Latest news with #BellumJustum
The Irish Sun
13 hours ago
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Top horse owner ‘facing complete business collapse' with duty free empire at risk of falling
A TOP horse owner is said to be facing 'total business collapse' - with his duty free empire at risk of falling completely. Sun Sport told you Leicester City chairman Aiyawatt "Top" Srivaddhanaprabha has Advertisement 2 Aiyawatt "Top" Srivaddhanaprabha heads up the famous King Power Racing ownership which is behind a load of Leicester-themed runners Credit: PA:Press Association 2 The Andrew Balding-trained Bellum Justum has been a revelation on the racecourse but his owner's business looks to be in a state of peril Credit: Getty Top, 39, is now "group executive chairman" with his role switching to "determining the direction and setting the policy frameworks for business operations". There are fears over what that means for 5000-1 Premier League winners Leicester City's future amid their current financial woes. The Foxes have been relegated from the Premier League and face a likely points deduction in the EFL next term. Top continues to have a large number of racehorses - including one called Straight Back Up - under the hugely successful King Power banner. Advertisement With names such as Fox Vardy, Fivethousandtoone, The Foxes and Dillydingdillydong, the horses have always paid homage to the Srivaddhanaprabhas and their King Power/Leicester association. And, thanks to top class trainers such as Andrew Balding, the thoroughbreds have picked up some top prizes too. King Power Racing Co Ltd has earned more than £5million over the past five years on the Flat. Their best year was 2019 - the year after Top's father Khun Vichai and four others were killed in a Advertisement Most read in Horse Racing The operation had earnings of £2.4m that season thanks in part to Donjuan Triumphant's Group 1 Champions Sprint Stakes win at Ascot. That was worth £330,000 and came on the back of other big-race successes including Shine So Bright's City Of York Stakes victory and Pivoine's £125,000 win in the John Smith's Cup. But the money has dried up somewhat in subsequent seasons. King Power horses THE horses owned by King Power all have Leicester themes. Here are some of the more memorable to have run over the years. Fox Vardy Dillydingdillydong Bielsa Fivethousandtoone The Foxes Fantastic Fox Fox Tal Foxes Tales Art Power Happy Power Teumessias Fox Proud To Be Fox Straight Back Up Good Luck Fox Come On Leicester Fox Shinji Earnings dropped by just shy of £350,000 from 2023 to 2024 despite the number of winners jumping from 27 to 29. Advertisement And though there is much of the Flat season still to go, King Power have had a 12 per cent strike rate this year - matching their lowest ever - with 13 winners at the time of writing. That adds up to earnings of £417,109 - but with plenty still to play for over the coming months and with loads of the King Power horses having lots of entries. King Power's flagbearers now look to be Group 2 hero Bellum Justum and The Foxes, both trained by Kingsclere handler Balding. Bellum Justum landed a monster £830,000 win when he claimed the Nashville Derby in Kentucky last August. Advertisement He then won the Group 2 Betfred Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket in May this year - bringing home another £70,000. While The Foxes' Group 2 Huxley Stakes win at Chester in May was worth just shy of £75,000. The money is significant on its own but nothing compared to the situation the King Power company finds itself in. King Power had a 30-year near-monopoly on duty free concessions in Thailand. Advertisement But, while aiming to renegotiate contracts at four of the country's major airports, want all rental fees to be waived. That is expected to lead to losses of £450m-plus for the state-run Airports of Thailand, which rejected the opening offer from King Power. Top's replacement Nitinai Sirismatthakarn said: "It's like a patient surviving on oxygen. "The company's intention was to ask AOT to remove the oxygen because we can't cope anymore. This was the signal we sent. Advertisement "We're in a position where we're saying we can't manage, and we're asking AOT for help. "We'll listen. If the conditions allow us to remain profitable, we'll stay. If not, and we can't make it work together, we'll accept that." 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: Read more on the Irish Sun 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. Advertisement
Daily Record
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Oaks and Epsom tips and best bets as Aidan O'Brien filly napped for Classic glory
Garry Owen's top tips for day one of Derby meeting at Epsom Giselle (4:00) can put her best foot forward for Aidan O'Brien in Friday's Investec Oaks at Epsom. The daughter of Frankel is tailor-made to give the Ballydoyle ace his 11th winner of this Classic. She showed huge potential when a gallant second to Bedtime Story on debut at Leopardstown. The filly quickly boosted her reputation when comfortably opening her account at the Curragh. She ended 2024 with a staying-on third behind Whirl in a one-mile Group 3 contest back there. Despite that form, the imposing bay looked likely to really excel over middle distances this year. She confirmed that impression with a blistering defeat of Harpsichord in the Lingfield Oaks Trial. The three-year-old looks destined for the very top so she can follow-up in the big race itself. O'Brien can enjoy yet more Group 1 glory with Jan Brueghel (2:40) in the Coronation Cup. The four-year-old absolutely bolted-up from Ozark Daze on his belated debut at the Curragh. He continued to make up for lost time by chinning Trustyourinstinct in a Group 3 back there. The colt showed his St Leger credentials by edging Bellum Justum in the Gordon at Goodwood. He showed class and guts once again to outbattle Illinois in the Last Classic itself at Doncaster. Given time to recover, he returned with a cracking second to Galen over 1m 2f at the Curragh. The star will be primed so he can land add this historic prize to his CV over a more suitable trip. Diego Ventura (1:30) holds all the aces for Hamad Al Jehani in the competitive Surrey Stakes. The colt oozed class when hacking-up from Majestic Wave for Gavin Cromwell on debut at Naas. Bought by Team Wathan, he edged-out Spirit Of Farhh on debut for his new connections at Ascot. The bay continued to justify his price tag when second to The Waco Kid in a Newmarket Group 3. He ran another stormer when filling the same spot behind La Bellota dropped in trip at York. The son of Mehmas was an eye-catching third to Cosmic Year in the Charles II returned to HQ. He put that run to good use with a convincing defeat of Epson Blue Cen in a Longchamp Group 3. There is plenty more to come from this pacey type who can get the better of some exciting rivals. Havana Hurricane (2:05) can blow his rivals away in the British EBF Woodcote Stakes. Eve Johnson Houghton's colt was a well-fancied 11-2 chance before his debut at Goodwood. He handled the undulating track extremely well when hosing-up from the exciting Logi Bear. The two-year-old surged clear that day so he can stay unbeaten up in trip at this similar track. Defiance (3:15) won't back down for Roger Varian in the tricky Betfred Nifty 50 Handicap. The four-year-old looked promising when outbattling Caviar Heights on debut at Sandown. He then didn't run too badly when sixth to Ghostwriter in the Royal Lodge at Newmarket. The bay handled this track well when edged-out by Bellum Justum in the Blue Riband Trial. He couldn't cope with the step-up in trip and class when unplaced in the Lingfield version. The four-year-old had his limitations exposed again when flopping in the Edward VII at Ascot. The son of Camelot retains plenty of ability so he can bounce back in these calmer waters. Two Tempting (4:35) can get the job done once again in the TrustATrader Handicap. Jonathan Portman's horse recorded a career best when just denying Beshtani last year. He was almost as good when fending-off Classic in another red-hot contest at Sandown. However, the five-year-old then struggled off inflated marks on his next couple of starts. He took advantage of some mercy from the assessor when edging Divine Libra at Chester. The gelding quickly lost his way again after a lacklustre effort behind Volterra at Ascot. He bounced back when cosily dismissing Partisan Hero returned to the Roodee last time. This big prize has been the aim ever since so he can strike again for his shrewd handler. Miss Information (5:10) looks reliable for Andrew Balding in the Debenhams Handicap. The filly returned to her useful juvenile form when routing Phoenix Of Dreams at Chester. She then showed a real liking for this track when hammering Guiteau in decent company. The four-year-old then held her form reasonably well for the rest of the campaign. She needed the run when a fine fifth behind Ten Pounds on her comeback at Newmarket. The bay looked much fitter when outbattling Physique in a similar contest returned to HQ. The daughter of Blue Point remains fairly-treated so she can follow-up under Oisin Murphy. EPSOM TIPS 1:30 DIEGO VENTURA 2:05 HAVANA HURRICANE 2:40 JAN BRUEGHEL 3:15 DEFIANCE 4:00 GISELLE (NAP) 4:35 TWO TEMPTING 5:10 MISS INFORMATION
