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White Birch waiting for favoured ground in the autumn

White Birch will miss the heat of midsummer in the hope of getting his favoured softer ground in the autumn.

Since beating Auguste Rodin in last year’s Tattersalls Gold Cup the high-class grey has been restricted to just two runs by a combination of niggling injuries and fast ground.

Although he holds an entry in the Juddmonte International at York, his aim is the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 13, when connections hope there is finally an ease in the ground having missed Royal Ascot and the Eclipse.

Trainer John Murphy’s son and assistant George said: “We have slowed up a little bit with him, as we’ve wanted to run but the ground hasn’t been coming our way.

“We won’t be going to the Juddmonte and will instead look to the autumn with him.

“He could have a prep run before going for the Irish Champion Stakes.

“We are very, very happy with him, but just the weather hasn’t been kind to us.”

Racing Bulletin for 15/07/2025

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Murphy speaks of ‘nightmare’ car crash and drink driving conviction

Oisin Murphy has described his car crash and subsequent conviction for drink driving as “a nightmare for everyone involved”.

The four-times champion jockey was fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months having pleaded guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol after the accident in April.

Following the conclusion of those court proceedings, the British Horseracing Authority announced the immediate imposition of “an extremely strict set of conditions and monitoring requirements” on Murphy’s riding licence which “must be adhered to at all times”, although the exact details remain confidential.

Speaking at Windsor on Monday evening, Murphy told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s very important not to make that error again, it was a nightmare particularly for everyone involved, not just myself, for everyone else and the people who had to pick up the pieces, my support network. Time is a great healer but I won’t be forgetting about that mistake.

“They (the BHA) never disclose licence information, I’m not the first jockey to drink and drive or commit offences, it’s obviously more high profile because it’s me. Due to the profile I have, those incidents should never occur but the BHA have been fantastic to work with and I really appreciate what they have done to help me and I want to repay them.”

Murphy said the passenger who was involved in the crash “is really well, that’s the most important thing” and spoke about the counselling he had received both before and after the accident.

He added: “I have been (in counselling) for the last four years and obviously had very good spells due to that support network and I relied on it an awful lot since late April and before it but certainly since late April and I have got to thank those people because they have gone above and beyond when the process hasn’t been very easy.”

However, Murphy criticised the coverage his case had received, saying: “There was going to be a lot said in the media and it’s important not to allow the media to bully you too much because you can get very down, but I had horses to ride and a job to do. It’s great to be riding every day and hopefully to the same level I was able to do at Royal Ascot and in the weeks previously.

He added: “Not everyone wants one to achieve, there’s a lot of jealousy out there, particularly in the media, but I worked all my life to ride good horses and I’ll continue to do that. The only thing that can inhibit me from not progressing further in my career is myself, so that’s a realisation.”

Benvenuto Cellini makes winning mark at Killarney

Benvenuto Cellini followed the same path as an illustrious former stablemate with victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Killarney.

His trainer Aidan O’Brien sent out subsequent Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck to land the mile contest in 2018 and Benvenuto Cellini was sent off the 2-5 favourite to add his name to the roll of honour.

Partnered by Wayne Lordan, the impeccably-bred Frankel colt came home a two-and-three-quarter-length winner over stablemate Endorsement, with connections now eyeing a step up in calibre next month after improving from his initial start.

Ballydoyle representative Chris Armstrong said: “Benvenuto Cellini had a lovely run at the Curragh and coming here, this was going to be a lovely race for him. He was very babyish at the Curragh and again today where he jumped out and led, but Wayne said he was looking at the cars on the inside.

“It looked a decent maiden and he went away and won well so that is a decent sign. He improved from the Curragh to here and will improve again from here to his next run, which could be in the Futurity Stakes. Whatever he does you’d think will be a bonus as he’ll make up into a smashing middle-distance horse for next year. He is one with a touch of class.

“You only have to look at some of the previous winners around here, and even at the horses who have finished in-behind, to see how good these maidens are and you need a stakes horse to come here. There aren’t many who win here who aren’t above average.”

Cosmic Year pencilled in for Goodwood outing

Cosmic Year is set for a drop in grade when he makes his reappearance at Goodwood next month.

The Kingman colt impressively won the King Charles II Stakes at Newmarket before chasing home Field Of Gold in the Irish 2,000 Guineas but then disappointed in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville.

Trainer Harry Charlton will now step him back up to a mile on the Sussex Downs in the Group Three Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes in preference to the seven-furlong HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes.

Charlton said: “He didn’t run his race obviously (at Deauville) and we’ll hope for a better performance next time.

“(He came back) all good, no problems, all good.

“It probably won’t be the Lennox Stakes and will likely be the Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood, which is a Group Three over eight furlongs.

“The City of York Stakes is on the cards but it is all dependent on his next run.”

Charlton will bide his time with the fellow Juddmonte-owned Skimmer as he waits for cut in the ground.

The three-year-old won on his racecourse debut at Leicester before coming home a cosy winner of a Kempton novice.

The Great Voltigeur Stakes at York remains on the radar but he will only take up that route if the going eases between now and then.

Charlton said: “We wouldn’t go up there if the ground was like it is now.

“I think he’s a big horse and he’s probably not one for firm ground, so we’ll just keep an eye on the weather but we obviously know it’s not long until September and surely the weather will relent at some point.

“He’s a nice, big horse and a bit like his brother Okeechobee, he’s coming into his own middle of his three-year-old career into his four-year-old career as it were.”

Clover looking to Lonsdale Cup for Al Nayyir

A second shot at the Lonsdale Cup could be on the cards for Al Nayyir following his recent narrow defeat at Sandown.

Tom Clover’s charge was beaten a short head by Vauban at Group Two level at York last summer and has since enjoyed a winter spell in sunnier climes, contesting the Red Sea Turf Handicap in Saudi Arabia before performing with credit in the Dubai Gold Cup.

Having finished third behind subsequent Gold Cup hero Trawlerman on his return to Britain in Sandown’s Henry II Stakes in late May, the seven-year-old returned to the Esher track for the Listed Coral Marathon earlier this month and was again denied by a short head, this time by veteran stayer Coltrane.

Clover said: “He ran super, I think maybe just as an older horse he might have found the ground a touch tight perhaps on that summer, quick ground.

“He was only beaten in a photo and I loved the way he hit the line strong, so hopefully he can win another stakes race soon.

“He could well go back to York, obviously he was a close second in it (Lonsdale Cup) last year. We’ll see how he is, but it could well be the plan at the moment.”

On Saturday Clover saddled big-race runners at Newmarket and York, with high-class sprinter Rogue Lightning far from disgraced in finishing ninth in the July Cup – beaten just over four lengths.

“He ran well, it feels like he loves being in trouble and it’s hard to find a clear passage through, but he wasn’t beaten far,” the trainer added.

“Hopefully we can work back from the Dukhan Sprint in Qatar in February, which he won this year, and hopefully he’s up to winning another stakes race soon.”

Tabletalk looked a major threat after travelling strongly in the Group Three Silver Cup at York, but his effort petered out late on and he had to make do with minor honours in third behind Al Qareem.

Clover said: “He ran well, I thought he might go and nearly win and I don’t know whether Ascot took it’s toll perhaps – maybe it came a bit soon.

“I’d like to think he’s up to winning a Group Three and that looked a good opportunity, but we might have ran him back a bit soon.

“We’ll see how he is. We’ll give him a quiet week and build him up from there.”

More thought to be given to Thunder target

Which race – or even which trip – More Thunder runs over next has still to be decided following his last-gasp win in the Bunbury Cup on Saturday.

The four-year-old, who  moved to William Haggas following the retirement of Sir Michael Stoute, has found a new niche for himself sprinting this season.

Narrowly denied in the Wokingham, Tom Marquand got there on the line on Saturday and he holds of host of entries throughout the summer.

“Tom got there just in time and I have to say I don’t think he’d have won if he hadn’t changed sides, it made a difference,” said owner Saeed Suhail’s racing manager Bruce Raymond.

More Thunder (left) just gets the better of Aalto
More Thunder (left) just gets the better of Aalto (Joe Giddens/PA Wire)

“Of course we were very happy and now we need to decide what the best next step will be.

“We’re all guessing about what his best trip will be. His owner told me he felt he’d have won the July Cup! I’m not so sure as it doesn’t work out like that. I just feel seven furlongs might be his trip but that might be the easier route.

“I’ve had a word with Tom who feels six might be best for him. You can guarantee if we run over six next and he gets beat everyone will say ‘why didn’t you run him over seven?’.

“He’s in all the right races and handicaps are out now – I just don’t know where we’ll run him.”

On the same afternoon another former Stoute inmate, Andrew Balding’s Never So Brave, took the step up to Group company in his stride at Ascot in the Summer Mile but his next step is also undecided.

“Never So Brave has taken that next step already but when Jamie (Spencer on Point Lynas) looked like he’d slipped the field, it was an awful feeling,” said Raymond.

“I thought David (Probert) was absolutely brilliant on him not to panic though. It’s about 100 years since I was riding and I remember that feeling but when I spoke to him, he said turning in he felt he had everything covered so he was confident.

“He’s another who’s versatile trip-wise and who is to say he wouldn’t get further in time, although there’s no need to try it yet. I think he’ll get a mile and a quarter but thee’s no need to rush it.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do. He’s not in the Sussex but he is in the Lennox back over seven, so we’ll see.

“It was a good weekend, they’ve both come out of it well and now we need to start thinking about where they are going to go. The owner is a very patient man, he’s been well educated by Sir Michael.”

Pontefract repeat could be next on Point Lynas’ agenda

Ed Bethell is considering several big-race options with Point Lynas following his gallant front-running performance in Saturday’s Summer Mile at Ascot.

The six-year-old was a 22-1 shot for what looked a strong renewal of the Berkshire circuit’s Group Two highlight, but very nearly pulled off a surprise victory under an enterprising ride by Jamie Spencer.

Point Lynas was eventually run down by Never So Brave, but stuck to his task to pick up the silver medal in second, beaten just three-quarters of a length.

Bethell said: “I was really, really happy. It was an inspired Jamie Spencer ride and the horse ran his heart out, showing he’s still full of life as he’s getting older.

“He split two Royal Ascot winners and two proper racehorses (Never So Brave and Haatem). I appreciate we slipped the field, but you don’t do what he does and only be beaten three-quarters of a length if you’re not in good form, so it was a brilliant run.”

Considering future plans, the trainer added: “We’ll have a look at the Listed race he won at Pontefract last year (Pomfret Stakes) in a couple of weeks’ time I would imagine and then we’ll probably look towards the Celebration Mile at Goodwood or maybe the Strensall Stakes at York.”

Appleby eyeing Goodwood goal for Big Mojo

Big Mojo will “more than likely” head to Goodwood next for the King George Qatar Stakes following his near miss in the July Cup.

Mick Appleby’s stable star bounced right back to his best at the weekend when he was just run out of it close home by 66-1 outsider No Half Measures.

Big Mojo is now likely to revert to five furlongs at a track he won the Molecomb Stakes at last year before he heads to York for the Nunthorpe.

“He’s come out of the race well. We were gutted but chuffed with how he ran, he ran an absolute blinder,” said Appleby.

“Tom (Marquand) thought he had everything covered, he just wasn’t expecting that one to come from out there!

“He’s shown he’s back to his best and I think he saw the trip out, he just didn’t see that one coming, when he did he tried to fight back and given a few more strides I think he’d have probably got back up.

“She wasn’t pulling away from him and I just think he was caught a bit by surprise.

“I think it will more than likely be Goodwood next. There is a possibility of the Maurice de Gheest (at Deauville) but I think it’s more likely we’ll go to Goodwood and then on to York.

“You’d like to think he’d be hard to beat at Goodwood, he’s won there before.”

The Lion In Winter heading back to France for Prix Jacques le Marois

The Lion In Winter will return to France for his next outing when he will step back up in trip for the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville.

Winter favourite for the Guineas and Derby, a setback in the spring held up his preparations for the Classics and he missed Newmarket, making his comeback in the Dante at York when he could only finish sixth before trailing home well beaten in the Derby.

Dropped markedly in trip to seven furlongs for the Prix Jean Prat, Aidan O’Brien’s charge showed plenty of his old sparkle, beaten just a short neck and a short head into third by Woodshauna.

Speaking at Navan on Sunday, stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “It was lovely to get him back on track after all the promise he showed last year.

“He has come out of the race (at Deauville) very well, and everyone is happy with him at home.

“He is going to go to the Jacques le Marois next in Deauville. Obviously, it is going to be a fascinating race during the summer.

“In fairness, the horse adapted coming right back from a mile and a half to seven (furlongs) last week pretty quickly.

“Back up to a mile in the Jacques le Marois should suit him.”

Facteur Cheval to swerve Sussex Stakes at Goodwood

There will be no visit to the Qatar Goodwood Festival for Facteur Cheval this year, with immediate plans on hold as he recovers from his Royal Ascot exertions.

Jerome Reynier’s six-year-old has contested the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood for the past two years, taking the runner-up spot behind Paddington in 2023 before finishing third to Notable Speech 12 months ago.

Facteur Cheval’s name is among the entries for this year’s race once again, but a third visit to the Sussex Downs has been ruled out by connections, who are prepared to bide their time after learning little from their Prince of Wales’s Stakes experiment up in distance at the Royal meeting.

Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor International, who own the horse in partnership with Gary Barber, said: “We had planned to run him in Germany, but the race and trip at Ascot took too much out of him and we’re going to have wait a while and figure out what we do next with him.

“I don’t think he will be coming back in the next month or so, and I think it could take a couple of months to find the right race.

“Also where he is trained near Marseille, they have had a real heatwave there so it’s been really hard for Jerome to train those horses and we’ve got three horses there who are kind of in limbo right now.”

Irwin added: “We’ll have to just wait for something in the fall, we haven’t given up the idea of running 10 furlongs but that last race just didn’t work out well for him at all, we didn’t learn much.

“We’ll take it race by race and then head back to the Middle East again over the winter as he does enjoy it there.”

Billy Lee’s Irish champion jockey hopes hit by broken collarbone

Billy Lee’s hopes of being crowned Ireland’s champion jockey for the first time have been dealt a blow after he broke his collarbone when brought down at Limerick on Saturday.

Lee was riding Heishybrid for Noel Meade in the Private Suites At Limerick Racecourse Handicap when Woodhsaw Whisper fell, bringing him down. Woodshaw Whisper’s rider, apprentice Nicola Burns, suffered a broken nose.

Lee is currently just three behind Colin Keane in the race for the title and with Keane now required in England and France in his role as Juddmonte’s retained rider, an opportunity had opened up.

Now, however, he faces up to four weeks on the sidelines and a race to be fit to get back to race Paddy Twomey’s St Leger hope Carmers in the Great Voltigeur at York on August 20. Carmers was one of two Royal Ascot winners for Lee last month, having also scored on Henry de Bromhead’s Ascending.

“Billy has broken his collarbone, but it is a clean break and hopefully he could be back in about four weeks,” said his agent Kevin O’Ryan.

“He’s in good spirits and is looking on the bright side. Typical of Billy he said ‘it could be a lot worse’.”

Racing Bulletin for 14/07/2025

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Jean-Claude Rouget back in the big time courtesy of Leffard

Jean-Claude Rouget returned to the Group One winner’s enclosure as Leffard got up to deny Trinity College in a pulsating finish to the Cygagames Grand Prix de Paris at ParisLongchamp.

The dual Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe-winning trainer – who has had health battles and seen his string much reduced over the last year – was clearly emotional after Cristian Demuro put Leffard’s head down right on the line to edge out Aidan O’Brien’s Trinity College.

Ryan Moore and Trinity College had tracked Frankly Good Cen before switching out and showing a smart turn of foot, one that looked like it would seal matters. That was not counting for Leffard, however, and he too picked up in great style when asked to leave the pair battling out.

After the shortest of waits, Leffard – who holds an Arc entry – was announced the winner, putting a below-par effort in the Prix du Jockey Club – in which Trinity College had been fourth before winning at Royal Ascot – behind him and fully justifying the decision to supplement for the Paris showpiece.

Rouget told Sky Sports Racing: “It was fantastic when I saw the horse coming. I was very confident there was not a big difference between the two (Leffard and Trinity College).

“I knew he was very good, but I had to find a new confidence in him (after the Prix du Jockey-Club). He was so well this week and the field was not tremendous I decided to supplement him. When I saw six runners, it was possible to be third and we did better.

“I think yes (he is an Arc horse), because when I bought him I was sure I bought a good horse.

“It’s a big fairytale, life continues and we do other things.”

Rouget said the Prix Niel would be the Arc prep race for his winner, and added: “This is a great moment for my team in Pau. It’s hard to sum it all up in a few words. Their support is what kept me going. Without them, I would have quit.

Leffard powers up alongside Trinity College to win the Grand Prix de Paris
Leffard powers up alongside Trinity College to win the Grand Prix de Paris (Scoopdyga)

“My assistant, Jean-Rene Dubosc, did a remarkable job. He took two weeks off and will be returning from vacation a happy man!”

Demuro said: “It’s incredible for Jean-Claude Rouget. He made the trip here and I’m so happy for him.

“It’s amazing that he’s back and winning a Group race. He’s a father figure to me. Leffard is a superb horse, and I had a great trip – he’s really top class.”

Of Trinity College, who was trying 12 furlongs for the first time, O’Brien said: “He ran a very good race. I don’t think there’s much more to say. The distance wasn’t an issue.”

In third was New Ground, who was fourth in the Derby at Epsom but did not help his chance here in pulling far too hard for Colin Keane.

His trainer Henri-François Devin said: “He was very sharp throughout the race. He’s a somewhat tricky horse. The pace was too slow for him — below what he needs. Even so, he finished very well, which is impressive for a horse that pulled so much.

“For now, we’ll shorten him up. Once he settles down more, we might revisit longer distances.”

Rock Of Cashel gets his head in front for Navan victory

Rock Of Cashel relished the drop in grade to get back to winning ways in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race at Navan.

Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old had been highly tried since winning a Galway maiden last season, running in the National Stakes and the Dewhurst last autumn.

This term he has been campaigned in Group and Listed company before trying his hand in a handicap to no avail at Royal Ascot.

Against just three runners in this conditions race, however, he took command early in the straight under Wayne Lordan to down Johnny Murtagh’s 1-4 favourite Nautical Force by two lengths at 3-1.

O’Brien’s stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “The way the race worked out, it was a lovely race for him.

“In fairness to him, he has been dropped in the deep end from word go this year. He ran with credit behind Henri Matisse and Delacroix and was beaten five to six lengths behind proper Group One horses.

“Obviously, Johnny’s horse brought a high level of form here. Wayne gave him a lovely ride and the race worked out for him beautifully.

“He’s a horse we thought of as a stakes horse after Galway last year as a two-year-old, so hopefully this will do his confidence good and we will bring him back up to a stakes race over a mile and a-quarter and see how he goes.”

Murtagh had already been on the mark with newcomer Zuheila (5-2) in the Ardboyne Hotel Maiden.

Ben Coen nursed the Aga Khan Studs-owned three-year-old into the closing stages before getting down to business to beat Ger Lyons’ Washington Street by half a length.

Coen said: “She’s a nice, big filly and bred to have a bit of speed. She has been doing things nice at home.

“You can see why she hasn’t got to the track until now, she’s a big girl but she did that nicely. She had a good look when she hit the front, but hopefully she can stay improving.

“She was (doing all her best work late) – she was green running down the hill and, when I hit the rising ground, she came good.”

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