Action-packed Curragh Eyecatcher one to follow
Having sat in the slipstream of his front-running stablemate New Zealand for much of the way, Action looked to be back-pedalling passing the two-furlong marker, but the penny dropped late on and he was fairly motoring at the line, in the end beaten just a nose and half a length into third place.
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Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Kia Joorabchian removes several horses including ‘spectacular' £4.6million Frankel filly from Ralph Beckett yard
They're going to AMO's No1 trainer instead THEY'RE OFF Kia Joorabchian removes several horses including 'spectacular' £4.6million Frankel filly from Ralph Beckett yard Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) KIA JOORABCHIAN has moved several horses away from Ralph Beckett — including the unraced £4.6million Frankel filly named Partying. The AMO Racing chief has shipped a number of his string from Kimpton Down Stables to Freemason Lodge where his new trainer Kevin Philippart De Foy has recently moved. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 New AMO Racing trainer Kevin Philippart de Foy has taken delivery of a number of former Ralph Beckett-trained horses, including a record-setting £4.6million Frankel filly Credit: PA It is the second high-profile move to take place in the sport in a few days after a number of horses, including serial Cheltenham winner Ginny's Destiny, left Paul Nicholls for arch rival Nicky Henderson. Joorabchian has left former Irish Oaks heroine You Got To Me with Beckett for now, but has moved on the majority of his horses previously with the Arc-winning handler. De Foy sent out his first runners since his switch to Freemason at Leicester on Wednesday and has also recently received Ghostwriter, who was with Clive Cox. The £2m purchase was red-hot favourite for the Princess Of Wales's Stakes at the Newmarket July meeting earlier this month. But had to be withdrawn after rearing over when being saddled ahead of the 1m4f Group 2 won by Charlie Appleby's El Cordobes. The Belgian trainer recently issued an update on the four-year-old colt, saying: "Everything is fine with Ghostwriter and hopefully he'll be back soon." But it is Partying who is real headline-grabber. She was the most expensive yearling sold in the northern hemisphere last year and is out of the Royal Ascot-winning Shamardal mare Aljazzi. Joorabchian's right-hand man Alex Elliott helped strike the decisive blow at the Tattersalls Book 1 sale last October. And he said at the time: "She's a Frankel filly with that kind of physique from that kind of family. "We've seen Ylang Ylang from the same farm on the same Shamardal cross – we just need history to repeat itself! "I keep saying to people horses will pay you back. "It was a good bit more than we thought we'd have to pay but when Kia and his partners decided that they wanted the filly, they wanted the filly. "She is a spectacular filly, it is a spectacular price, and there's a spectacular bunch of horses here. "I'd like to say I was a cool customer when all that was taking place, but that would be a fib – I have never been in that rarified atmosphere before." De Foy moved to the now-retired Sir Michael Stoute's former base recently after being appointed AMO No1. Speaking of his decision to take on the trainer, who he called a 'perfect fit', football superagent Joorabchian said: "Kevin is a fantastic horseman who understands our goals and shares our ambition. "Having known and worked with him for several years, it makes this transition even smoother. "We know his character fits and our ideas align perfectly. "We believe he's the right person to take the operation to the next level, and we're excited about what's ahead with him leading the team at this historic yard." While De Foy added: "I am deeply honoured to have been entrusted with the responsibility of taking over at Freemason Lodge and training such an exciting string of horses for Amo Racing. "This is a major milestone in my career, and I'm incredibly grateful to Kia and the team for the opportunity. "Amo Racing's investment and ambition in the sport are truly inspiring, and I look forward to playing my part in what I hope will be a very successful journey together." FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
Leader Live
5 hours ago
- Leader Live
Ribot, Grundy, Shergar, Enable – the King George has them all
RIBOT (1956) Widely acknowledged as one of the greatest Flat racers of the post-war era, the unbeaten Italian champion made his one and only trip to Britain for the 1956 King George. The dual Arc winner used the Gran Premio di Milano as his prep race for the King George, which was set to be his hardest race to date. The going was sticky, and the 2-5 favourite looked uneasy at one stage, with jockey Enrico Camici urging him to go with the leaders. The pacemaker, Todrai, did his job and led Ribot into the straight but it was only in the last furlong that the champion showed his real worth. Some argued that the win was unimpressive; the horse's record, though, speaks for itself: 16 runs, 16 wins. NIJINSKY (1970) Vincent O'Brien's Triple Crown winner was another easy winner of this great race. The son of Northern Dancer had already captured the 2000 Guineas, the Derby and the Irish Derby, and started at odds of 40-85 at Ascot. Nijinsky was the only three-year-old in a field of six that included the previous year's Derby winner, Blakeney, and Coronation Cup winner Caliban. Caliban provided the early pace, but it was soon apparent that Nijinsky was in a different league. He cruised past his rivals on the bridle and left Blakeney for dead. Lester Piggott could not have had an easier winner. MILL REEF (1971) Trained by Ian Balding, Mill Reef won six Group Ones in a row. That sequence began with the Derby, and he lined up for the King George as the 8-13 favourite, having taken the Eclipse in the interim. Ridden by Geoff Lewis, he was nicely settled in third as they entered the straight. He pulled to the front a furlong from home and ran away to win by six lengths. He sealed a brilliant year by routing a top-class Arc field by three lengths. He won the Prix Ganay and Coronation Cup as a four-year-old, but sadly injury curtailed his career soon afterwards and the great rematch with Brigadier Gerard never happened. GRUNDY (1975) To many, this really was 'the race of the century'. The clash of the generations pitted the Derby winner, Grundy, against Bustino, winner of the 1974 St Leger. Two pacemakers were thrown in by Bustino's trainer, Dick Hern, and they set up the race nicely for an epic duel in the final half-mile. Bustino was clear by three into the home straight, but Grundy was gradually eating into his lead. They fought all the way to the line and Grundy looked beaten at one stage. Yet he dug deep and just prevailed in a never-to-be forgotten finish. We must not forget also that the brilliant dual-winner Dahlia was a distant third. Such was the courage both horses had to show that not only did the race-record time stand until Harbinger in 2010, but neither managed to win again. SHERGAR (1981) Shergar is famous for being kidnapped and for winning the Derby by 10 lengths, and it is easy to forget that the legendary colt also won the Irish Derby and the King George in a memorable summer. He was a warm favourite to beat the older generation at Ascot. A surprisingly slow pace was set and initially the Aga Khan-owned colt was boxed in. But as the field straightened for home, Light Cavalry came off the rails and Walter Swinburn seized the opportunity to take the 2-5 favourite through the gap in style. The race was settled with two furlongs to run; he drew away to win decisively by four lengths from Madam Gay. PETOSKI (1985) The 1985 renewal was billed as the clash of the sexes between Henry Cecil's Oaks victor, Oh So Sharp, and Vincent O'Brien's Irish Derby winner, Law Society. However, it was Willie Carson on Petoski who caused the upset. In victory, he also brought an end to Oh So Sharp's unbeaten run, which also included the 1000 Guineas. Steve Cauthen blamed the very fast ground at Ascot and interference by Infantry two furlongs out for the great filly's defeat. But Carson rode a patient race on Petoski, switching the colt to the outside close to the finish to beat Cauthen's mount by a neck. DANCING BRAVE (1986) If the international classifications, which started in 1977, are anything to go by, then Dancing Brave is without doubt the best King George winner of the last four decades. Rated 141 at the time (somewhat controversially amended to 138 in 2013 but still the highest-rated King George winner), he possessed great speed, and a lightning turn of foot that left his rivals for dead. He started the King George as the 6-4 second-favourite, behind the 11-10 shot Shahrastani, who had beaten him in the Derby. With Pat Eddery on board, this time 'the Brave' took revenge, with his Epsom conqueror disappointing in fourth place. Dancing Brave went on to achieve further glory with a dazzling win in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in the autumn. NASHWAN (1989) Nashwan was a truly exceptional three-year-old. Trained by Major Dick Hern, he remains the only horse to have won the 2000 Guineas, Derby, Eclipse and King George in one season. It was a slow gallop for the seven-runner field in the King George, which soon developed into a tactical affair as Willie Carson sat and waited on Nashwan. It was not until the last two furlongs that the race truly developed, with Nashwan the first to commit, and he was soon joined by the Derby third, Cacoethes. They were locked together inside the final furlong and in a pulsating finish Nashwan showed he had the courage to match his undoubted class as he got home in front. MONTJEU (2000) Michael Tabor's Montjeu was undoubtedly the easiest winner of the King George for many a year. The 1999 Arc de Triomphe winner only had six rivals to beat, as the Classic generation stayed away. In truth, it was a sub-standard renewal – but it was never meant to be a walkover. However, it felt like one. Sent off at 1-3 – the shortest-priced favourite since Nashwan – he had 11lb plus in hand on official figures. Michael Kinane sat patiently on the colt, and when asked to quicken two furlongs out, the horse cruised home stylishly. Kinane did not need to do much; the horse guided him home that day. HARBINGER (2010) Harbinger was an impressive winner of the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot but went to another level in the King George, where he produced a stunning performance to win by 11 lengths in a time bettering the one set by Grundy. Confront performed his duties as pacemaker for his stablemates Workforce and Harbinger and led until the home turn, at which point Epsom Derby hero Workforce and Irish Derby winner Cape Blanco tried to assert their authority. But they were merely sitting ducks for Olivier Peslier and Harbinger as they effortlessly took up the running inside the final two furlongs and rocketed clear. The handicapper raised him to from 123 to 135, making him the best in the world at the time but his career was cruelly cut short the following month when he shattered a cannon-bone in a routine spin on the gallops in Newmarket. In the wake of his retirement, Sir Michael Stoute was asked how much further Harbinger could have gone. 'Who knows?,' he wondered. 'If he had kept at that plateau, we'd have had a world champion.' ENABLE (2019) The only three-time winner of the race, Enable hacked up from Ulysses in 2017 and completed her hat-trick in a substandard three-runner heat in 2020, but her middle victory was the stuff of legend. Having already bagged the Eclipse on her return to action, Enable was sent off the 8-15 favourite to regain her Ascot crown with injury preventing a title defence in 2018. Crystal Ocean had finished runner-up to Poet's Word in her absence and the race was widely expected to boil down to a duel between the top older horses. Few could have expected such an epic finish though, as the pair went toe-to-toe for the best part of two furlongs, with Crystal Ocean finding generously when it looked as though Enable would go on. It was nip and tuck all the way, but Enable just poked her head in front on the line to triumph by a neck, with future Arc winner Waldgeist just under two lengths back in third, with a further seven lengths back to the next home in what was a race for the ages.
BBC News
7 hours ago
- BBC News
Ahmed's 13-144 helps leaders Leics thump Derbyshire
Rothesay County Championship Division Two, Central Co-op County Ground, Derby (day four)Leicestershire 398 & 236-9 dec: Holland 90; Reece 5-64Derbyshire 189 & 256: Thomson 55, Chappell 50; Ahmed 7-93Leicestershire (22 pts) beat Derbyshire (2 pts) by 189 runs Match scorecard Leicestershire took another big stride towards promotion when they finally overcame stubborn Derbyshire by 189 runs in the County Championship Division Two match at the Central Co-op County Ground again England all-rounder Rehan Ahmed enjoyed another memorable day, taking three wickets to end with 7-93 and match figures of 13-144 to become the first Leicestershire player to take more than 12 wickets and score a century in the same game since Fred Geeson in 1901 at sixth win of the season takes them 34 points clear of second place Glamorgan with Derbyshire dropping down to can take consolation from the way they made the visitors work hard for the win before they were bowled out for Zak Chappell made 50, the last pair of Alex Thomson, who scored 55, and Jack Morley with 12, resisted for 156 balls before Ian Holland clinched victory with 23 overs previous evening Derbyshire captain Wayne Madsen had spoken about the importance of showing resilience and his team certainly did that starting with the overnight pair of Brooke Guest and Aneurin continued to bowl from the City End while England pace bowler Josh Hull peppered the pair with short pitched was struck on the hand and Donald took a couple of blows to the body along with one to the helmet before a change of bowling did the Green took over from Ahmed and in his second over he brought one back to beat the forward defensive push of switched ends and he celebrated his fifth wicket of the innings and 11th of the match by having Guest caught at short leg for bowling change brought the next wicket with Louis Kimber taking over from Ahmed and trapping Luis Reece lbw with one that straightened to hit him in got to lunch without further setbacks and when Leicestershire took the new ball, Chappell took three fours from a Liam Trevaskis entertainment continued with Chappell reverse sweeping Ahmed for his 10th four to reach 50 from 78 balls but when he went for another big shot against the leg-spinner he was caught at wide long Ahmed bowled Blair Tickner in his next over, it seemed only a matter of time but Thomson and Morley dug in to delay the tea edged Logan van Beek past a diving Peter Handscomb to reach 50 but when Holland was brought on for the first time, his third ball was edged by Thomson and Rishi Patel took a one handed catch at slip to end a compelling contest. Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay
