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

Doyle banking on Bermuda to turn up the heat at Newmarket

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James Doyle is relishing the prospect of his reunion with Flora Of Bermuda as she seeks a change in fortunes in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup Stakes at Newmarket.

The Andrew Balding-trained filly was purchased by Wathnan Racing before Royal Ascot, where she finished third in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes under PJ McDonald as Doyle rode Lazzat, also owned by Wathnan, to success.

Her prior form includes plenty of near-misses, including a second-placed run in the Duke of York Clipper Stakes this season and three smart Group One efforts last term.

Doyle, who rode the four-year-old in her career debut as a juvenile and has partnered her just once since, is hopeful she will this time be favoured by fortune as she tries again to score at the highest grade.

He said: “When you look at her profile she’s only won a Group Three and then the Alice Keppel before, which is mad,” said Doyle.

“She ran a hell of a race in the Champions Sprint, just behind Kind Of Blue. She wasn’t beaten far at all.

“She ran a hell of a race at Haydock as well and she ran well in behind Lazzat in the Prix Maurice de Gheest last year.

“She’s run some incredible races in Group Ones, so you’d like to think she can get her head in front in one of them.

“It’s been a little bit frustrating for the guys, and I’m sure her previous owners – hopefully she can get that Group One on the board.”

Of Flora Of Bermuda’s CV, which has seen her win only twice from 15 runs but also only come home out of the money twice, Doyle added: “She doesn’t seem to get the most luck in running, she seems to find a few traffic problems.

“She’s due a nice draw in the middle somewhere, that would be lovely for her just to simplify things.

“I think she’s a filly who likes to just be ridden with a touch of restraint, just not too far off them.”

Doyle, who has yet to land the July Cup, feels Flora Of Bermuda has the credentials to lay claim to a Group One and is naturally hopeful that Saturday’s race will prove the ideal opportunity.

“I haven’t ridden her for a little while, but I think with the form she’s shown and the way she’s hit the crossbar in these Group Ones, I’m hoping she can win one,” he added.

“Whether it’s the July Cup or other targets further down the line, we’ll have to wait and see, but she thoroughly deserves her spot in the line-up.”

Conditions key to Rosallion’s Sussex Stakes run

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Richard Hannon will be led by ground conditions as he decides the next move of his star miler Rosallion.

The four-year-old was most recently seen finishing second by a nose in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, prior to which he was third in Lockinge when making his long-awaited return to action.

The Sussex Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival is under discussion as his next outing, but the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville is also on Hannon’s radar and the going will ultimately be a key factor in the decision.

The trainer said: “Rosallion is in great form. We aren’t 100 per cent sure where we are going to go.

“Probably the Sussex, but maybe the Prix Jacques Le Marois. It’s all ground dependent.

“He came out of his last race absolutely no problem at all. I think he thinks he won.”

Should Rosallion head to the Sussex he could cross paths with John and Thady Gosden’s Field Of Gold, winner of the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Aidan O’Brien’s Henri Matisse, triumphant in the French 2000 Guineas, is also present in the line up, alongside stablemate The Lion In Winter.

Docklands, who prevailed in the Queen Anne, has stood his ground for Harry Eustace and Jerome Reynier’s Facteur Cheval, placed in the race for the past two seasons, is the sole French-trained horse on the entries list after the forfeit stage.

Ghostwriter going for Princess of Wales’s Stakes gold

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Trainer Clive Cox considers the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes as too good an opportunity to pass up with his stable star Ghostwriter.

Although without a victory since the autumn of his juvenile campaign, the four-year-old has run some excellent races in defeat at the highest level since, last season finishing third behind City Of Troy in both the Coral-Eclipse and the Juddmonte International.

Having kicked off this year by finishing fourth in Dubai and then sixth in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh, Ghostwriter was sold for £2million on the eve of Royal Ascot and made a promising start in the colours of Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation by picking up the bronze medal in the Hardwicke.

Cox recently raised next month’s Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga as a likely target for the Invincible Spirit colt, but is more than happy to take in Thursday’s Group Two feature at Newmarket on the way.

“It was an early entry that wasn’t filling and it made perfect sense. It doesn’t interrupt any plans already made, so I’m very happy we’re in it,” said the Lambourn handler.

“He’s come out of Ascot very well, I’m very happy with him and it doesn’t impinge on plans to go to America at all.

“He’s shown a very good level of course form – he won his maiden on the July course and has also won on the Rowley Mile, so Newmarket is a place he handles well and I’m looking forward to it.”

Arabian Crown is one of two runners for Charlie Appleby
Arabian Crown is one of two runners for Charlie Appleby (Nigel French/PA)

Ghostwriter is set to renew rivalry with John and Thady Gosden’s Palladium, who was one place and little over a length behind him in the Hardwicke, while Charlie Appleby saddles both Arabian Crown and El Cordobes.

He told www.godolphin.com: “El Cordobes is coming back in distance from York, where we feel he did not stay the 14 furlongs. He has a bit to find on the book but, back at this trip, he should be competitive, and the quick ground will be no problem.

“Arabian Crown has been gelded since his last start and stepping back up to a mile and a half will suit. If he can recapture some of his earlier form, he is sure to be a player.”

The quintet is completed by James Owen’s Wimbledon Hawkeye, who was last seen finishing fourth in the King Edward VIII Stakes and lines up as the sole three-year-old in the field.

“He’s very well, he’s been training great. Everything has been very straightforward and we’re really looking forward to the race,” said Owen.

“He’s got a good amount of resolution, he’s coming out of his races well and he holds his form.

“He’s against the older horses but he gets a nice allowance for that, so it will be really interesting.

“Fingers crossed it’s a nice opportunity for him.”

Owen backing Hallelujah U for big Bahrain run

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Hallelujah U will bid to turn the tables on past rivals in the Bahrain Trophy Stakes at Newmarket.

The James Owen-trained three-year-old is owned by the Gredley family and was last seen finishing sixth in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.

He was slow into his stride but was still close to the action when beaten two and a quarter lengths, with two of the horses ahead now set to line up against him again on the July course.

“He ran an absolute cracker in the Queen’s Vase and just looked a shade unlucky,” said Owen.

“Both the track and trip should suit him, if he could take even a tiny step forward then he’s going to have a big chance.

“He wasn’t far behind some of these horses at Ascot and he was still relatively unexposed there.

“Now he’s had that race he should come forward again, so we’re very much looking forward to running him.”

Opposing him will be Andrew Balding’s Furthur and Aidan O’Brien’s Scandinavia, second and fifth in the Queen’s Vase respectively.

Behind Hallelujah U in seventh place was Adrian Murray’s Titanium Emperor, who also runs at Newmarket, with Richard Hannon’s Nightime Dancer completing the field of five.

On the same card is the Listed Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil Stakes, run over a mile for three-year-olds.

Godolphin have a trio of runners, with the Charlie Appleby-trained Heron Stakes winner Opera Ballo and stablemate Spectacular View joined by Saeed bin Suroor’s Arabian Story.

The latter horse has won both starts this season, taking an all-weather event at Chelmsford before landing the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“He’s come back in good form, he ran a huge race at Ascot,” said Bin Suroor of the Invincible Spirit colt.

“A mile is definitely his trip and he’s going from a handicap to a Listed race to try to get some black-type form for him.

“We’ll see how that goes, we’re really looking forward to running him on Thursday.”

Of his two runners, Appleby said via the Godolphin website: “We were delighted to get Opera Ballo back on track in the Heron Stakes.

“He has a penalty to carry, but he has done very well since Sandown and we are hoping to use this as a building block towards a nice campaign in the second half of the season.

“It suits Spectacular View to be ridden prominently and he won’t mind the ground or trip.”

Also involved is Charles Hills’ Elarak, unbeaten in two novices this term, with Stan Moore’s Brian, Balding’s Royal Playwright and Hugo Palmer’s Seagulls Eleven all in the line-up too.

Hannon is represented by King Of Cities, who was last seen going down by fourth lengths in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly.

Goldie focusing on Breeders’ Cup date with American Affair

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Jim Goldie is “reasonably confident” American Affair will still make the Breeders’ Cup after he was forced to rule his stable star out of the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

The five-year-old was one of the most popular winners at Royal Ascot when he powered through the field under Paul Mulrennan to win the King Charles III Stakes having triumphed in a handicap earlier in the season.

However, having had a routine flu vaccination, Goldie noticed his stable star was lame behind and a bone scan showed an issue that will prevent him from running next month.

“We’re hoping it’s not the end of his season,” said Goldie.

“We thought, just to clear the decks, if we took him out of the Nunthorpe now we wouldn’t try to rush him back. We don’t think it’s that serious, but if you get a warning, you heed it.

“It was after his routine vaccine for equine flu, sometimes it sets off an allergic reaction, that’s the whole idea of it. Basically he went lame behind on us, but he came sound quite quick.

“Obviously something was going on, so we decided to bone scan him and it highlighted some issues. If you scan most horses in training you’ll find something, but we’re just being careful.

“The Breeders’ Cup isn’t until November 1, I’ve taken advice from various vets that I work with and they think he can make that. I’m reasonably confident we’ll get him there.”

Thunder ready to roll in Bunbury Cup

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More Thunder will be given the chance to gain compensation for his Royal Ascot near-miss in Newmarket’s bet365 Bunbury Cup on Saturday.

Although campaigned at a mile and a quarter when trained by Sir Michael Stoute last season, the four-year-old has thrived back down in trip since joining William Haggas this term, winning his first two starts of the season over six furlongs.

He agonisingly missed out on a hat-trick of victories at the distance when a head away from Wokingham glory at the Royal meeting, with connections feeling now is the right time to gradually increase the colt’s yardage to seven furlongs.

“I think he will go for the handicap, the Bunbury Cup,” said owner Saeed Suhail’s racing manager Philip Robinson.

“I think the seven furlongs will help him and it looks to me like that will be his best trip. We will get to find out and then know where we go from there.

“He was flying at the finish at Ascot and in another stride would probably have got there.”

More Thunder is as short as 2-1 for Saturday’s £100,000 handicap on the July course, while he also holds an entry for Group events in the coming weeks including the Curragh’s Romanised Minstrel Stakes on July 19 and the HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes during the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

Electrical sparks big-race dreams for Brian Toomey

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Brian Toomey’s first-ever two-year-old winner could prove worth the wait after Electrical marked himself as an exciting prospect with a power-packed display on debut at Newbury.

The former jockey turned trainer – who sustained life-threatening injuries in a fall at Perth in 2013 – had previously never sent out a juvenile winner from his Chalfont St Giles base before the Jeff Smith-owned son of Nathaniel turned up the voltage on some useful looking rivals.

Toomey was thrilled to see Smith’s famous purple silks carried to success in his name and, although sent off a 25-1 shot for his racecourse bow, his handler was always confident he had a smart youngster on his hands.

“It meant a lot for me to train my first two-year-old winner and it to be a homebred winner of Jeff’s and Jeff was there on the night,” said Toomey. “He’s a very special man and it’s a privilege to train for him.

“It looked a bit brave going for a Newbury novice and his sire Nathaniel isn’t known for two-year-old runners and he was also taking on a colt of Eve Johnson Houghton’s (Goldwork) that had won well last time out.

“So it looked like it would be a really competitive event but his work at home had been very good and albeit I’m a very small stable so he hadn’t been overworked, I had done a barrier trial with him at Lingfield which was a great experience with him and gave me some confidence.”

Toomey will now consult with Smith and his team before deciding the next step of Electrical’s career, but he could be seen in deeper waters later in the season to continue his on-track education.

Owner Jeff Smith (right) has been a supporter of Toomey
Owner Jeff Smith (right) has been a supporter of Toomey (Joe GIddens/PA)

“He’s a big, big horse so to win at this stage of his career can only be a bonus,” continued Toomey.

“I will discuss in depth with Jeff and David Bowe (racing manager) what we do next and I think I will potentially step him up a furlong.

“It’s hard to win a novice under a penalty isn’t it, so when there’s some ease in the ground I might look at some of the nice two-year-old races later in the season at Doncaster and Newbury.

“For now there’s no rush with him, we’ll give him time to get over his debut and hopefully strengthen up again ahead of whatever we decide to do next.”

Walker on weather watch for Almaqam target

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Ed Walker has a circle around the last weekend in July on his calendar, as his frustrating wait for suitable conditions with Almaqam continues.

The high-class colt beat subsequent Royal Ascot scorer Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard in May, but the Lambourn handler has had to settle for the role of keen observer during the continuing dry spell, with Almaqam bypassing both the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and last Saturday’s thrilling renewal of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown due to fast ground.

“I’m just waiting for soft ground really which is a bit frustrating,” said Walker.

“We would have loved to have been a part of the Eclipse, although to watch it was pretty messy and we’re kind of all dressed up with nowhere to go at the moment.”

Walker’s weather watch looks set to continue throughout July, but he is optimistically hoping the end of the month could signal Almaqam’s eagerly-awaited return, with the Sky Bet York Stakes on July 26 or the following day’s Grosser Dallmayr-Preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in Munich both options at 10 furlongs.

The son of Lope De Vega has also been left in the same weekend’s feature King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, but his handler is inclined to wait until later in the season before stretching out in distance.

Walker added: “We’re looking at running him in the York Stakes which is a Group Two and all being well we could go there, he’s also in a Group One in Germany over 10 furlongs the same weekend and we’ve also left him in the King George, so we’re keeping the options open and tracking the weather.

“I think the King George may be the least likely and I’m not convinced I want to try him first time over a mile and a half at Ascot. I think I’d rather try it on a slightly more conventional flat, galloping track, but we’ll keep the options open.”

Colin Keane ruled out of Goodwood by 14-day whip ban

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Colin Keane is set to miss the Qatar Goodwood Festival after being suspended for 14 days for using his whip over the permitted level at Sandown last week.

The Irishman has not long been retained by Juddmonte as their first choice jockey and was aboard their colt Windlord when he won the Gala Stakes at the Esher track on Friday.

Keane used his whip eight times in the closing stages of the contest, a count permissible in Ireland but not in England as the limit in Britain is six strikes in Flat contests.

The British Horseracing Authority’s whip review committee has fined him £350 and suspended him from July 22 to August 4, a spell that will see him miss Sussex Stakes ride aboard Field Of Gold – with whom he won both the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Speaking at Sandown on Saturday, the rider said: “I’m so used to eight (strikes) as it is at home, I just have to abide by the rules here.

“That’s the only way I can put it, I know six is the amount over here but when I was in a ding-dong battle, I suppose it just went out of my head unfortunately.

“It’s unfortunate but it’s my own fault.”

Royal Dress scores in fine fashion at Pontefract

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Royal Dress justified strong market support with an emphatic victory in the Weatherbys Hamilton Pipalong Stakes at Pontefract.

James Tate’s mare won at Listed and Group Three level last season and kicked off the current campaign by finishing third behind See The Fire in the Middleton Stakes at York.

Having since placed fourth in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom on Derby day, Royal Dress was a well-backed 85-40 favourite dropping back to Listed class in West Yorkshire and after being coaxed into contention by a confident Clifford Lee from the home turn, she finished off strongly once given her head to score by a widening three and a quarter lengths from Cheshire Dancer.

Tate told Racing TV: “We reinvented her last year as a mile/mile and one (furlong) filly with a hood and I just felt after her first two runs back maybe we didn’t need the hood any more, I think that really helped her in the last furlong or two.

“Cliff is a really good jockey, we always do really well together and he gave her a great ride. He made all the right decisions, to take her back a little bit early because they were going a strong pace, to angle out wide rather than riding for luck because he felt he was on the best horse in the race and we enjoyed the last furlong when he had a cheeky look round!”

Paddy Power cut Royal Dress to 16-1 from 25-1 for the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on July 31 and Tate is not ruling out a tilt at Group One glory on the Sussex Downs.

“Do we try to win a Group Two or a Group Three, or do we try to go for an each-way run in one of the big races and say we finish in the first three that would be worth it for value, because she’s obviously a valuable, well-bred broodmare,” he added.

“I think we’ll just take each race as it comes and see how she is.”

Charlton expects York trip to suit Hand Of God

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Harry Charlton is keen to heed the advice of William Buick, as he drops Hand Of God back in distance for a shot at York’s ultra-competitive £200,000 John Smith’s Cup on Saturday.

The smart four-year-old excelled over 10 furlongs when striking in the Golden Gates Stakes at Royal Ascot last year and remains lightly raced having been seen just twice since.

He stepped up to a mile and a half when a respectable sixth in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at the latest Royal meeting, but will now swiftly return to a mile and a quarter after feedback from his Ascot rider Buick.

Charlton said: “William got off him at Ascot and just said ‘he’s run great, I’ve come there two down like I’m going to win but he hasn’t stayed – get back to 10 furlongs’. So, this was the obvious next step on a nice, galloping track over 10 furlongs.

“I think he wasn’t quite ready for his seasonal return at Newmarket when he ran. He was ready for Ascot obviously, but we were just running at the wrong trip. So, I’m hoping it lands nicely for him at York on Saturday.

“He’s not needed to do too much since Ascot because it’s only a 22-day gap, but he seems in good form.”

Maranoa Charlie on course for City of York test

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The Maranoa Charlie team are counting down to the Sky Bet City of York Stakes after an excellent first outing in the Bond Thoroughbred colours when agonisingly denied in the Prix Jean Prat.

Christopher Head’s son of Wootton Bassett was a headline purchase by the Yorkshire-based Bond Thoroughbred operation – the racing entity of the late Reg Bond now overseen by son Charlie – prior to the Deauville Group One and proved himself to be a quality acquisition with a fine run amongst a stellar cast.

“It’s exciting times and it was quite a pressure run having invested a lot of money but it worked out well and he backed everything up that we had seen previously,” said Charlie Bond.

“Christopher was very complimentary of him and told us after we had purchased him he thinks this is the best horse he has ever trained, so we knew we had bought into a serious horse and he went and proved it.”

Attempting to make all on the Normandy coast, Maranoa Charlie was able to repel the likes of Aidan O’Brien’s The Lion In Winter and Charlie Appleby’s Shadow Of Light before being thwarted by the narrowest of margins after the late thrust of the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Woodshauna.

Bond added: “He sort of ran four races and three horses took him on, he eyeballed them and got the better of them, just unfortunately the fourth one didn’t give him enough time to react, even though the jockey said he went after him and a stride after the line he was getting back on top of him again.

“The jockey said this horse just does not like to get beat and it’s incredible how three of them came there on the bridle, but once he eyeballed them he saw them off and they were proper Group One contenders, so you can definitely upgrade our run.”

Christopher Head won the Prix Djebel with Maranoa Charlie
Christopher Head trains Maranoa Charlie (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Although trained in France by Chantilly-based Head, Maranoa Charlie will be seen as a local hero if able set the record straight and register a first victory in the famous yellow and black colours of his ownership team on their home soil in York’s newly upgraded Group One on August 23.

“I think Christopher and the jockey may try some different tactics at York, but you’ll see what they decide on the day,” continued Bond.

“It’s a kink at York rather than a straight and a bit of a dogleg, which I think will benefit us and we hope he loves the Knavesmire as it’s the race Christopher has in mind for him.

“It’s exciting times for Bond Thoroughbreds, so we can look forward to York and go again.”

Bell banking on Spicy Marg proving too hot to handle

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Michael Bell believes Spicy Marg can put a below-par performance in the Queen Mary behind her when she takes her chance in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.

The daughter of Starspangledbanner won impressively on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile track on debut, galloping home by two and three-quarter length, and hopes were high ahead of her step up to Group Two level at Royal Ascot.

However, Bell believes her chances were hindered by being in season and is confident a different horse will be on show on the July Course.

Asked if she can bounce back, Bell said: “Very much so. She’s trained well since Ascot where there were a couple of mitigating circumstances, so hopefully she can show what she’s capable of on Friday.

“She came back in season. I don’t think it’s anything definitive or if there’s any records of if horses do or don’t under-perform in season, but I think most horses seem to in my experience.

“She carried her tail very high immediately after the race, so I’m hoping that is the reason because we still believe she’s a very nice filly.

“(Fifth-placed) Staya’s subsequent win is a positive. Our filly was stuck on the wing and hit the front too early. A lot of things went against us.

“We’re hoping for a kind draw in the middle of the field, get a lead and then it’s up to her to show what we think she’s capable of. She likes playing at home you could say.”

Racing Bulletin for 08/07/2025

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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.

Pontefract

Good

 14:10 14:40 15:10 15:40 16:10 16:40 17:10
Lingfield Park

Good to Soft

 14:25 14:55 15:25 15:55 16:25 17:00
Tramore

Good

 17:20 17:50 18:20 18:50 19:20 19:50 20:20
Uttoxeter

Good

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

Good

 18:12 18:42 19:12 19:42 20:12 20:42

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Pontefract Draw & Pace Bias

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Soprano aiming to hit Pipalong high notes

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Soprano bids to put Royal Ascot disappointment behind her in the Weatherbys Hamilton Pipalong Stakes at Pontefract on Tuesday.

Winner of the Sandringham Stakes at the Royal meeting last season, George Boughey’s filly returned to the Berkshire circuit on the back of a successful reappearance in Listed company at Kempton.

However, the four-year-old was too keen to do herself justice in the Group Two Duke of Cambridge Stakes and weakened to finish last of seven behind Crimson Advocate, who she had beaten on her previous outing.

Harry Herbert, managing director for Soprano’s owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, said: “She’s in great form and looks absolutely fantastic, the best she’s looked this year I think.

“Sadly we had a disaster at Royal Ascot when she ran with the choke out for more than half the race and obviously didn’t get home, so she doesn’t need to do that again.

“She was just too fresh going into that race but she’s well, Billy (Loughnane) knows her very well and while it’s a tough race giving weight away at Pontefract, I think she’ll be very competitive.

“We had beaten the winner at Ascot the time before so it was frustrating what happened, she beat herself on the day. She thrives on racing and we probably should have given her another run, but it’s easy in hindsight.

“George and the team closest to her think she’s bang on for this to run a big race.”

Soprano heads a field of 11 fillies and mares declared for Pontefract’s Listed feature, with Dave Loughnane’s Sparks Fly and Royal Dress from James Tate’s yard among her rivals.

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