Tag Archive for: Mostahdaf

Mostahdaf will stand in Newmarket after final start in Breeders’ Cup Turf

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Dual Group One winner Mostahdaf will retire to the stallion ranks at Shadwell’s Beech House Stud after his final career start in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf on Saturday.

The Frankel colt is trained by John and Thady Gosden for owner-breeder Shadwell, the racing operation of Sheikha Hissa.

His five-year-old campaign has been a great success with victories in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Juddmonte International at York, performances that see him lining up at Santa Anita on a mark of 128 with nearly £2.5million in prize-money earnt so far.

Beech House Stud in Newmarket is newly refurbished and will become the home of all Shadwell’s UK-based stallions, meaning Mostahdaf will stand alongside Baaeed, Tasleet and Mohaather.

Angus Gold, Shadwell’s racing manager, said: “Mostahdaf has been a top-class horse for the last three seasons, from showing his speed when winning five of his six races as a three-year-old between seven furlongs and a mile; he then displayed his clear versatility and ability over further.

Mostahdaf with connections after winning the Juddmonte International
Mostahdaf with connections after winning the Juddmonte International (Mike Egerton/PA)

“Since winning the Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia by seven lengths earlier this year, he has come from behind to beat the best 10-furlong horses in Europe at Royal Ascot, and then made all in the Juddmonte International. At York he highlighted both his speed and class by running six of the last eight furlongs under 12 seconds.

“Mostahdaf never missed a day’s training and was a thorough professional throughout his career; his enthusiasm for his work, together with his outstanding physique and speed, should make him a very attractive prospect for breeders.”

John Gosden added: “Mostahdaf has always been a pleasure to train. Sound and always positive and generous in his work. His action is superb and fluent with a high cruising speed and electric acceleration. A horse who has been very consistent throughout his career.”

In other stallion news, Juddmonte have announced the Ralph Beckett-trained Irish Derby winner Westover has been sold and will stand at Yushun Stallion Station in Hokkaido, Japan for the 2024 season.

He will be syndicated, and a fee is yet to be determined.



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Crowley raring to go with Turf hope Mostahdaf

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Jim Crowley is feeling “very confident” about Mostahdaf’s chances in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained five-year-old is poised for what is likely to be his final outing at Santa Anita before he embarks on a career at stud.

His services will surely be well sought after given his most recent performances have been career bests, in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and Juddmonte International, two of the most prestigious 10-furlong races anywhere in the world.

Mostahdaf (centre) beat Paddington (left) and Nashwa at York
Mostahdaf (centre) beat Paddington (left) and Nashwa at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

He was due to run in the Champion Stakes at Ascot two weeks ago, but after John Gosden initially gave him the go-ahead having walked the track, a downpour mid-afternoon meant he did not race and was rerouted to America.

Crowley was not on board for his most recent outing at York as he was serving a whip suspension, with Frankie Dettori stepping in. And there is little doubt he is very excited about being reunited.

“The first time I’ve sat on him here was this morning and I’m very happy with the way he felt. He moved great in an easy canter for a circuit. He will probably go a little bit quicker tomorrow,” said Crowley.

“He was very well behaved and behaves himself better when he’s abroad than at home.

“He has plenty of pace, and you can park him up anywhere. I’m very confident.”



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Gosden glad to get Breeders’ Cup duo going

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John Gosden was pleased to be able to get Inspiral and Mostahdaf out on to the Santa Anita track on Tuesday.

Two of the best turf horses in Europe will represent Gosden and his son Thady in the Filly & Mare Turf and the 12-furlong Turf respectively.

Inspiral has won her last two outings in Group One company, while Mostahdaf has been rerouted after the ground turned testing at Ascot on Champions Day.

His victories in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and Juddmonte International were unquestionably two of the best displays of the season by any horse.

“The horses have been in a dark room with no natural light since they arrived and both Inspiral and Mostahdaf were very pleased to be out,” said Gosden.

“Mostahdaf fancied his pony and thought it was good fun, he will love being a stallion next year.

“He has a good turn of foot and is a good-looking son of Frankel.”

Mostahdaf will be reunited with Jim Crowley due to his retainer with owners Shadwell but Frankie Dettori stepped in for him at York while he was banned. Dettori will be on Inspiral, however.

The Italian recently announced his career will be extending much longer than first anticipated but Gosden is fully behind the switch in plans and raised the idea of the pair teaming up at the Dubai Carnival.

“Frankie learned a lot from the US jockeys in the 1980s when he was here for two or three winters. He was very keen and hungry to learn,” said Gosden.

“I think he’s doing it exactly right. He can ride here four days a week but he will ride for me again, for sure. In fact, I’m getting Lord North ready for Dubai, where he has won three Dubai Turfs. Why not a fourth?”



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Mostahdaf pointing towards swansong in Breeders’ Cup

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Mostahdaf looks set to round off his career in the Breeders’ Cup Turf next month, after connections opted to sidestep Saturday’s Qipco Champion Stakes due to unsuitable ground.

Having proved his top-level capabilities by winning the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Juddmonte International at York, John and Thady Gosden’s five-year-old was well fancied to complete his Group One hat-trick on Champions Day – but his team had warned his participation was ground dependent.

And while Gosden and owners Shadwell initially gave the go-ahead after walking the track before racing, the attritional nature of the curtain-raising Long Distance Cup prompted a rethink.

Sheikha Hissa and Angus Gold at York
Sheikha Hissa and Angus Gold at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

“John and I walked the track, as everyone knows, and I thought it walked surprisingly well considering the rain they’ve had. I thought it walked good to soft and a bit softer down in Swinley Bottom,” said Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold.

“At that stage we were both thinking it was going to be OK to run on, albeit it wasn’t going to be in his favour, and then after the first race the first two jockeys I spoke to were the reigning champion jockey (William Buick), who described it as horrible and heavy, and Rab Havlin, who was third, said it was heavy.

“John and I had another look at it and spoke to Sheikha Hissa and said, ‘look, it’s your decision, but the ground isn’t going to be in his favour’, and John just felt it wasn’t fair on the horse ending his career in ground we know he doesn’t like – he couldn’t hobble on it in the Arc last year.

“With the option of the Breeders’ Cup still to come, there didn’t seem any point in bowing out on a low note when we can go to California with a chance of running him on fast ground in a couple of weeks’ time if he’s still well.”

Mostahdaf winning at Royal Ascot
Mostahdaf winning at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

Mostahdaf will be returning to a mile and a half for the first time since finishing fourth to Japanese ace Equinox in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March if he does contest the Breeders’ Cup Turf – but Gold does not see the extra distance being a major issue.

He added: “His best form here recently has been over a mile and a quarter, but over an American mile and a half, going down that hill for the first four furlongs or whatever it is, I think he’ll stay it. Whether he’ll win over it I can’t tell you, but I don’t think it will be that (stamina) that beats him.

“He’s a five-year-old now who has done brilliantly this year and I think if he does go to America that will be his last run.”



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Stars align for Qipco Champions Day

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Mostahdaf, Paddington and Kinross are among the big names declared for what promises to be an enthralling afternoon for Qipco Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Mostahdaf leads nine contenders for the Qipco Champion Stakes, in which the five-year-old will be bidding for a third consecutive Group One win having landed the Prince of Wales’s Stakes over the 10-furlong course and distance back in June before adding the Juddmonte International at York to his tally.

However, connections have expressed concerns about the likelihood of testing ground in Berkshire and he could yet bypass the race.

The Champion Stakes field also features last year’s winner winner Bay Bridge and third-placed My Prospero while French raider Horizon Dore is the favourite after winning each of his last four starts.

Frankie Dettori teams up with King Of Steel on what is set to be his final afternoon of European action before embarking on international engagements and an eventual move to America.

He now rides 2000 Guineas victor Chaldean for Andrew Balding in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes after Inspiral was taken out, in what promises to be another intriguing one-mile clash.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Paddington beat him nearly four lengths in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and he seeks a fifth Group One win after his unbeaten run came to an end at the hands of Mostahdaf at York.

Tahiyra adds further spice, with Dermot Weld’s filly having won the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Coronation and Matron Stakes on her last three starts.

Nashwa runs over a mile instead of tackling the Champion Stakes, with Big Rock and Facteur Cheval both leading contenders for the French.

The Dettori-ridden Kinross faces 14 in defence of his British Champions Sprint title, although Commonwealth and July Cup hero Shaquille is a notable absentee in the six-furlong contest.

The Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes has 14 contenders, with Free Wind another likely favourite for Dettori, who also rides Trawlerman in the opening Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup.

The two-mile affair is the only Group Two on the card but it has drawn a quality line-up with Trueshan bidding for a fourth win in the race for Alan King, although he will have to contend with last year’s Gold Cup winner Kyprios and Lonsdale Cup scorer Coltrane in a field of eight.



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Mostahdaf team eager for Champion challenge if weather allows

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Mostahdaf’s connections will keep a close eye on conditions at Ascot before making a final call on his participation in Saturday’s Qipco Champion Stakes.

Winner of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Juddmonte International at York this season, John and Thady Gosden’s five-year-old is in line to return to Berkshire on Champions Day.

However, a forecast for heavy rain later in the week and the prosect of running on soft or even heavy ground is an obvious concern for a horse who has a proven preference for a fast surface.

Mostahdaf was a Royal Ascot winner in June
Mostahdaf was a Royal Ascot winner in June (David Davies/PA)

Angus Gold, racing manager for owner-breeders Shadwell, said: “The forecast isn’t good obviously, but there’s no point making a fuss about it and we’ve got to take what we’re given.

“We’ll just keep an eye on it and I’ll speak to Sheikha Hissa and speak to John and see if we can come up with a decision between us.

“As we all know at this meeting, at this time of year, you can get very bad ground and when he raced on it in last year’s Arc he couldn’t handle that at all.

“There’s no point getting beat just for the sake of it, but at the same time we’re very keen to run and try to round off his season with another big win at Ascot.”

Sheikha Hissa and Angus Gold at York
Sheikha Hissa and Angus Gold at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

Connections do have a fallback option in the form of the Breeders’ Cup Turf on November 4, but they are not looking beyond Saturday at this stage.

“That was always the thing – the number one aim was Ascot and if because of the weather or whatever it didn’t come off, then we had the option of the Breeders’ Cup,” Gold added.

“We haven’t discussed it properly as we’ve always been hoping to go to Ascot.”



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Crowley hoping sun will shine on Champion Stakes run for Mostahdaf

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Jim Crowley is banking on reports of an imminent heatwave proving accurate to enable Mostahdaf to take his chance in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 21.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained five-year-old has taken his form to a completely different level this season, winning the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and ending Paddington’s winning sequence in the Juddmonte International at York.

The next logical step for a horse excelling over 10 furlongs would be the Champion Stakes, but his connections have been cautious to make too firm a plan given his liking for good ground.

They do have the Breeders’ Cup Turf in reserve, but that would mean stepping back up to a mile and a half so Crowley would love the weather forecasters’ predictions of a dry week leading into Champions Day to prove correct.

Frankie Dettori stepped in for a suspended Jim Crowley at York as Mostahdaf beat Paddington (left) and Nashwa (right)
Frankie Dettori stepped in for a suspended Jim Crowley at York as Mostahdaf beat Paddington (left) and Nashwa (right) (Mike Egerton/PA)

“If the ground is nice I’m sure he will take his chance,” he told Sky Sports Racing.

“The weather can change in between now and then but he’d go on good to soft, he has done in the past.

“I think if it came up very testing then he might reroute to a Breeders’ Cup or something, so that’s in the pipeline, but we’d love to get him there (Ascot) on good ground because it’s a great race and it would suit him, obviously, as a course and distance winner. It’s a very important race.

“We’ll take one step at a time and see if he goes to Ascot first, but that would be exciting if he went to America. It would be over a mile and a half, but he’s won over that distance and it’s over a tight two turns.

“He won out in Saudi and that is a similar sort of tight track to Santa Anita and he loves fast ground, so he’s got options and it’s great he’s been able to show us this season how good he really is.”



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International hero Mostahdaf marks another record for retiring Dettori

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Mostahdaf provided Frankie Dettori with a fifth domestic Group One of the season and in the process helped him become the most successful jockey in the history of the Juddmonte International at York.

In drawing away from Lester Piggott with a sixth win in York’s best race, Dettori created yet another record in a career that is set to end later this year.

But when you see him at his best, as he was once again from the front on John and Thady Gosden’s five-year-old, you have to wonder why he is retiring at all.

Yes, he has achieved almost everything in the game, but on the big occasion and when it matters the most, there really have been very few better.

Up against the potential Horse of the Year in Aidan O’Brien’s Paddington, who had beaten Dettori and Emily Upjohn in the Eclipse, he was determined his younger rival was not going to have things all his own way.

Mostahdaf (centre) holds off Nashwa (right) and Paddington
Mostahdaf (centre) holds off Nashwa (right) and Paddington (Mike Egerton/PA)

In a complete change of tactics from Ascot, when Mostahdaf had been so impressive in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Dettori bounded out of the stalls into an early advantage and it was one he would not relinquish with the Italian hailing him as the best 10-furlong horse around.

With his Ascot partner Jim Crowley suspended for his winning ride in the King George, Dettori for once was in the role as super-sub.

He still held a two-length lead two furlongs out but it was then a matter of what was left in the tank, however, by then Paddington was also beginning to paddle and it was the winner’s stablemate Nashwa closing in.

There might not have been much in the locker at the finish, but as he so often has in his storied career, Dettori had ridden the perfect race.

“He’s run over a mile and a half, so he stays a mile and a quarter really well. The key was to get the fractions right, not too slow and not too fast and thankfully after 36 years I got it right,” said Dettori.

“I knew I had got it right because when I looked round I still had two lengths rope, I expected them to be on my quarters and when they weren’t I knew it would take a good horse to catch me now.

“This is my last Ebor meeting, my wife has come along and to be the first jockey to get six Juddmonte Internationals, beating Lester, I couldn’t ask for more.

“This was a real team effort. I have to thank Angus Gold and Richard Hills (Shadwell’s racing managers), Sheikha Hissa for giving me the ride and John and Thady – and especially Jim, it’s his ride. We all came up with a plan to beat this great horse Paddington. We wanted to bully the race from the beginning. It takes a good horse to do that and he was.”

Owner Sheikha Hissa has enjoyed a phenomenal runs of success
Owner Sheikha Hissa has enjoyed a phenomenal runs of success (Mike Egerton/PA)

Connections of Mostahdaf had admitted in the build up to the race that his achievements had somewhat gone under the radar, his Ascot performance looked too good to be true and yet he backed it up again.

“What he did at Ascot, people thought it was put on a plate for him but today he did it on his own,” said Dettori, who, when asked about his impending retirement replied: “I’ve got seven weeks and three days left – not that I’m counting!

“We were having to give 7lb to the favourite, but for a reason – we are an older horse and stronger, but that is valuable weight and quite an advantage. Because of that I didn’t want to have to chase him, when you are giving a horse weight you want them chasing you, not be chasing them.

“There’s a limit you can go, you don’t want to go too fast but at the same time you can’t go too slow.

“He’s a super horse, he showed that at Ascot. Because we know he stays a bit further, we wanted it to be a test and I could be aggressive.”

Dettori has ridden greats like Halling, Swain, Sakhee and Authorized to success in this great race and he feels Mostahdaf sits comfortably in their company.

“Undoubtedly he is the best mile-and-a-quarter horse around after this performance. I suspect John will find some good races for him at the end of the season but unfortunately for me, I’m not likely to be on him, but I’ll just take it as it comes,” he said.

“Equinox beat this horse a good few lengths over a mile and a half, which isn’t his best distance while it might be for Equinox. This lad is right at home over a mile and a quarter.

“To be the first jockey to win this six times means a lot.”



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Mostahdaf makes all for famous International success

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Frankie Dettori produced a brilliant front-running ride aboard Mostahdaf as he lowered the colours of Paddington in a thrilling edition of the Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

Deputising for the suspended Jim Crowley aboard John and Thady Gosden’s Royal Ascot scorer, Dettori wasted little time in bouncing the 3-1 second favourite out of the stalls and quickly into stride, he set perfect fractions as the Shadwell-owned five-year-old made every yard of the running.

Although Ryan Moore received the desired response when asking Paddington to close the gap in the home straight, he ultimately had no answer to Mostahdaf who kept finding extra under an ultra-confident Dettori as he registered a length success and followed up the owner’s victory in the Group One contest with the imperious Baaeed 12 months ago.

Stablemate Nashwa edged her way past Paddington for the silver medal late on as the Clarehaven team enjoyed a fabulous one-two, but the day belonged to Dettori who by winning the race for the first time since 2007, moved past Lester Piggott to become the contest’s leading rider.

Frankie Dettori with his famous flying dismount at York
Frankie Dettori with his famous flying dismount at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

Mostahdaf’s success was another high-profile victory in the Shadwell colours in what has been a fine campaign, with Hukum’s King George verdict at Ascot and Al Husn’s Nassau win at Goodwood other moments to savour in recent weeks.

Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold said: “To win the races we’ve done this year has been incredible – the Prince of Wales’s, the King George, the Nassau and this (race). It’s been an amazing year.

“We have to enjoy it and be grateful. This was a proper race. I was sad for York and the crowd there were only four runners, but it was a quality race on paper and it lived up to its billing.

“We knew if we stood any chance of beating Paddington, we had to do something different rather than let him have his own way out in front again.

“Frankie proved a good substitute to have on the day. We weren’t too worried changing tack because this horse has won over a mile and a half, as long as Frankie got the pace right.”

Sky Bet Ebor Festival 2023 – Day One – York Racecourse
Mostahdaf (centre) got a fine ride from the front (Mike Egerton/PA)

John Gosden was full of praise for Dettori’s ride and said: “I think Frankie is like many of us, he’s getting better with age!

“At Ascot people questioned whether Mostahdaf was as good as he looked, but he’s probably stopped the clock in impressive fashion again.

“The filly (Nashwa) showed her class today as well having got stuck in the mud in the Nassau – it was brave to run her from the owner, he wanted to support British racing.

“The winner can handle good to soft, he just hated the bottomless ground in the Arc (when last in 2022). He just wants summer racing ground.

“It was the plan to make it a real test today. There was no point letting Ryan do his own thing. It was like Roberto and Brigadier Gerard all over again but the filly finished second, the other boy (Paddington) has been very busy.”

Dettori retires from the saddle at the end of the year and Gosden thinks he will be hard to match.

He added: “Frankie is the only man who can go to Longchamp and win from the front and have the French jockeys guessing. He’s a genius, he’s like a chameleon – he can adapt to any style.

“We’ll miss him and he’s winning a lot of big races right now, so you never know he might be back next year!”

Mostahdaf’s odds for a range of races were shortened after his victory, with Gosden planning to consult with Shadwell’s Sheikha Hissa before mapping out a definite target.

He said: “I’ve always thought he was a very good horse, but when he won the Neom Cup that was electric. We then stupidly tried him over a mile and a half again against the Japanese world champion (Equinox in the Sheema Classic) and got put in our box, but I think it will be 10 furlongs all the way now.

Sheikha Hissa and Frankie Dettori with Mostahdaf
Sheikha Hissa and Frankie Dettori with Mostahdaf (Mike Egerton/PA)

“You could probably get away with a mile and a half at the Breeders’ Cup round a few bends and down a hill, but I don’t think we’ll see that. I’ll see what the owner wants to do, she’s done wonderfully well, her father would be so proud of her and she follows them passionately.

“The Irish Champion has to be a possibility, but I always like to get home and make a decision after 10 days. Some are trying to persuade me to run him in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on the dirt, but I don’t know about that.

“I don’t think he has to have a big gap between his races it was just that he’d raced in the winter, then took on the great Japanese horse Equinox over a mile and a half, you then need a holiday. He did well for it so I thought I’d give him another.”



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Dettori hoping to make it six of the best in Juddmonte International

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Victory for Frankie Dettori on Mostahdaf in the Juddmonte International on Wednesday would make him the most successful jockey in the race’s illustrious history.

Dettori currently sits alongside the legendary Lester Piggott on five wins apiece, and the Italian has one more chance to make the record his own before he heads off into retirement.

He has partnered some truly great horses to win the York showpiece, such as Halling (1996), Singspiel (1997), Sakhee (2001) and his first Derby winner Authorized (2007). A spare ride following the suspension picked up by Jim Crowley, Mostahdaf would certainly fit alongside that list.

His four-length victory in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes last time out was jaw-dropping in its brilliance – but in Paddington he faces a genuine Horse of the Year candidate.

Frankie Dettori won the Juddmonte International on Sakhee in 2001
Frankie Dettori won the Juddmonte International on Sakhee in 2001 (John Giles/PA)

“I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy some great days of racing at York over the years, including winning the St Leger there on Sixties Icon whilst the stands were being rebuilt at Doncaster,” Dettori said his World Pool blog.

“The Juddmonte International has been a lucky race for me too, and one more win would take me past Lester Piggott as the race’s most successful jockey. I’ve won it with some of the greats like Sakhee, the Derby winner Authorized, Sulamani, Halling – he was a machine – and Singspiel. They were all serious horses, and hopefully Mostahdaf is too!”

Halling provided Frankie Dettori with a first win in the race way back in 1996
Halling provided Frankie Dettori with a first win in the race way back in 1996 (John Giles/PA)

He went on: “Him and Paddington are arguably the two best mile-and-a-quarter horses around, so we’ve got a great race on our hands. We’ve got to give 9lb to a very good three-year-old, so it won’t be an easy task, but my fella has done nothing wrong this year.

“I rode him the other day and he’s beautiful. A really strong, powerful horse, which is what you’d want to see in a five-year-old. Paddington is entitled to be a short-price favourite, but Mostahdaf has really stepped up this season and I’m looking forward to having a crack at it.”

Frankie Dettori leaps for Gregory after winning the Queen's Vase
Frankie Dettori leaps for Gregory after winning the Queen’s Vase (David Davies/PA)

Dettori also has leading claims in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes on the unbeaten Leger favourite Gregory, like Mostahdaf trained by John and Thady Gosden.

“Gregory comes here off the back of a good win in the Queen’s Vase at Ascot, but it’s so hard to know what kind of form he’s in as he does nothing in the mornings. He’s so laid back that I don’t even think bombs would move him!” said Dettori.

“I’d like to think that he’ll improve again for that run at Ascot, which was only his third start, but we only know as much as anyone else that’s seen him race.”



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Paddington headlines select Juddmonte International line-up

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Paddington and Mostahdaf will face off as a field of four go to post for Wednesday’s Juddmonte International at York.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Paddington will be seeking a fifth successive Group One triumph, having landed the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, Eclipse and Sussex Stakes on his last four runs, cementing him as the cream of the three-year-old crop.

He will clash with Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner Mostahdaf as he moves back up to 10 furlongs, with the Ballydoyle team opting not to field Point Lonsdale in support.

Mostahdaf’s trainers John and Thady Gosden also run Nashwa, winner of the Falmouth Stakes, while Andrew Balding’s The Foxes completes the line-up.

Sir Michael Stoute did not declare Bay Bridge, leaving him without a runner after last year’s Derby hero Desert Crown sustained a season-ending injury on Sunday.

The Gosden-trained Gregory headlines five in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes, with the Queen’s Vase winner seeking to underline his St Leger claims in this traditional trial.

Castle Way is Charlie Appleby’s contender having won the Bahrain Trophy last time with O’Brien relying on King Edward VII Stakes runner-up Continuous.

Gordon Stakes third and fourth, Canberra Legend and Artistic Star, represent James Ferguson and Ralph Beckett respectively.

Six go to post for the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes headed by Richmond second Ballymount Boy, whose form got a huge boost when his Goodwood conqueror Vandeek won the Group One Prix Morny on Sunday.

Naas maiden winner Edwardian is O’Brien’s pick with Cogitate, Hot Fuss, Indian Run and Loose Cannon the other Group Three runners.



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‘Amazing’ Paddington all set for International mission

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Odds-on favourite Paddington is all set to bid for a fifth successive Group One win this season in Wednesday’s Juddmonte International at York.

Aidan O’Brien’s new superstar will step back up in trip to an extended 10 furlongs having won the Eclipse at Sandown over a similar distance.

He proved his versatility last time out by dropping down to a mile for the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood where he made all the running.

From a humble beginning this season in a Naas handicap, he is now the best of his generation by some distance.

“He’s an amazing horse really and is progressing from run to run, that’s all he has done all year,” O’Brien told Sky Sports Racing.

“We thought he was a very good two-year-old, he went to Ascot first time out but he got stage fright and just never performed so we gave him a good break. He went to the Curragh after that and won very easily.

“Because of that we left him alone. He was trained for the Classics in the spring but we started as low as we could because we had a lot of horses to get out.

“Ryan (Moore) was very impressed with him, as you know Ryan doesn’t say much but he was very impressed with him in the Sussex. He would have preferred a lead but there was nobody else prepared to so that was why he went on.

“John (Magnier) always felt on pedigree he would get a mile and a half. He went to the Eclipse for his first run over a mile and a quarter so this is a little bit further on a flatter track. It will be interesting to see and we’ll take it race by race with him at the moment.”

Paddington, Mostahdaf and Desert Crown all feature among eight confirmations for what promises to be a blockbuster contest.

Mostahdaf bolted up at Royal Ascot
Mostahdaf bolted up at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

Prince of Wales’s Stakes hero Mostahdaf heads the opposition for John and Thady Gosden.

The five-year-old was a four-length winner at Royal Ascot and he is set to be partnered for the first time by Frankie Dettori, as regular rider Jim Crowley serves a 20-day whip suspension.

Last year’s Derby hero Desert Crown was forced to sidestep the Prince of Wales’s due to a late setback, but he is in the mix following a satisfactory piece on work on Wednesday morning.

He could be joined by fellow Sir Michael Stoute-trained runner Bay Bridge, who finished fifth behind Mostahdaf at Ascot.

The Gosden have a second contender in Nashwa, winner of the Falmouth Stakes and third in the Nassau last time out, while the Mostahdaf colours of Shadwell are also represented by Alflaila, although it is unlikely both their horses will run.

O’Brien also has Point Lonsdale in contention while the prospective field is completed by The Foxes, who finished second in the Belmont Derby for Andrew Balding last time out.

Gregory won the Queen's Vase at Ascot for Frankie Dettori
Gregory won the Queen’s Vase at Ascot for Frankie Dettori (John Walton/PA)

St Leger hopes will be on the line in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes, with the Gosden-trained Gregory the key name following his Queen’s Vase verdict at Royal Ascot.

“We’re all looking forward to seeing him back,” said Richard Brown, racing adviser for owners Wathnan Racing.

“He did it the hard way at Ascot – he was very game. The big aim for him has always been the St Leger, so the Voltigeur is an obvious stepping stone, but it’s a very prestigious race in its own right and it’s exciting to have a colt going there who we think will have a good chance.”

Godolphin rely on the Charlie Appleby-trained Castle Way after his narrow Bahrain Trophy success over Tower Of London.

That colt again features for O’Brien, who has five potential runners out of a list of 10, with Adelaide River and Continuous also confirmed.

Derby fourth Sprewell could represent Jessica Harrington, with Gordon Stakes third and fourth, Canberra Legend and Artistic Star, possibly crossing swords again.



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York set to start with a bang as big three stand ground

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Paddington, Mostahdaf and Desert Crown all feature among eight confirmations for what promises to be a blockbuster Juddmonte International Stakes at York on Wednesday.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Paddington has won each of his six starts this term, with his last four victories at Group One level in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, Eclipse and Sussex Stakes.

He is set to return to the Eclipse trip of 10 furlongs on the Knavesmire, where Prince of Wales’s Stakes hero Mostahdaf heads the opposition for John and Thady Gosden.

The five-year-old was a four-length winner at Royal Ascot and he is set to be partnered for the first time by Frankie Dettori, as regular rider Jim Crowley serves a 20-day whip suspension.

Last year’s Derby hero Desert Crown was forced to sidestep the Prince of Wales’s due to a late setback, but he is in the mix following a satisfactory piece on work on Wednesday morning.

He could be joined by fellow Sir Michael Stoute-trained runner Bay Bridge, who finished fifth behind Mostahdaf at Ascot.

The Gosden team also has a second contender in Nashwa, winner of the Falmouth Stakes and third in the Nassau last time out, while Mostahdaf’s owner Shadwell also has another possible in Alflaila, although they have indicated it is unlikely both their horses will run.

O’Brien also has Point Lonsdale in contention while the prospective field is completed by The Foxes, who finished second in the Belmont Derby for Andrew Balding last time out.

St Leger hopes will be on the line in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes, with the Gosden-trained Gregory the key name following his Queen’s Vase verdict at Royal Ascot.

Godolphin rely on the Charlie Appleby-trained Castle Way after his narrow Bahrain Trophy success over Tower Of London.

That colt again features for O’Brien, who has five potential runners out of a list of 10, with Adelaide River and Continuous also confirmed.

Derby fourth Sprewell could represent Jessica Harrington, with Gordon Stakes third and fourth, Canberra Legend and Artistic Star, possibly crossing swords again.



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Alflaila team mulling Irish Champion supplementary entry

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Alflaila could be supplemented for the Irish Champion Stakes rather than take on fellow Shadwell-owned runner Mostahdaf in next week’s Juddmonte International at York.

Trained by Owen Burrows, Alflaila is on a four-race winning streak and landed the Group Two York Stakes over the same course and distance as the International last time out.

The highlight of the opening day of the Ebor meeting would look a logical next step but Angus Gold, Shadwell’s long-serving racing manager, feels it could be prudent to split the pair up.

“It’s unlikely at this stage that we would run the two against each other, I would think,” he said.

Alflaila was a winner at last year's Ebor meeting in the Strensall Stakes
Alflaila was a winner at last year’s Ebor meeting in the Strensall Stakes (Mike Egerton/PA)

“God willing, Mostahdaf stays in good shape – he’ll be the one to represent there. Obviously, we will leave Alflaila in just in case something went wrong.

“Sheikha Hissa may decide to run the two together. But at the same time if he didn’t go there, we may look to supplement Alflaila for the Irish Champion.”

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Mostahdaf is second favourite behind Paddington currently, but his rating of 128 makes him one of the best in the world.

“Mostahdaf was very impressive at Ascot. We’ve freshened him up, just given him a little break after Ascot and hope we can get him to York in as good a form as he was at Ascot,” said Gold.

“Frankie (Dettori) rode him the other day and was very happy with the horse. And John and all the team there have been happy. On paper, it’s a fascinating clash. Let’s hope it lives up to its billing.”

Al Husn beat Nashwa (right) and Blue Rose Cen at Goodwood
Al Husn beat Nashwa (right) and Blue Rose Cen at Goodwood (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Another big hope for the famous blue and white silks on the Knavesmire is Roger Varian’s Al Husn, who is set to step up in trip for the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks.

“She’s never run over this trip before and nobody has ever particularly said she needs that trip,” said Gold.

“She’s so tough and she’s such a little star of a filly that she might well stay. On pedigree, the mare (Hadaatha) I think would have stayed – she was by Sea The Stars out of a Linamix mare. And Al Husn’s by Dubawi – they can do anything.

“She a very easy filly to ride and she’s got a heart the same size as her. So, she might well get it and it would be fun to try it, but we’re in the luxurious position of her already being a Group One winner now, so we’ll just see how Roger and his team feel she is and whether she’s ready to go again.”



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‘Excited’ Dettori hoping to serve it up to Paddington with Mostahdaf

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Frankie Dettori expects Mostahdaf to offer up a stern test for Paddington when the duo clash in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York on Wednesday week.

The weighing-room legend will deputise for the suspended Jim Crowley aboard Mostahdaf on the Knavesmire, and is relishing the opportunity for a final success in the 10-furlong highlight ahead of his retirement at the end of the year.

Mostahdaf took his form to a new level with a four-length triumph in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and Dettori has been acquainting himself with the son of Frankel at John and Thady Gosden’s yard.

Mostahdaf in full flight at Royal Ascot
Mostahdaf in full flight at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

He told Nick Luck’s Daily Podcast: “I rode him the other morning and he is a beautiful specimen of a horse. He’s strong and has got a lovely stride. He doesn’t overdo himself in the mornings, but we know exactly what he can do and I’m excited.

“What he did in the Prince of Wales’s, I was pretty taken, so he’s going to be there with every chance.”

Mostahdaf will provide a fresh challenge for the Aidan O’Brien-trained Paddington, who has emerged as this year’s leading three-year-old.

The Siyouni colt has won each of his six starts this term, graduating from a handicap victory to Listed success before reaching new heights in claiming the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, Eclipse and Sussex Stakes.

Having won on ground from heavy to good and shown his stamina for 10 furlongs and speed for a mile, Paddington seemingly has few chinks in his armour and Dettori is well acquainted having finished behind him a couple of times.

Paddington is carrying all before him this season
Paddington is carrying all before him this season (Andrew Matthews/PA)

However, he is backing Mostahdaf to put up a bold challenge, with his mount an 11-4 chance with Betfred, while Paddington is the 11-10 favourite.

Dettori said: “He’s a good horse. The Sussex was a non-event, but Paddington is still good – he put Chaldean to bed in the St James’s Palace, when I was second, in good style and he beat Emily (Upjohn), so he is the best three-year-old around at the moment.

“But I think this is his test now, he’s taking on a four-length winner of the Prince of Wales’s. It’s going to be a different race to what he’s faced (before), but I have no doubt he is a good horse because it looks like he only does what he has to do and he looks like he’s still got something in the locker.

“We will give him a race and see what happens.”



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