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The Irish Sun
12 minutes ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
William Haggas has smuggled a Group horse into a handicap and I suspect he will take all the beating at Goodwood
TACTICS can be everything in sport. But when you rely on tactics they can, of course, always go wrong. That was very much the case for Ballydoyle in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last weekend. 1 Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien made a rare mistake and got it wrong in the King George - but they can rebound in style in the Nassau with Whirl Credit: Sportsfile Jan Brueghel and Continuous had a nightmare. But on Thursday at Glorious Goodwood surely it's simple what Ryan Moore should do in the feature Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes, live on ITV. Runner-up in the Oaks, and a horse that might have won that race on another day, WHIRL then made all to defeat King George runner-up Kalpana in the Group 1 Pretty Polly at the Curragh. This afternoon on paper the only pace pressure is Running Lion, and even if she decides to go on Whirl can sit second and is a much better horse getting 9lb! It all looks simple to me, even though the opposition includes the useful See the Fire (third in the Prince of Wales's to Ombudsman) and Coronation Stakes-winning roughie Cercene. Hopefully Whirl makes all the running, or nearly all! Day three of Glorious Goodwood on telly starts with a handicap for three-year-olds over 1m2f. William Haggas looks to have a live one here in HIGH DEGREE and I suspect he will take all the beating. Most read in Horse Racing Of course the big negative is the draw - there is not a single rider who would want stall 18. But Tom Marquand is class and I just hope he conjures up a passage for the son of Too Darn Hot who lost his maiden tag at Ffos Las last time in a tight finish. I suspect this could be a Group horse in a handicap. Up in class for the Group 2 Richmond Stakes over 6f next. AZIZAM was drawn miles away from winner and reposing Havana Hurricane in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and he looked like the animal gagging for this extra furlong when finishing strongly in third. My hope has been off the track since then and lacks a bit of match practise but the odds are decent and he really should have strong eachway claims for Karl Burke and Sam James. The Group 3 Gordon Stakes is for three-year-olds over 1m4f. MERCHANT will be a banker for many after his Royal Ascot romp in the King George V Stakes. Haggas will be thinking he's got a right St Leger hope on his hands and I so no reason why he can't be another for Marquand. Remember he was drawn in stall 20 at Ascot and still won. The trainer won this with Desert Hero before he finished third in the Leger. Finally, a handicap for more three-year-olds over 5f. RUBY'S PROFIT has been dropped 1lb for a couple of defeats even though she ran crackers at both Epsom and Royal Ascot. Prior to those two efforts the Jamie Insole runner had scored well at this course and the draw is great in stall eight. Hopefully out, away and gone and very hard to kick out the frame at the very least. Come on Kieran Shoemark. Good luck! 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.


Scottish Sun
13 minutes ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
William Haggas has smuggled a Group horse into a handicap and I suspect he will take all the beating at Goodwood
Ryan Moore can land the big one for Aidan O'Brien MATT CHAPMAN William Haggas has smuggled a Group horse into a handicap and I suspect he will take all the beating at Goodwood Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TACTICS can be everything in sport. But when you rely on tactics they can, of course, always go wrong. That was very much the case for Ballydoyle in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last weekend. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien made a rare mistake and got it wrong in the King George - but they can rebound in style in the Nassau with Whirl Credit: Sportsfile Jan Brueghel and Continuous had a nightmare. But on Thursday at Glorious Goodwood surely it's simple what Ryan Moore should do in the feature Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes, live on ITV. Runner-up in the Oaks, and a horse that might have won that race on another day, WHIRL then made all to defeat King George runner-up Kalpana in the Group 1 Pretty Polly at the Curragh. This afternoon on paper the only pace pressure is Running Lion, and even if she decides to go on Whirl can sit second and is a much better horse getting 9lb! It all looks simple to me, even though the opposition includes the useful See the Fire (third in the Prince of Wales's to Ombudsman) and Coronation Stakes-winning roughie Cercene. Hopefully Whirl makes all the running, or nearly all! Day three of Glorious Goodwood on telly starts with a handicap for three-year-olds over 1m2f. William Haggas looks to have a live one here in HIGH DEGREE and I suspect he will take all the beating. Of course the big negative is the draw - there is not a single rider who would want stall 18. But Tom Marquand is class and I just hope he conjures up a passage for the son of Too Darn Hot who lost his maiden tag at Ffos Las last time in a tight finish. I suspect this could be a Group horse in a handicap. Up in class for the Group 2 Richmond Stakes over 6f next. AZIZAM was drawn miles away from winner and reposing Havana Hurricane in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and he looked like the animal gagging for this extra furlong when finishing strongly in third. My hope has been off the track since then and lacks a bit of match practise but the odds are decent and he really should have strong eachway claims for Karl Burke and Sam James. The Group 3 Gordon Stakes is for three-year-olds over 1m4f. MERCHANT will be a banker for many after his Royal Ascot romp in the King George V Stakes. Haggas will be thinking he's got a right St Leger hope on his hands and I so no reason why he can't be another for Marquand. Remember he was drawn in stall 20 at Ascot and still won. The trainer won this with Desert Hero before he finished third in the Leger. Finally, a handicap for more three-year-olds over 5f. RUBY'S PROFIT has been dropped 1lb for a couple of defeats even though she ran crackers at both Epsom and Royal Ascot. Prior to those two efforts the Jamie Insole runner had scored well at this course and the draw is great in stall eight. Hopefully out, away and gone and very hard to kick out the frame at the very least. Come on Kieran Shoemark. Good luck! 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: 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.


South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Cercene taking distance test in Nassau Stakes
The experienced Irish handler has always thought of his star performer as a stayer in the making, but having excelled at a mile has so far been kept to no further than eight furlongs. However, after Cercene's thrilling victory at the Royal meeting, Murphy now scratches his long-held itch to move up in distance, where he is confident the daughter of Australia can hold her own once more in elite company. 'We were very happy with her since her last run and we'll find out how we get on up in trip, so it will be a learning curve,' said Murphy. 'She's so relaxed, we always thought she would be a mile-and-a-half filly but she proved us wrong by being so good at a mile. We've options we could try over those distances before the season ends, so we're looking forward to running and we're fortunate we have her. 'We have her in the Matron Stakes just in case she doesn't get the trip, but if she does it opens up more options for us and I do think she will stay. 'This is another test and another Group One. She's been third in a Guineas and won at Royal Ascot so she deserves to take her chance and plenty will be revealed by Friday.' If Cercene is to add a second Group One to her resume, she will have to crack the Ballydoyle duo of Whirl and Bedtime Story who will bid to give Aidan O'Brien a sixth victory in the 10-furlong feature, having also taken home the spoils with Opera Singer 12 months ago. Bedtime Story showed the ability that made her such an exciting juvenile last term when second in the French Oaks last month. However, it is Oaks runner-up Whirl who will carry chief Coolmore hopes having downed Andrew Balding's subsequent King George second Kalpana in tremendous fashion to claim the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh. 'She's a very straightforward, honest filly, she's so uncomplicated it's not funny,' said O'Brien. 'It was the obvious race for her and it isn't over facing her, it's baby steps her way and that's why she's coming here. We've been very happy with her since the Pretty Polly.' Balding takes another crack at Whirl, this time with See The Fire, who was thwarted by a neck in this race last year and reverts to competing against her own sex after a fine third behind Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales's Stakes. 'She has started this year in fabulous form and was very impressive in the Middleton, winning a Group Two in easy fashion. And then we thought she ran a super race at Ascot against the boys in the Prince of Wales's Stakes,' said Balding, ahead of a race that guarantees a spot in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar. 'As a three-year-old we didn't see the best of her until we got to the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood where she was narrowly beaten. Then she went on and won the Strensall Stakes against older colts at York. 'There is evidence to suggest she is improving all the time, and she certainly looks to have done physically. She is an exciting filly, and hopefully the best is to come.' John and Thady Gosden's five-time scorer Running Lion completes the line-up, running at this distance for just the second time since her second in last October's Prix de l'Opera.


The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Cercene taking distance test in Nassau Stakes
However, after Cercene's thrilling victory at the Royal meeting, Murphy now scratches his long-held itch to move up in distance, where he is confident the daughter of Australia can hold her own once more in elite company. Trainer Joe Murphy and jockey Gary Carroll celebrate (David Davies/PA) 'We were very happy with her since her last run and we'll find out how we get on up in trip, so it will be a learning curve,' said Murphy. 'She's so relaxed, we always thought she would be a mile-and-a-half filly but she proved us wrong by being so good at a mile. We've options we could try over those distances before the season ends, so we're looking forward to running and we're fortunate we have her. 'We have her in the Matron Stakes just in case she doesn't get the trip, but if she does it opens up more options for us and I do think she will stay. 'This is another test and another Group One. She's been third in a Guineas and won at Royal Ascot so she deserves to take her chance and plenty will be revealed by Friday.' Whirl is a major player in the Nassau Stakes (Brian Lawless/PA) If Cercene is to add a second Group One to her resume, she will have to crack the Ballydoyle duo of Whirl and Bedtime Story who will bid to give Aidan O'Brien a sixth victory in the 10-furlong feature, having also taken home the spoils with Opera Singer 12 months ago. Bedtime Story showed the ability that made her such an exciting juvenile last term when second in the French Oaks last month. However, it is Oaks runner-up Whirl who will carry chief Coolmore hopes having downed Andrew Balding's subsequent King George second Kalpana in tremendous fashion to claim the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh. 'She's a very straightforward, honest filly, she's so uncomplicated it's not funny,' said O'Brien. 'It was the obvious race for her and it isn't over facing her, it's baby steps her way and that's why she's coming here. We've been very happy with her since the Pretty Polly.' See The Fire ran a big race in last year's Nassau Stakes (Mike Egerton/PA) Balding takes another crack at Whirl, this time with See The Fire, who was thwarted by a neck in this race last year and reverts to competing against her own sex after a fine third behind Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales's Stakes. 'She has started this year in fabulous form and was very impressive in the Middleton, winning a Group Two in easy fashion. And then we thought she ran a super race at Ascot against the boys in the Prince of Wales's Stakes,' said Balding, ahead of a race that guarantees a spot in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar. 'As a three-year-old we didn't see the best of her until we got to the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood where she was narrowly beaten. Then she went on and won the Strensall Stakes against older colts at York. 'There is evidence to suggest she is improving all the time, and she certainly looks to have done physically. She is an exciting filly, and hopefully the best is to come.' John and Thady Gosden's five-time scorer Running Lion completes the line-up, running at this distance for just the second time since her second in last October's Prix de l'Opera.


Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Cercene taking distance test in Nassau Stakes
The experienced Irish handler has always thought of his star performer as a stayer in the making, but having excelled at a mile has so far been kept to no further than eight furlongs. However, after Cercene's thrilling victory at the Royal meeting, Murphy now scratches his long-held itch to move up in distance, where he is confident the daughter of Australia can hold her own once more in elite company. Trainer Joe Murphy and jockey Gary Carroll celebrate (David Davies/PA) 'We were very happy with her since her last run and we'll find out how we get on up in trip, so it will be a learning curve,' said Murphy. 'She's so relaxed, we always thought she would be a mile-and-a-half filly but she proved us wrong by being so good at a mile. We've options we could try over those distances before the season ends, so we're looking forward to running and we're fortunate we have her. 'We have her in the Matron Stakes just in case she doesn't get the trip, but if she does it opens up more options for us and I do think she will stay. 'This is another test and another Group One. She's been third in a Guineas and won at Royal Ascot so she deserves to take her chance and plenty will be revealed by Friday.' Whirl is a major player in the Nassau Stakes (Brian Lawless/PA) If Cercene is to add a second Group One to her resume, she will have to crack the Ballydoyle duo of Whirl and Bedtime Story who will bid to give Aidan O'Brien a sixth victory in the 10-furlong feature, having also taken home the spoils with Opera Singer 12 months ago. Bedtime Story showed the ability that made her such an exciting juvenile last term when second in the French Oaks last month. However, it is Oaks runner-up Whirl who will carry chief Coolmore hopes having downed Andrew Balding's subsequent King George second Kalpana in tremendous fashion to claim the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh. 'She's a very straightforward, honest filly, she's so uncomplicated it's not funny,' said O'Brien. 'It was the obvious race for her and it isn't over facing her, it's baby steps her way and that's why she's coming here. We've been very happy with her since the Pretty Polly.' See The Fire ran a big race in last year's Nassau Stakes (Mike Egerton/PA) Balding takes another crack at Whirl, this time with See The Fire, who was thwarted by a neck in this race last year and reverts to competing against her own sex after a fine third behind Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales's Stakes. 'She has started this year in fabulous form and was very impressive in the Middleton, winning a Group Two in easy fashion. And then we thought she ran a super race at Ascot against the boys in the Prince of Wales's Stakes,' said Balding, ahead of a race that guarantees a spot in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar. 'As a three-year-old we didn't see the best of her until we got to the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood where she was narrowly beaten. Then she went on and won the Strensall Stakes against older colts at York. 'There is evidence to suggest she is improving all the time, and she certainly looks to have done physically. She is an exciting filly, and hopefully the best is to come.' John and Thady Gosden's five-time scorer Running Lion completes the line-up, running at this distance for just the second time since her second in last October's Prix de l'Opera.