Latest news with #InvincibleSpirit
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Spiritual wins the opener on Betfred Derby day at Epsom
Spiritual (9-1) ran out an impressive winner of the opener, the Princess Elizabeth Stakes, on Betfred Derby day at Epsom on Saturday afternoon. The John and Thady Gosden-trained four-year-old, who had not won since scoring at Sandown last July, was given a positive ride by Rab Havlin to score. Stepping back up to an extended mile having run well over seven furlongs at Lingfield on her seasonal return, she crossed over to take the lead early on in the race. And once she hit the front she hardly saw another rival during the 1m½f Group Three contest. Spiritual went into the lead after about a furlong and once she turned Tattenham Corner, the daughter of Invincible Spirit began to move clear of the field and eventually came home four-and-three-quarters-of-a-length ahead of Bright Thunder (14-1) with Sparks Fly (11-1) half-a-length back in third and Royal Dress (16-5) was another three lengths further adrift in fourth. Advertisement John Gosden said: "She loved it in front and got a bit of space around her which gave her plenty of confidence and she relaxed. Leah, who rides her every day, does a great job as she's a handful and she goes off funny little places on her own otherwise she's off. READ MORE: Liverpool make improved offer for Florian Wirtz as £113m transfer talks continue READ MORE: Florian Wirtz transfer concern is clear as Liverpool wait explained "A mile is her trip and that was an easy mile, she ran well in the seven-furlong race at Lingfield. It was lovely to win a Group Three like that in good style and they gave it to her easy up front as they say. Advertisement "She's a good filly, but she sometimes worries about the others. The good thing is she got free there. She's got a Group Three now so we'll go and look at a Group Two somewhere and if she doesn't win she might be placed. There's one in France we've our eye on and we were just hoping to run well today and not go win like that. " On the runner-up Bright Thunder, trainer and Liverpool FC fan Karl Burke said: "She ran a brilliant race and I'm very happy with her. She loved the ground and probably could have done with it being a bit softer. I think that was probably a career best and we're very happy." Trainer David Loughnane was also happy with the effort of stable star Sparks Fly, who was third. He is hoping she can finally land a Group race this season. Loughnane said: "She ran a blinder, she just didn't get out in time. She's handled the ground fine and that's the first time she's gone and got black type with good in the going description, I'm thrilled with the run. It was a real blinder and it opens up a few more options for her now. I've always thought she was a Group Three horse and she's proved it there. I thought she was the best horse in the race, but just got held up and didn't get there in time." Persica, ridden by Ryan Moore, wins the Betfred Diomed Stakes on Derby Day at the 2025 Betfred Derby Festival at Epsom Downs Racecourse on Saturday, June 7 2025 -Credit:PA Persica (6-4 favourite) came through late to land the Group Three Betfred Diomed Stakes at Epsom. Advertisement The Richard Hannon-trained four-year-old had won the Group Three Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Sandown in April before finding Group One company and the slight step back down to a mile beyond him when eighth in the Lockinge Stakes last month. But back down to Group Threee level and up over this 1m½f, Persica was back in the winner's enclosure at Epsom where he also was after winning a handicap at this meeting last season. Under Ryan Moore, Persica was settled towards the rear despite having been prominent in many of his races. But he moved through the field stylishly and came late to collar Ice Max (10-1) and score by three-quarters-of-a-length. Docklands, who may head to Royal Ascot in 10 days' time for the Group One Queen Anne Stakes, was also finishing late and was just a short-head further adrift in third. Trainer Hannon said: "He's one of those horses who's a pleasure to turn up to the races with and he's a good-looking horse who belongs to the right people and he has a chance in any race. "Knowing his owners they'll be thinking Japan Cup and Breeders' Cup and something in Australia, but being honest we've always been happy to ply our trade around this level. We might make the occasional jump up on the back of this which I think makes sense, but he has a chance in any race if he gets his ground. Ryan said he struggled going down the hill a bit, but I didn't have the guts to tell him he had been here last year and won!"
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Reigning horse of the year Pride Of Jenni to visit Yarraman Park stallion I Am Invincible this breeding season
Yarraman Park has confirmed that its three-time champion stallion I Am Invincible will be the first mating for reigning horse of the year Pride Of Jenni this breeding season. I Am Invincible, who will command a $220,000 service fee this season, leads this year's sires tables for both individual winners (180) and two-year-old stakes winners (5). He's the sire of champion sprinter Imperatriz and this year produced Vinrock, the winner of the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes in Sydney. It looks a match made in heaven with Pride Of Jenni, a winner of 10 races – including her dashing victory in the 2024 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes – and more than $10 million in prizemoney. Pride Of Jenni's owner Tony Ottobre said in a Yarraman Park announcement that he was 'in awe' of what I Am Invincible had done in his stallion career so far. 'I did look at the top stallions that were already here and I Am Invincible came up as a really good cross with her line of Street Cry, but also the fact that it's doubling to a superstar broodmare, Eljazzi,' he said. 'Eljazzi being the mother of Rafha, being the mother of Invincible Spirit. And Eljazzi, who's the mother of Al Anood who's the mother Pride Of Dubai (Pride Of Jenni's sire).'
Irish Examiner
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Romeo Sensini takes giant leap forward with Roscommon win
Unplaced on his debut here last week, Romeo Sensini, a son of Magna Grecia, took a significant step forward to bolt up, for the Slatterys, in the Irish EBF Auction Series 2-Y-0 Maiden at Roscommon, powering clear up the straight to slam Check This Out by 10 lengths. 'He was very green and raw behind horses last week and never got going,' explained trainer Andy Slattery Sr. 'But he's a nice horse and came on a lot for the run. There's a Hong Kong connection with his owners, so he might end up out there.' Placed in his three previous starts, the Joseph O'Brien-trained Omni Man opened his account when easily brushing aside front-running odds-on favourite Mocking in the JTW Distribution Roscommon Race. Having stalked the pace, Declan McDonogh asked the Invincible Spirit colt to tackle the favourite with less than two furlongs to race and, soon in command, he stretched away to triumph by seven and a half lengths. Michael Halford, representing O'Brien, said: 'He's a nice, big, progressive horse. He loved the ground and the step-up in trip and Declan said he quickened well when he asked him. The race set up lovely for him and he should improve with racing.' Having ridden three winners in England last week, Shane Foley hit the target for his boss Jessica Harrington when guiding Thrifty Of Digby to a gutsy, all-the-way win in the Abbey Hotel Roscommon Handicap, holding off Vierson by a length and a quarter. 'It wasn't the plan to make it,' admitted Foley. 'But, after watching the first few races, I decided to let her roll along after the way she jumped – we reverted to Plan B. She enjoyed the ground and being in front and it all worked out well.' Upped in trip, the Paddy Magee-trained Coulstys Way, a seven-race maiden, readily reversed Tipperary form with hot favourite Onemoredance (fourth) in the (0-70) Racing Again Here On June 9th Handicap. The four-year-old filly was an eighth winner of the season for talented 3lb claimer Robert Whearty. And Wesley Joyce was seen to good effect on the Philip Byrne-trained nine-year-old Out On Friday, also adopting successful, front-running tactics in the Garvey's Bar Ballintubber Handicap, the gelding's eighth success.
