logo
ENFRع
#

Latest news with #FieldofGold

150-1 long shot wins key horse race in England, heads to Breeders' Cup
150-1 long shot wins key horse race in England, heads to Breeders' Cup

UPI

time01-08-2025

  • Sport
  • UPI

150-1 long shot wins key horse race in England, heads to Breeders' Cup

1 of 4 | Qirat posts a 150-1 upset in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in England on Thursday, earning a "Win and You're In" Breeders' Cup slot. Photo courtesy of Goodwood Racecourse Aug. 1 (UPI) -- As American racing looks forward to one of the biggest events of the summer for older horses, Wednesday's Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood in England provided a dramatic reminder than anything can happen in a horse race. Qirat, a 150-1 shot entered to be a pacemaker for hot favorite Field of Gold, didn't stop when the running started in the Sussex and became one of the longest-priced winners in the history of English and Irish Group 1 racing. Field of Gold finished fourth. There's no favorite as hot as Field of Gold in Saturday's Grade I Whitney at Saratoga. But there's plenty of chances for surprise with a "Win and You're In" berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic at stake. And that's just the tip of the iceberg -- an odd turn of phrase during a midsummer heatwave -- in a big weekend schedule. We'll catch up with the Sussex and the rest of Goodwood after: Classic Saturday's $1 million Grade I Whitney at Saratoga, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Classic, continues the 2024 Triple Crown rivalry involving Fierceness, Sierra Leone and Mindframe, with the addition of capable older rivals Skippylongstocking, Highland Falls and White Abarrio. Sierra Leone and Fierceness battled throughout last season, eventually finishing 1-2 in that order in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Also: East Avenue, Chunk of Gold and McAffee are the favorites in a field of eight set for Sunday's $400,000 Grade III West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park. Reigning Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show is a lukewarm favorite in Sunday's $200,000 West Virginia Governor's Stakes at Mountaineer Park. Eight, including three trained by Mark Casse, are entered for Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Seagram Cup on the Woodbine all-weather. Distaff Trainer Bob Baffert holds seven of the entries for Saturday's $400,000 Grade I Clement Hirsch at Del Mar, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Distaff. Kopion could be the one to beat all three after three wins and a second in her last four starts, two of the wins in Grade I's. Filly & Mare Sprint Echo Sound enters Saturday's $500,000 Grade I Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga with five wins and a second from six starts and is heavily favored to add one to the win column. Turf Saturday's $750,000 Grade I Saratoga Derby Invitational lacks the frequent Godolphin threat, but does have three capable foreign visitors in Hotashell, Juwelier and Tiberius Thunder. The American contingent is led by Test Score, who exits a win in the Grade I Belmont Derby. Ellis Park hosts six Kentucky Downs "Preview" races during the weekend, offering rich purses and qualifying spots in the much more valuable races next month at the former Dueling Grounds on the Kentucky-Tennessee border. In this division, it's Saturday's $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Nashville Derby and Sunday's $300,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup. Game Warrior and Freedom's Not Free stand out against four rivals in Sunday's $150,000 La Jolla Handicap for 3-year-olds at Del Mar. Filly & Mare Turf Sunday's $400,000 Grade III Pucker Up at Ellis Park has a competitive field of 11 3-year-old fillies to go 1 1/8 miles. Turf Mile Johannes arrives from California in fine form and rules the morning line for Saturday's $750,000 Grade I FanDuel Fourstar Dave at Saratoga, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Mile. The 5-year-old son of Nyquist finished second in the 2024 Breeders' Cup Mile and has not been worse than second in eight of his last nine starts. Also: Zulu Kingdom is the 6-5 morning-line favorite in Friday's $400,000 Grade II National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame for 3-year-olds at Saratoga; and the Ellis Park action comprises Saturday's $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile and Sunday's $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile. Turf Sprint At Ellis Park, it's Saturday's $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint and Sunday's $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint. Bring Theband Home is 3-5 on the morning line for Sunday's $300,000 Grade II Troy Stakes at Saratoga. Juvenile Obliteration and Ewing, two speedballs off to great career starts, are the favorites in Saturday's $200,000 Grade II Saratoga Special. Saturday's $100,000 Tyro on the Monmouth Park turf is a jump ball with 10 lining up to try their luck. Juvenile Fillies Tremont Stakes winner Mythical, undefeated after two starts, is the 4-5 morning-line pick in Sunday's $175,000 Grade III Adirondack at Saratoga. Around the world, around the clock England Wednesday's Group 1 Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Mile, made history for sure -- but not in the way owner Juddmonte hoped. The global powerhouse breeding and racing operation had two runners in the race -- 1-3 favorite Field of Gold, who was drawing tentative comparisons to Frankel after winning the 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes, and Qirat, the 150-1 chance expected to be a "rabbit" for the favorite. Coolmore had a similar team in the well-regarded Henri Matisse and pace factor Serengetti. Serengetti missed the break and had to hustle up to engage Qirat for the early lead. The two loped along, given plenty of room by the body of the field, including Field of Gold and Henri Matisse. Serengetti chucked it in midway down the stretch, but Qirat never really asked for much to that point and kept right on rolling for jockey Richard Kingscote, helding off Rosallion by a neck. The upset reportedly was the biggest in the modern history of Group 1 racing in England and Ireland. Henri Matisse made a promising late bid to finish third and Field of Gold was a flat fourth. Also Wednesday, Lady Iman, with Ryan Moore up for trainer Gyr Lyons, won the Group 3 HKJC World Pool Molecomb Stakes for 2-year-olds, earning a "Win and You're In" bid to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on Halloween. The Starman filly has four wins and a second. A sudden summer storm dropped more than 1 inch of rain on Goodwood on Thursday afternoon, sending racegoers scurrying through puddles seeking cover and forcing officials to resort to a flag-drop start rather than chance the starting gate for the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes for fillies and mares. None of that seemed to matter to another of Coolmore's stars, Whirl, who got the drop on her rivals as the flag dropped and never looked back, slogging through the suddenly sodden ground to a 5-length victory. The win also earned a "Win and You're In" berth in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and a guaranteed spot in January's Grade II Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf. It was her third win of the season alongside a second to Minnie Hauk in the Oaks. Trainer Aidan O'Brien said her options are legion. Tuesday's feature, the Group 1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, came down to an intramural battle, with Scandinavia overhauling pacesetting favorite Illinois in the final strides to hand the Coolmore lads a 1-2 finish in the 2-mile test. The joy was tempered by a fatal injury to popular stayer Trushan, who was pulled up by jockey Hollie Doyle with a fractured pastern. On the Continent The features are the Group 1 Prix Rothschild for fillies and mares at Deauville and the Group 1 Henkel-Preis der Diana or German Oaks at Dusseldorf, both Sunday.

Trainers O'Brien, Gosden dominate early days of Royal Ascot
Trainers O'Brien, Gosden dominate early days of Royal Ascot

UPI

time20-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • UPI

Trainers O'Brien, Gosden dominate early days of Royal Ascot

1 of 2 | Trawlerman and jockey William Buick return from victory in Thursday's Group 1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. Photo by Megan Coggin, courtesy of Ascot June 29 (UPI) -- Trainers Aidan O'Brien and John and Thady Gosden certainly enjoyed the first three days of the Royal Ascot meeting, as O'Brien saddled three star-bound 2-year-olds and the Gosdens sent out the winners of the three biggest races. The Godolphin team also landed a few blows as the fashion-filled week passed its midpoint, handing out Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" tickets along the way. Here's a look, including a few other stops around the globe. Around the world, around the clock Royal Ascot The Royal meeting got off to a surprising start as Docklands, a 15-1 chance, put his nose in front of the favorite, Rosallion, at the end of the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes. Cairo, at odds of 100-1, finished third. Docklands, an Australian-bred 5-year-old, was second in the 2024 Queen Anne, but was dispatched at 15-1 odds, as he was winless in 11 starts since bagging the Brittania Stakes at the 2023 Royal meeting. The race was a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Mile on the Del Mar turf Nov. 1. Things got better later, but the Queen Anne did not throw down an auspicious start for the big outfits as Rosallion represented Sheik Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, while Godolphin's Notable Speech finished fourth, Juddmonte's Lead Artist was seventh and Coolmore's Diego Velazquez reported ninth. American hope Carl Spackler raced prominently but faded to get home sixth. The Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes for 3-year-olds, slotted right in the middle of the first day's schedule, was bookmarked by many as not only the day's best race but the best of the meeting. The English, French and Irish Guineas winners faced off, representing Godolphin, Coolmore and Juddmonte, respectively. And the winner is: By a knockout, Field of Gold. The Irish Guineas winner, a Kingman colt, found a seam near the top of the Ascot straight, kicked away 2 furlongs out and won by 3 1/2 lengths over French Guineas winner Henri Matisse. Ruling Court, who defeated Field of Gold in the English Guineas, was third. That's Juddmonte, Coolmore and Godolphin 1-2-3. Trainer John Gosden, now handling probably European racing's hottest commodity, said Field of Gold's scheduling hasn't totally gone to plan thanks to the trip to Ireland to atone for the loss at Newmarket and might call for a tap on the brakes. American Affair, a homebred Washington, D.C., gelding from a small Scottish stable, upset the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes, a 5-furlong dash, winning by a neck over Frost at Dawn. Believing, the favorite, finished 10th and reigning Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint champion Starlust was fourth. American Affair earned a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Gstaad looked like a potential superstar for the Irish Coolmore "lads" as the Starspangledbanner colt dominated the Group 2 Coventry Stakes for 2-year-olds. Gstaad raced alone between the inside and outside groups in the big field and jetted away to win by 3 lengths, improving to 2-for-2 as the first in what turned out to be a trio of 2-year-old triumphs for the Irish juggernaut. Wednesday All Ombudsman needed in the final furlong of the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes was a place to go. After idling behind a very hot pace set by the Coolmore duo of Continuous, and Los Angeles, jockey William Buick found himself with a handful of horse and tiring rivals in a line in front of him. He jinked right, then left, finally found a seam and the 4-year-old Night of Thunder colt did the rest, shooting off to win by 2 lengths. Anmaat and Sea the Fire were second and third. Ombudsman earned another prestigious trophy for Gosden and a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita. Crimson Advocate rallied like a shot outside rivals to win a high-quality renewal of the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes for fillies and mares by 1 1/4 lengths from Cinderella's Dream. Fallen Angel took third, giving Wathnan Racing first and third around the Godolphin color-bearer. Reinvented this year as a miler by trainer Gosden, she had finished second and first in preparation for the Duke of Cambridge. True Love overwhelmed 22 other 2-year-old fillies in the opener, the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at 5 furlongs. The No Nay Never filly, a plus-sized O'Brien trainee, started from the stands-side gate, took her time winding up, found her rhythm and won by 1 1/4 lengths. Extreme longshot Flowerhead edged Gulfstream Park-based Lennilu for third in a good effort by both. True Love became the second impressive 2-year-old score of the Royal meeting for Coolmore. Carmers, the first-ever Royal Ascot runner for trainer Paddy Twomey, improved to 3-for-3 with a victory in the 1 3/4-mile Group 2 Queen's Vase for 3-year-olds. Further and Rahiebb were a tight second and third with pacesetter Shackleton also close in fourth. Carmers, a Wootton Bassett colt, started his career with victories at Ballinrobe and Vavan in Ireland, both at 1 5/8 miles. Thursday The midpoint of the meeting featured the Group 1 Gold Cup with Godolphin's Trawlerman defeating Coolmore's Illinois by 7 lengths. Trawlerman, second in last year's Gold Cup to the recently retired Kyprios, led throughout the 2 1/2 miles and responded eagerly when asked by jockey William Buick with 3 furlongs left. The other Godolphin entry, 9-year-old Dubai Future, stayed on gamely to finish third. "Trawlerman just goes off," trainer Gosden said. "I said to William, 'What did you do?' and he said, 'I threw the reins at him. He can judge pace better than me.' And off they went together." Charles Darwin gave O'Brien, Coolmore and Moore yet another great 2-year-old performance in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes. The No Nay Never colt accelerated smoothly through the last of 5 furlongs to win by 2 1/4 lengths over Godolphin's Wise Approach. Sandal's Song, who qualified via the Royal Palm Juvenile at Gulfstream Park, got nearly to terms with the winner and ran on well to finish third. It was the third straight win for Charles Darwin, all by big margins, and earned him a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. That was the first of three victories on the day for the group, also including the Group 2 Ribblesdale for 3-year-old fillies, won by 7-1 shot Garden of Eden, and the Group 3 Hampton Court for 3-year-olds, won by Trinity College by 3 1/2 lengths over another Godolphin runner, Tornado Alert. South America After handing out this week's "Win and You're In" bids at Royal Ascot, Breeders' Cup this weekend turns its attention back to South America. Sunday's Group 1 Grande Premio Brasil at Hipodromo da Gavea in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, grants the winner a pass to the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf. The Gran Premio Pamplona at Hipodromo de Monterrico in Lima, Peru, is a "Win and You're In" for the Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf. It's a quiet week in North America, with the $500,000 Grade III Ohio Derby at Thistledown and the $300,000 Grade II Chicago Stakes for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs atop the schedule.

Royal Ascot punter tried to put £370k bet on big race favourite Field Of Gold
Royal Ascot punter tried to put £370k bet on big race favourite Field Of Gold

Daily Mirror

time18-06-2025

  • Business
  • Daily Mirror

Royal Ascot punter tried to put £370k bet on big race favourite Field Of Gold

According to a report, the punter asked to put the extraordinary wager and pay with their bank card on the eventual St James's Palace Stakes but was turned down in the betting ring A Royal Ascot punter tried to put a colossal bet on a big race favourite at the track. Outside the Cheltenham Festival, the five-day royal meeting is the biggest betting event of the year. Sums of up to six figures are traded with bookmakers in the Royal Ascot betting ring, but stakes exceeding £100,000 are rare. Last year Royal Ascot bookie Ben Keith's Star Sports, a firm known for standing big bets, twice had to pay out £200,000 each after accepting a pair of winning wagers worth £100,000. ‌ On day one of this year's meeting Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Field Of Gold was one of the hotpots of the week for the St James's Palace Stakes for which he was the 8-11 favourite. ‌ Not surprisingly, many punters were prepared to cash in on the John and Thady Gosden-trained colt and put their money down before Field Of Gold romped to an emphatic victory. But, according to one report, one significant bet was turned away by a bookmaker. Simon Knott, who compiles a daily report from the ring on behalf of Star Sports, said in a post on X: 'I'm told someone asked a bookmaker on the lower rail for $500,000 (around £370,000) bet Field Of Gold on his card, yes that is dollars and card. 'Luckily they didn't ask Star Sports. It was a bad enough day as it was.' Knott went on to detail how much damage was done to Star Sports' bank balance by backers of Field Of Gold. 'The punters had evidently been waiting for Field of Gold, having bets of £20,000 – £22,000, £10,000 – £11,000 £10,000 – £11,000 and £1000 – £1100 plus the double should the first leg cop, fair bets to lay before cutting the price. ‌ 'A trade bet of £10,000 – £12,000 followed swiftly after but stayed 5/6 which it did on most other joints too.' He continued: 'A further grand and two grand at 10/11 the jolly topped things up, back to 5/6 it was again, and a punter had £600 to win £500. By the time the field headed for the stalls, the jolly was 8/11. ‌ 'Punters were walking past trying to blag 5/6 and 4/5 but that ship had sailed, you can't stand back and hope they get bigger, then beg the price when you miss it. No sir. 'Well, what can you say, even the world 's top train stopper couldn't put the kibosh on the impressive winner Field Of Gold. The book lost £58,155, Ben quietly and stealthily, probably quite sensibly, left the building and Tony and Emily to pay pay pay. 'It got worse, Lofty's team blew £6700 and the massive queue waiting to draw were crowing.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store