Jel Pepper among strong British contingent in Ballyhane Stakes
The winner gave that form a significant boost by following up in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood on Tuesday and connections of Jel Pepper are expecting a bold showing from their charge in Monday's €200,000 feature in County Kildare.
'Jel Pepper is a good horse who ran very well in the July Stakes and we have missed Goodwood with him to go to Naas,' said Oliver Cole.
'It is great prize money and I believe the ground will be on the easy side of good which will play to his strengths as he likes a bit of a cut in the ground.
'It is quite daunting coming to Ireland because there are so many good horses but these races are fantastic and it is brilliant to have a horse good enough to take part.'
Jel Pepper is one of five British-trained contenders along with Richard Fahey's Cosmic Clarets, the George Scott-trained Front Line Fury and Kevin Ryan's pair of Tropical Dreamer and There's A Chance.
Scott's contender missed out on a hat-trick when denied by a head at Ascot last time, but the Newmarket handler has plenty of belief in his solid operator ahead of this raiding mission.
He said: 'He's a really dependable two-year-old who just turns up runs his race and always seems to be improving.
'I'm really pleased with him and he's taken another step forward since Ascot where he was very much a sitting duck.
'We think we are well drawn but you never quite know and I guess it will depend on where the pace and quality in the race is. I think he will go and run his usual solid race and will be there and thereabouts at the finish.
'He arguably has to come forward again from what he's shown but he's a tough horse and really cool and I'm very fond of him.'
The home team is headed by Joseph O'Brien's Prix Robert Papin winner Green Sense.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
5 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Argentine Tango booked for Lowther Stakes bid
The Mattmu filly has kept on improving all season, winning a Listed race at Newmarket before finishing third to Venetian Sun in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes. Last week at Goodwood she found only the Ger Lyons-trained Lady Iman too good in the Molecomb Stakes over five furlongs and will step back up to six at York for the Great Habton trainer. 'She's come out of Goodwood really well. She's tough, she must be because she's had seven races now and keeps coming back for more,' said Easterby. 'You get racehorses every now and again who just want to gallop and she is one of them. 'She'll go back up to six furlongs now, she definitely runs in the Lowther next and she won't be without a chance. 'She's been a bit of a star for us already this season.'
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Ferrari told to snub Oliver Bearman for 'super' F1 rookie to replace Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton raised doubts over his own Formula 1 future at the Hungarian Grand Prix when he responded to his qualifying nightmare by saying Ferrari 'should change driver' Bernie Ecclestone thinks Ferrari should look towards two Formula 1 rookies when identifying a potential replacement for Lewis Hamilton. But the 94-year-old former F1 supremo did not mention the name of Oliver Bearman who is the one actually being prepared by Ferrari as Hamilton's eventual successor. Hamilton's future is firmly in the spotlight right now as a result of his comments at the Hungarian Grand Prix. After qualifying 12th in Budapest, the seven-time F1 champion declared himself "useless" and said his team "probably need to change driver". His mood was not much better a day later when he failed to make any progress in the race and finished where he started, one lap down on the leaders. But Hamilton did at least tell reporters that he would be back after the summer break and that he still loves racing. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has also jumped to the defence of his driver and it is understood that the team is not even beginning to entertain the idea of replacing Hamilton, either during this season or before the end of his contract which currently runs until the end of 2026. If they were to make a change, they would in theory turn to one of their reserve drivers, Zhou Guanyu and Antonio Giovinazzi, both of whom are former F1 racers with Sauber, or British academy graduate Bearman who is currently plying his trade with customer team Haas and who is seen as Hamilton's eventual successor. But Bernie Ecclestone believes there are a couple of other rookies on the grid who should also be considered. "If I could steal him, I would take Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls," the former F1 supremo told Mail Sport. "He has done super well in his first year and is a great guy. I also rate our friend from Brazil [Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto ]. He is talented. Both of them are sensible, too." While it is unlikely that Hamilton will give up on his dream of winning an eighth F1 title just yet, Ecclestone believes it is time for the 40-year-old to move on. He said: "Lewis is very talented, was and probably still is. But, like a lot of leading sports personalities when they reach the top, there is only one way to go, and it is not a good direction. It is only down. Sky Sports launches discounted Formula 1 package This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more £43 £35 Sky Get Sky Sports here Product Description "They get tired. Lewis is tired. He has been doing what he is doing forever. He needs a rest from it for good, a total reset to do something completely different. He may not think it, but he will soon get used to doing other stuff away from motor racing in retirement. I think he should have done it a while ago. The guy is not a cheat. But he would be cheating himself if he goes on. He should stop now. "If I were looking after him I would negotiate with Ferrari immediately and say, 'If you have someone to replace Lewis, he will step aside. He is not fighting for a World championship and is at a stage of his life when it would not be worth him spending two years laid up in bed with a broken back or anything else nasty. He does not need to take the risk any longer. He has won seven world titles and that is quite enough."
Glasgow Times
6 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Lauren Bell says India contests stand England in good stead for World Cup
Under new head coach Charlotte Edwards, England completed a clean sweep against the West Indies before falling to defeat against India. England were beaten 3-2 in the T20 series and 2-1 in the ODIs, but with the World Cup fast approaching, Bell insisted there is plenty to learn from this summer. She told the PA news agency: 'We've obviously had two fairly different series this summer. We had the West Indies that everyone performed really well and India challenged us a little bit more. England Women's Summer 2025 ✅ Not the ending we wanted but some amazing moments throughout and we appreciate all the support 🩷 World Cup 🔜🔜🔜 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 22, 2025 'It's exciting seeing that we're going to come up against some of the best teams and I think situations like the India series we just had is great preparation really. You learn so much more when you play against top teams. 'It's really exciting where we're at as a team, where we're going and obviously we're working super hard. We've got a few things that everyone, I guess, is going to work on moving forwards to that World Cup. 'It's an exciting time to be part of this team.' This year's World Cup takes place in India and Sri Lanka and England open their campaign on October 3 with a clash against South Africa in Bengaluru. The tournament is England's first under Edwards, who has just completed her first summer in charge and Bell has enjoyed working with a familiar face. Charlotte Edwards took over as England head coach at the start of the year (Martin Rickett/PA) 'It's been great, I've worked with Lot for a number of years because she was down at Hampshire and the Southern Brave,' Bell added. 'She's been great, she's got this ethos of winning and performance-based selection, which obviously takes a bit of getting used to with a new coach and the way she goes about things. 'She's obviously got a vast amount of experience and a really successful start to her coaching. 'It's been great, the way she manages everyone and speaks to us is really exciting. It's really cool to be a part of what she's hopefully pushing this team to do and to succeed.' England face a busy 12 month period with the 50-over World Cup and home games over the summer before the T20 World Cup starts next. Bell is 'super excited' for a home World Cup next year (Steven Paston/PA) Next year's tournament follows the 2022 European Championship and the upcoming Women's Rugby World Cup as another major women's sporting event being held on British soil. Looking ahead to the T20 World Cup, Bell said: 'Super excited, I think any player wants to play at a home World Cup. I think it's so cool with family and friends around and hopefully (can) put women's cricket on a platform at home. 'It's so important bringing it to the home venues and getting them hopefully sold out and people being able to see the sport. 'The more we can get it accessible to people to watch, the more they'll be like 'this is pretty cool, I want to get involved' and start playing. It's such a massive opportunity for cricket in England.'
