once Wayne asked him, he found the line well. You probably won’t see the best of him until he goes up in trip and he is now in the mix for something like the Golden Fleece on Irish Champions Weekend and then maybe a Futurity Trophy (at Doncaster) or another Group One in France.”

Winning Smut and jockey Jack Kennedy on their way to Galway glory
Winning Smut and jockey Jack Kennedy on their way to Galway glory (PA)

Gordon Elliott added the BoyleSports Handicap Hurdle to his big-race tally this week as Winning Smut repelled all challengers in the Listed highlight.

The Cullentra handler had already bagged the Galway Plate and Hurdle, courtesy of Western Fold on Wednesday and Ndaawi on Thursday, and Winning Smut was sent off the 13-2 joint-favourite to keep the bandwagon rolling.

Partnered by Jack Kennedy, Winning Smut was in front turning for home and while Fascile Mode, Chart Topper and Teed Up made late bids for glory, Elliott’s charge had two and a quarter lengths in hand at the line.

Elliott’s representative Lisa O’Neill said: “We didn’t know how good he was coming into this but he scraped in down the bottom of the weights and having a feather weight in those competitive handicaps helps. Jack gave him a beautiful ride up the inside and said he got there too soon but he toughed it out well.

Winning Smut and connections in the winner's enclosure
Winning Smut and connections in the winner’s enclosure (PA)

“It is great for his owners (Dennis Reddan) as they have been in racing for a long, long time and they are delighted to have a winner here at Galway. He is a homebred so it means so much to them and hopefully there is plenty more for him over the coming months.”

Some Pretender (evens favourite) made a winning racecourse debut in the Salthill Hotel Irish EBF Mares INH Flat Race, while Andrew Slattery chalked up his third win of the week as Ebony King (9-1) landed the BoyleSports Best Odds Guaranteed Maiden Hurdle.

Silent Love tastes Listed glory in Chalice Stakes

Charlie Appleby is planning a step up to Group-race level with Silent Love following her hard-fought victory in the British Stallion Studs EBF Chalice Stakes at Newmarket.

Placed on her first two starts before making it third time lucky at Kempton in June, the Dubawi filly was 7-4 favourite to claim Listed honours on the July course in the hands of Billy Loughnane.

Having raced keenly during the early stages of the mile-and-a-half contest before making her move, Silent Love had to dig deep late on, with Jane Temple a willing adversary.

There was little to choose between the pair as the post loomed, but Silent Love saw out the race best to prevail by half a length, with Karmology four and a half lengths further behind in third.

Speaking on the Godolphin website, Appleby said: “I told Billy before the race that Silent Love would stay, but not to commit her too far out if he could help it.

“He felt the ground was a bit tacky and he would have won by a couple of lengths with proper soft ground. He was quite impressed with the way she saw it out.

“We have a race in mind at Deauville, the Group Three Prix Lady O’Reilly, and this should hopefully give her a nice progression on to that.”

Loughnane went on to complete a double aboard the Ian Williams-trained Beylerbeyi (9-4) in the Turners Park Group Ltd Handicap.

Other winners on the card included 11-2 shot Inis Mor, who looked destined for bigger and better things after making an impressive start to her career in the Durcan Bloodstock Pat Smullen Memorial EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes for David Menuisier and Sean Levey.

Two Tribes secures big-race double in Stewards’ Cup

Two Tribes bagged his second major prize in the space of a week with victory in the Coral Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood.

Richard Spencer’s charge was a 25-1 winner of the International Handicap at Ascot last Saturday and was turned out swiftly under 6lb penalty for the £250,000 on the final day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

With David Egan again in the saddle, 11-2 shot Two Tribes was up with the pace from the start in the group that raced closest to the stands’ rail and took over the lead from last year’s winner Get It entering the final two furlongs.

His stablemate Run Boy Run looked the biggest threat over on the far side of the track entering the closing stages, but Two Tribes kept up the gallop and was well on top as he passed the post with just over two lengths in hand.

Strike Red and Jakajaro chased him home in second and third respectively, with Run Boy Run fourth and another Spencer runner in Twilight Calls fifth.

“I thought all three of them had really good chances leading into it, but Two Tribes is in great form and when you get a sprinter in this sort of form they’re hard to beat,” the trainer told Racing TV.

“Two runs in seven days is hard for any horse, but at this level it’s even harder. They’re not small fields, they’re 28-runner races and the tempo is hard.

“It’s crazy how far he’s won today, I didn’t expect him to do that in a million years, but it’s great.

“We’ve got no immediate plans, we’ll just have to see what the handicapper does – I think he’s probably going to give him a fair whack for that today. We’ll let the dust settle and see where we go.”

Two Tribes (black cap) winning the Stewards' Cup
Two Tribes (black cap) winning the Stewards’ Cup (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Phil Cunningham, who owns all three Spencer-trained runners, said: “It all happened quite quickly. Having three runners in a race like this is a dream but it’s quite difficult to try to follow them when it’s a short trip and a big field.

“It’s an amazing day. Honestly, after he won last Saturday, we weren’t going to run him today. Richard said we were going to keep him at seven furlongs but we had a change of plan on Wednesday and obviously I’m delighted that we have.

“It was a team decision but when you have a horse that’s qualified to run in a race like this, at a festival, with the prize money on offer, I think you’ve got to take your chance.

“Every next big win is probably the best one. We’ve been very lucky to have some lovely winners in the past, but you always chase the next one. Saturday winners and festival winners are what we do this for.

“Richard has done an amazing job. I thought he was brave trying to saddle three on his own but we got it done and we’ve got lots to look forward to with the group of horses that we have got, which are gradually creeping up in quality.”

Waardah steps up to take Lillie Langtry honours

A step up in distance and class proved to be no barrier to success for the improving Waardah in the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood.

The Owen Burrows-trained filly impressed when landing a 10-furlong Listed event at this venue in early June, but she faced another half a mile and better opposition in this Group Two contest.

Ridden by Callum Rodriguez, Waardah was a well supported 7-2 chance at the off and after travelling smoothly into contention early in the home straight, she was coaxed to the front heading inside the final two furlongs.

Her stamina was given a thorough examination, with the the gallant Danielle refusing to go down without a fight, but Waardah saw her off and passed the post three-quarters of a length in front.

Rodriguez, who was one of five jockeys involved in a dramatic emergency landing on Thursday after the light aircraft in which they were travelling to Goodwood suffered what was thought to have been an engine problem, told ITV Racing: “It was a messy start to the week, but we made sure that we were on four wheels today!

“I’m very pleased to get that one off my back. She is a rapidly improving filly and has a nice way of racing. It was a very good performance.”

Waardah and Callum Rodriguez return to the Goodwood winner's enclosure
Waardah and Callum Rodriguez return to the Goodwood winner’s enclosure (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Burrows told Racing TV: “I thought she handled it all very well. Callum said she switched off great and in hindsight he said he probably got there a bit soon, but we’re still learning about her because she’s inexperienced.

“I thought she was very honest when the second horse came to her, I thought she was possibly going to get outstayed, but in the last half a furlong she was going away again.

“I felt she’d come forward from her last run here, her work at home had been very good, we thought we’d roll the dice and thankfully it’s come off.

“She’d have no trouble going back to a mile and a half and she’s an exciting filly. She’s in the Yorkshire Oaks, I think it is important she gets a bit of juice in the ground. We’ll see how she comes out of this, but Ascot in October (Champions Day) would suit her.”

Thady Gosden, joint trainer of runner-up Danielle, was delighted with her effort on what was her seasonal bow.

He said: “She is a very genuine filly who gives her all. That was a pleasing race first time back. The winner is a nice filly. Stepping up in trip has benefited her.

“We have been avoiding quicker ground with her but after the rain we had on Thursday, it suited her even though it was drying.

“The Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster would be a natural step with her.”

Sam Hawkens books Australian ticket with Summer strike

William Haggas is planning a trip to Australia with Sam Hawkens after the progressive four-year-old justified 4-1 favouritism in the Coral Summer Handicap at Goodwood.

On a hat-trick following wins at Newcastle and Hamilton, Tom Marquand’s mount was good value for the winning margin of half a length over Dancing In Paris, with Aeronautic a neck further behind in third.

Haggas was completing a quick-fire double after landing the opening Glorious Stakes with admirable veteran Al Aasy.

Of Sam Hawkens, he told Racing TV: “I was pleased with him, he’s really improved this year. Sam, our son, bought him last summer online, we didn’t really like him much when he came and he ran two pretty ordinary races.

“We gelded him over the winter and he’s taken a bit of time, but the horse has really thrived and is obviously in good form and on good terms with himself as he went to Newcastle and won and went to Hamilton and won and he’s come for a big race today and won.

“He’ll go to Australia I think. We’ve booked a place in quarantine on September 5 and the race is on October 18, so I think we’ll go now.”

Al Aasy’s rider Jim Crowley completed a double of his own in the Whispering Angel Handicap aboard the John and Thady Gosden-trained Mudbir.

A 4-1 shot having won two of his three previous starts this season, the three-year-old moved to the front entering the last half-furlong and while Dance In The Storm then swooped with what looked like a winning challenge, Mudbir found more to win in a photo finish by a short head.

The stewards did hold an enquiry after the first two came close together in the heat of battle, but the placings remained unaltered.

Crowley, riding his 100th Goodwood winner, said: “This is my local track and it’s always been very lucky for me over the years. It’s been lucky again today.

“I hope Mudbir continues to progress, he’s a lovely horse and still very green. He had to be very brave to go through a gap – he got a smack across the face as he went through.

“When he hit the front, he was still a bit green, but I always felt he was holding the second.”

Aidan O’Brien’s Isaac Newton toughed out victory in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes.

Beaten a nose when second to stablemate New Zealand on his Curragh debut two weeks ago, the Camelot colt was an 8-13 favourite to go one better under Ryan Moore and while odds-on backers were made to sweat, he got rolling late to deny Evanesco by a neck.

Moore said: “He ran a lovely race, he had a very good run the first day at the Curragh and the third horse (Action) just won at Galway, so the form looked fairly good.

“I suppose seven furlongs on this track was probably not ideal for him, but he did everything right and got into a nice rhythm and stayed going well.

“He showed a good attitude and he’ll continue to improve from race to race.”

The Coral Golden Rewards Shaker Handicap brought the five-day Qatar Goodwood Festival to a close and it was Andrew Balding’s 11-8 market leader Gladius who sent favourite backers home happy with a hard-fought success over Whip Cracker in the hands of William Buick.

“He’s had to do it the hard way, he was posted a little bit wide, but William has done a lovely job,” said Balding.

“He’s a lovely horse, he doesn’t show a huge amount at home so each time we’ve run him it’s been a pleasant surprise and hopefully he can keep going because he keeps improving.

“He’s won a handicap today off 94 and we’ll probably go for another handicap in my opinion, but we need to discuss that with his partners.”

Al Aasy defends Glorious Stakes title in style

Al Aasy came from last to first to successfully defend his Coral Glorious Stakes crown at Goodwood.

The William Haggas-trained eight-year-old claimed the fifth of his seven Group Three victories to date in this race 12 months ago before going on to land the Geoffrey Freer at Newbury in August and the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown on his first start of this season in April.

Despite coming up short in two subsequent outings, most recently finishing seventh in the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot, Al Aasy was a 13-8 favourite on his return to the Sussex Downs and after being settled at the rear of the five-strong field for much of the way, he picked up well when asked to go about his business by Jim Crowley to run down his rivals and pull three lengths clear of Meydaan at the line.

Haggas told Racing TV: “He’s terrific, isn’t he? He’s a fabulous horse. He’s pretty reliable in this grade when things set up like that.

“They didn’t go very fast today and he usually likes a stronger pace and they slow down a bit, but they picked up well up the straight and he still found a gear. He actually ran on strongly today as usually he wins by half a length or a neck.

“He’s been called some names in the past and I wish people would respect him for what he is. He’s a very talented horse, he just needs to be ridden like that – you need to wait and wait and wait.

“I haven’t put him a Group One race and we think at eight years old this is probably his level, Listed and Group Three races and maybe the odd Group Two are fine for him. He’s a useful horse.

“He’s a very strong traveller, so you can imagine at home when we don’t get them off the bridle he looks like Nijinsky every time! He catches the eye every morning, so he’s been a joy for us.”

National assignment on the radar for Vintage hero Zavateri

A trip to Ireland for the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes could be next on the agenda for Zavateri following his hard-fought success at Goodwood on Tuesday.

Following a successful debut at Salisbury in early June, the Without Parole colt sprang something of a surprise when landing Newmarket’s July Stakes last month, but proved that victory was no fluke when bagging a second Group Two success in the Vintage Stakes on the Sussex Downs.

Trainer Eve Johnson Houghton will now look to test her star juvenile at Group One level, potentially at the Curragh on September 14.

“He’s come out of Goodwood great,” said the Blewbury-based trainer.

“He is unbelievable because he thought he’d won his race, he’d switched off and then good old Morris Dancer came for him and you could see him flick his ears, change his legs and almost say ‘oh for goodness sake, come on then!’.

“We’ll look at the Dewhurst but that’s quite a long way off, he’s in the National Stakes too so that would be quite a nice start for him with the timing – National and then Dewhurst.

“He’s fantastic, I’m so proud of him. It’s very, very exciting.”

Racing Bulletin for 02/08/2025

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.

Goodwood

Good to Soft

13:20 13:55 14:30 15:05 15:45 16:20 16:55
Thirsk

Good to Firm

13:38 14:15 14:50 15:25 16:05 16:40 17:15 17:50
Doncaster

Good to Firm

13:45 14:20 14:55 15:30 16:10 16:45 17:20
Galway

Good

14:02 14:37 15:12 15:52 16:27 17:00 17:35 18:05
Newmarket

Good to Soft

14:10 14:45 15:20 16:00 16:35 17:05
Lingfield Park

Good to Soft

17:10 17:40 18:15 18:45 19:15 19:45 20:15
Hamilton Park

Good

17:55 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00

Today's Feature of the Day is...

Trainer/Jockey Combo report

Good luck!


Your first 30 days for just £1