Latest news with #Fitzella
The Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Keen racing fan Lady Victoria Starmer beams in delight as she backs winner at Ascot
IT was the thrill of the race for Lady Victoria Starmer as she raises a fist in delight after backing a winner at Ascot. PM Sir Keir's wife, 51, was seen clutching a betting slip as she cheered on 9-4 favourite Fitzella to success in the Princess Margaret Stakes. 4 4 Lady Victoria, known as a keen racing fan, had also backed 20-1 Sukanya, which finished seventh. But that did not dampen her mood as she celebrating her success with two women around her. An onlooker said: 'Nothing dampened Victoria's mood. 'She was having a whale of a time, was cheering and shouting, and seemed completely at home. 'She is known for loving a day at the races and was delighted at picking a winner. 'She seemed to be studying the form intently and waved to the crowds after the race as she held onto her betting slip, her phone and an Ascot programme. 'People were joking that Victoria seemed to be having a better time that her husband who is struggling at Number 10.' Victoria's mother Barbara is from Doncaster, and her grandmother lived on the edge of the town's famous racecourse. Starmer's wife Lady Victoria went from asking 'who the f*** does he think he is' to incoming PM's right-hand woman 4 4
Glasgow Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Fitzella fits the bill for Hugo Palmer in Princess Margaret
The Hugo Palmer-trained filly was fourth at the same track in the Albany Stakes at the Royal meeting, beaten three lengths by a highly-regarded rival in Karl Burke's Venetian Sun. This time she was the 9-4 favourite under Oisin Murphy, and took up the running early on to set a good pace from the front. As the race developed the contenders behind her attempted to close, but the daughter of Too Darn Hot was well able to keep her head in front to claim an eventual one-length win from George Scott's Staya. Oisin Murphy returns victorious aboard Fitzella (John Walton/PA) Palmer said: 'Oisin was very upset when he came in from the Albany as he felt he sat too close to a very strong pace, he did realise and took back but the damage was already kind of done by then. 'We felt on reflection that it was her class that allowed her to finish fourth on that occasion. 'She was probably drawn on the wrong side of the track that day as well and today the plan was to hold her up and race more patiently and use her finish. 'She pinged the lids and Oisin had to go straight to plan B and it worked very nicely. He didn't go hard and of course she's very exciting. 'She was an expensive yearling but has always been beautiful and still is and I'm delighted she's a Group winner now. 'I've only watched it once so I don't know how tough Oisin has had to be on her. She was very game and very willing which is what she has been at home since the get-go. I'm delighted today, but just sad she's not a Royal Ascot winner.' A great attitude shown! Fitzella battles hard to strike in the Princess Margaret Stakes at @Ascot for @oismurphy and @hpalmerracing… — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 26, 2025 Coral made Fitzella a 25-1 chance for next May's 1000 Guineas, but more immediate in Palmer's thoughts is the Breeders' Cup, with a trip to France a possibility before crossing the Atlantic to Del Mar in November. Palmer continued: 'She's shown great gate speed today and the Breeders' Cup would definitely be on the radar, she will definitely run again and possibly twice, but I wouldn't think more than that. 'It's her fourth start of the year and I wouldn't want her to have many more than five or six runs. 'She has a Moyglare entry, but that is a very stiff seven furlongs and I would have thought the Prix du Calvados at Deauville may be the right option, it's a month away. She wouldn't want soft ground though, so we will have to see what the weather brings.'
South Wales Argus
6 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Fitzella fits the bill for Hugo Palmer in Princess Margaret
The Hugo Palmer-trained filly was fourth at the same track in the Albany Stakes at the Royal meeting, beaten three lengths by a highly-regarded rival in Karl Burke's Venetian Sun. This time she was the 9-4 favourite under Oisin Murphy, and took up the running early on to set a good pace from the front. As the race developed the contenders behind her attempted to close, but the daughter of Too Darn Hot was well able to keep her head in front to claim an eventual one-length win from George Scott's Staya. Oisin Murphy returns victorious aboard Fitzella (John Walton/PA) Palmer said: 'Oisin was very upset when he came in from the Albany as he felt he sat too close to a very strong pace, he did realise and took back but the damage was already kind of done by then. 'We felt on reflection that it was her class that allowed her to finish fourth on that occasion. 'She was probably drawn on the wrong side of the track that day as well and today the plan was to hold her up and race more patiently and use her finish. 'She pinged the lids and Oisin had to go straight to plan B and it worked very nicely. He didn't go hard and of course she's very exciting. 'She was an expensive yearling but has always been beautiful and still is and I'm delighted she's a Group winner now. 'I've only watched it once so I don't know how tough Oisin has had to be on her. She was very game and very willing which is what she has been at home since the get-go. I'm delighted today, but just sad she's not a Royal Ascot winner.' A great attitude shown! Fitzella battles hard to strike in the Princess Margaret Stakes at @Ascot for @oismurphy and @hpalmerracing… — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 26, 2025 Coral made Fitzella a 25-1 chance for next May's 1000 Guineas, but more immediate in Palmer's thoughts is the Breeders' Cup, with a trip to France a possibility before crossing the Atlantic to Del Mar in November. Palmer continued: 'She's shown great gate speed today and the Breeders' Cup would definitely be on the radar, she will definitely run again and possibly twice, but I wouldn't think more than that. 'It's her fourth start of the year and I wouldn't want her to have many more than five or six runs. 'She has a Moyglare entry, but that is a very stiff seven furlongs and I would have thought the Prix du Calvados at Deauville may be the right option, it's a month away. She wouldn't want soft ground though, so we will have to see what the weather brings.'
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Unbeaten Tony Bloom-owned star Venetian Sun set big target as form receives major boost
The Brighton FC chairman's horse has won all three of her races, including the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot. The form was boosted on Saturday when fourth-placed Fitzella took the Sodexo Live! Princess Margaret Stakes under Oisin Murphy Tony Bloom's unbeaten filly Venetian Sun is back from a break and being primed to take on the colts in the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville. The speedy juvenile has swept the board against her fellow juveniles this season, running out a convincing winner of the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot. She then justified short odds by fending off Royal Fixation by a neck in Newmarket's Group Two Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes earlier this month. Back home in North Yorkshire, trainer Karl Burke chose to give Venetian Sun a few easy weeks and she is now building up to her first run at the highest level on August 24. The Ascot form received a major boost when fourth-placed Fitzella took the Sodexo Live! Princess Margaret Stakes on the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes undercard. "She is back cantering and we are looking ahead to the Prix Morny," said Burke, whose star horse is owned by Brighton FC chairman Bloom and Ian McAleavy. "It was a bit of an afterthought to go for the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes. She has been in great form since and I expect her to handle the journey to France OK. I think she's bombproof." Burke also has one eye on the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh in September, a race Aidan O'Brien has claimed ten times. "I have been impressed with his horse True Love and I think she is a bigger danger to my filly than any of the colts I've seen," he added. After finishing three lengths behind Venetian Sun at the prestigious royal fixture last month, Fitzella (9-4f) returned to winning ways under Oisin Murphy. Quickly away from stall five, she made all of the running and kept on well to hold the challenges of Staya and Bella Lyra. "She's the fourth horse to run out of the Albany and she's the third one to win a Group race and the other one won a maiden, so it looks like a pretty strong renewal," her handler Hugo Palmer said. "She's tough, game, good looking, well-bred. I said we would go seven (furlongs, next) whatever happened here."
The Herald Scotland
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Fitzella fits the bill for Hugo Palmer in Princess Margaret
This time she was the 9-4 favourite under Oisin Murphy, and took up the running early on to set a good pace from the front. As the race developed the contenders behind her attempted to close, but the daughter of Too Darn Hot was well able to keep her head in front to claim an eventual one-length win from George Scott's Staya. Oisin Murphy returns victorious aboard Fitzella (John Walton/PA) Palmer said: 'Oisin was very upset when he came in from the Albany as he felt he sat too close to a very strong pace, he did realise and took back but the damage was already kind of done by then. 'We felt on reflection that it was her class that allowed her to finish fourth on that occasion. 'She was probably drawn on the wrong side of the track that day as well and today the plan was to hold her up and race more patiently and use her finish. 'She pinged the lids and Oisin had to go straight to plan B and it worked very nicely. He didn't go hard and of course she's very exciting. 'She was an expensive yearling but has always been beautiful and still is and I'm delighted she's a Group winner now. 'I've only watched it once so I don't know how tough Oisin has had to be on her. She was very game and very willing which is what she has been at home since the get-go. I'm delighted today, but just sad she's not a Royal Ascot winner.' A great attitude shown! Fitzella battles hard to strike in the Princess Margaret Stakes at @Ascot for @oismurphy and @hpalmerracing… — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 26, 2025 Coral made Fitzella a 25-1 chance for next May's 1000 Guineas, but more immediate in Palmer's thoughts is the Breeders' Cup, with a trip to France a possibility before crossing the Atlantic to Del Mar in November. Palmer continued: 'She's shown great gate speed today and the Breeders' Cup would definitely be on the radar, she will definitely run again and possibly twice, but I wouldn't think more than that. 'It's her fourth start of the year and I wouldn't want her to have many more than five or six runs. 'She has a Moyglare entry, but that is a very stiff seven furlongs and I would have thought the Prix du Calvados at Deauville may be the right option, it's a month away. She wouldn't want soft ground though, so we will have to see what the weather brings.'
