Latest news with #RibblesdaleStakes
Irish Independent
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Garden blooms for Aidan O'Brien on first try over a mile and a half in Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot
Having raced handily behind runaway front-runner Island Hopping, Moore produced his mount to lead entering the final two furlongs and the daughter of Saxon Warrior cleared away to win by three and a quarter lengths. The lightly raced Understudy (40/1) stayed on from off the pace into second, with the 2/1 favourite Catalina Delcarpio half a length further back in third. A Listed winner at Naas last time, Garden Of Eden was providing O'Brien with a third consecutive Ribblesdale Stakes, following Warm Heart (2023) and Port Fairy (2024). O'Brien said: 'I was impressed with that. Garden Of Eden is getting better, which is great. We always thought stepping up in trip would help her. We stepped her up to a mile and a quarter the last day and she improved a lot. 'She is by Saxon Warrior and, when they go up in distance, they do get better. The Irish Oaks would be a possibility, but she could also go to America for a Grade 1 over there – we will have to see.' Moore said: 'Garden Of Eden was very impressive. She has been gradually improving. Aidan kept saying every time she steps up, she will get better. 'We went a hard pace and got a bit detached. She kind of dropped the bridle and ran in snatches. Billy [Lee on the favourite] sneaked down the inside but, when I asked her to quicken, Garden Of Eden quickened very well. Just typical Aidan – he keeps making them better." Understudy's co-trainer Thady Gosden said: 'She has run a very nice race there. It was only the third start of her life. She won well at Southwell last time out and it was a change of scene here today. She is a homebred of Bjorn Nielsen's, with a very good pedigree. When they are upped as much in grade that quickly, you're not quite sure how it will go, but we hoped she would run a good race, and she has.' Paddy Twomey said of the third: 'Catalina Delcarpio is a lovely filly and ran a career best. She probably just didn't see out the trip today, but I think when she is a little bit stronger and a little bit older, she will. She is just coming into herself and I think she will be a very good four-year-old. We side-stepped Epsom and races like that on purpose, because I think it was coming too soon for her. I doubt I will run her in the Irish Oaks. Maybe something like a Blandford Stakes on Irish Champions weekend, something like that, over 10 furlongs.'
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Trawlerman turns on the style to win the Gold Cup on Ladies' Day at Royal Ascot
Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive by carriage into the Parade Ring on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting, traditionally called Ladies Day, at Ascot, England, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Crowds cheers on the horses running in the Ribblesdale Stakes on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting, traditionally called Ladies Day, at Ascot, England, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Wilnelia Merced poses for photographs holding fan with the flag of Puerto Rico on it, on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting, traditionally called Ladies Day, at Ascot, England, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting, traditionally called Ladies Day, at Ascot, England, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Racegoers arrive carrying a portable fan to keep cool as temperatures are set to rise to 30c (86f), on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting, traditionally called Ladies Day, at Ascot, England, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Racegoers arrive carrying a portable fan to keep cool as temperatures are set to rise to 30c (86f), on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting, traditionally called Ladies Day, at Ascot, England, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive by carriage into the Parade Ring on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting, traditionally called Ladies Day, at Ascot, England, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Crowds cheers on the horses running in the Ribblesdale Stakes on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting, traditionally called Ladies Day, at Ascot, England, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Wilnelia Merced poses for photographs holding fan with the flag of Puerto Rico on it, on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting, traditionally called Ladies Day, at Ascot, England, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting, traditionally called Ladies Day, at Ascot, England, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Racegoers arrive carrying a portable fan to keep cool as temperatures are set to rise to 30c (86f), on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting, traditionally called Ladies Day, at Ascot, England, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) ASCOT, England (AP) — On a sun-kissed day showcasing elegance and fashion at Royal Ascot, Trawlerman turned on the style to win the signature Gold Cup by seven lengths on Thursday. Jockey William Buick rode the favorite to victory in the top race of the week and earned a first prize of $500,000 for Trawlerman's owner, the Dubai-based Godolphin operation. Advertisement King Charles III and Queen Camilla handed out the Gold Cup and medals after the race to Buick, trainer John Gosden and members of Godolphin. Trawlerman was second to the now-retired Kyprios in the Gold Cup last year but went one better. It was Ladies' Day at the royal meeting, meaning there was a display of towering and sometimes outlandish hats from racegoers in sweltering temperatures. ___ AP sports:
Irish Examiner
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Garden of Eden blossoms in Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot
Garden Of Eden continued her progress to provide trainer Aidan O'Brien with a record sixth victory in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. The Ballydoyle handler saddled three runners in the Group Two contest, with Ryan Moore siding with Garden Of Eden (7-1), who struggled in successive Group races in the spring but raised her game to claim a Listed prize at Naas on her most recent appearance. Island Hopping was deployed in a pacesetting role, but her early exertions took their toll from the home turn, while Garden Of Eden galloped on powerfully up the straight to score by three and a quarter lengths from Understudy, with 2-1 favourite Catalina Delcarpio back in third. O'Brien said: "I was impressed with that, I'm delighted. She's getting better which is great. "We always thought stepping up in trip would help her and we stepped her up to a mile and a quarter the last day and she improved a lot. "She's by Saxon Warrior and when they go up in distance they do get better so she obviously improved for the step up. "The Irish Oaks would be a possibility, but she could also go to America for a Grade One over there, we will have to see." Read More Charles Darwin lives up to his billing in Norfolk Stakes
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Royal Ascot TIPS: Newsboy picks 1-2-3 for every race on Thursday on ITV
In Newsboy's unmissable column, our tipster gives his views on every race for Gold Cup day at Royal Ascot, historically known as Ladies' Day Royal Ascot is set to draw its biggest crowd of the week for Gold Cup day, traditionally known as 'Ladies' Day'. The Gold Cup is the most historic race of the prestigious five-day fixture which attracts the best horses, trainers and jockeys from Europe and around the world. The feature prize is the fourth race on the card which opens with the 5f Norfolk Stakes for two-year-olds followed by the Ribblesdale Stakes, the 1m4f race for three-year-old fillies. Newsboy has analysed every race and given his 1-2-3. 2.30 Norfolk Stakes AFJAN made a most promising debut at Chantilly at the beginning of the month and gets the vote to take his tally to 2-2. Trained in France by Henri-François Devin, my selection is bred to be precocious and speedy - his sire Mehmas finished second in the 2016 Coventry Stakes before going on to lift the Group 2 July Stakes (Newmarket) and Richmond Stakes (Goodwood) later that summer, while dam Al Johrah chased home Lady Aurelia in the Queen Mary Stakes the same year. Afjan started out in a race for newcomers over an extended five furlongs at Devin's local course, going off second choice in the betting in a field of nine. And Alexis Pouchin's mount got his career off to the perfect start, running on strongly to the finish to get the better of Vardif by a length and a quarter. There is plenty of improvement to come at the second time of asking as Afjan bids to better his parents' feats at Royal Ascot. Charles Darwin is the clubhouse leader in terms of form and rates the principal danger, ahead of Naval Light and, at bigger odds, Comical Point. 3.05 King George V Stakes SING US A SONG, progressive and likely to thrive for a step up in trip, has the right profile for trainer Ralph Beckett, who hit the bullseye with Surefire in 2021 and Going The Distance 12 months ago. Successful on the last of his three starts as a two-year-old - he won a 10-furlong maiden at Goodwood by a short head last September - Camelot's son made his return to the fray in a handicap over the same distance at Sandown Park at the end of April. A 4-1 chance in a field of 12, Hector Crouch's mount came back from a 212-day absence to double his career tally, making much of the running and surging home with gusto to hold Urban Glimpse by two and a quarter lengths. After the colt's pre-Royal Ascot purchase by Wathnan Racing, James Doyle is now on board Sing Us A Song who has a 7lb rise in the weights to overcome - but both his run style and his pedigree suggest another step forward will be forthcoming now he tackles a mile and a half. In a wide-open contest, Serious Contender, Gunship, Lightening Mann and Boatswain are just four horses capable of getting involved. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 SING US A SONG, 2 SERIOUS CONTENDER, 3 LIGHTENING MANN 3.40 Ribblesdale Stakes SERENITY PRAYER has seen her Musidora Stakes second boosted by Whirl in the Oaks at Epsom and holds leading claims. We didn't see the daughter of Dubawi - dam Peach Tree, a sister to 1,000 Guineas and Oaks heroine Love, won at Group 3 level - as a two-year-old. But Serenity Prayer had evidently been showing up well on Andrew Balding's Kingsclere gallops prior to making her debut against seven rivals at Newbury in April. Backed into 2-1 joint-favouritism, my selection and Oisín Murphy justified the support with a length-and-and-a-half margin to earn a trip to York for the Group 3 Oaks trial. Racing at the back of the six-runners, Serenity Prayer began to feel the heat at the top of the straight but stuck to her guns and got up for second, five and a half lengths behind the Aidan O'Brien-trained winner. Whirl went under by just a neck to stablemate Minnie Hauk at Epsom and Serenity Prayer, for whom the move up to a mile and a half is a plus, still has more to give. Catalina Delcarpio, Life Is Beautiful and Lady Vivian are taken to fight it out for the minor medals. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 SERENITY PRAYER, 2 CATALINA DELCARPIO, 3 LADY VIVIAN 4.20 Gold Cup ILLINOIS is expected to answer the questions regarding his stamina and extend his trainer Aidan O'Brien's record in Royal Ascot's signature race to double figures. Opponents will point to the fact that today's favourite was parachuted into the Gold Cup reckoning only when stablemate, and dual winner, Kyprios succumbed to a career-ending injury last month. But a Ballydoyle understudy can still bring the house down, as Gstaad, standing in for the sidelined Albert Einstein, proved in Tuesday's Coventry Stakes. Twelve months ago, Illinois made his first visit to Ascot a winning one with a victory in the Group 2 Queen's Vase over a mile and six furlongs. My selection then stepped back to a mile and a half during the summer for seconds in the top-level Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp and York's Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes, before a neck defeat behind another O'Brien trainee, Jan Brueghel, in the St Leger at Doncaster in September. Ryan Moore's mount rounded off 2024 with a win in the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay over a mile and seven back in Paris on Arc weekend. And he proved everything is in working order after 215 days off with a length-and-a-quarter margin from Al Qareem in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes at Chester last month. As the trainer himself notes, nobody will know whether Illinois possesses the required stamina until he reaches the home straight this afternoon. But O'Brien rarely sends short runners to the Gold Cup and a 10th triumph awaits. Candelari, like Illinois an up-and-coming four-year-old, isn't passed over lightly, while Trawlerman and Sweet William, second and third to Kyprios for John and Thady Gosden in 2024, are poised to profit if the young guns' staying power doesn't hold out. 5.00 Britannia Stakes FIFTH COLUMN gives the impression he doesn't do more than the necessary - and that makes life tough for the handicapper. As a two-year-old, the John and Thady Gosden-trained son of Kingman didn't live up to expectations, with his four races yielding four defeats. It wasn't a massive surprise, therefore, to see Fifth Column undergo a gelding operation before he marked his comeback from a 158-day lay-off by getting his head in front in a one-mile Kempton Park maiden at the beginning of April. Given a British Horseracing Authority mark of 86, my selection made his debut in the sphere in the Esher Cup at Sandown Park 18 days later and proved ahead of that assessment with a three-quarter-length beating of Seraph Gabriel. There's still a way to go before Fifth Column, equipped with cheekpieces, gets to the bottom of the barrel and a 6lb rise in the weights doesn't look out of reach. In a race where the bookies are struggling to find a favourite, Consolidation, Teroomm, Fearnot and God Of War are all viable candidates. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 FIFTH COLUMN, 2 TEROOMM, 3 GOD OF WAR 5.35 Hampton Court Stakes JACKKNIFE lost his unbeaten record in unfortunate circumstances at Sandown Park three weeks ago and shouldn't be written off. Absent from the track at two, the Kameko-sired colt was given his introduction in a nine-runner novice stakes at Epsom in April, getting the better of favourite The King's Falcon by a neck. That form is unexceptional but Jackknife emerged with plenty of credit despite finding every bit of trouble going in the Listed Heron Stakes over a mile on the Brigadier Gerard Stakes undercard last time out. Racing towards the far rail in the straight, Oisín Murphy couldn't find daylight on his Roger Varian-saddled partner until the race was as good as over. With winner Opera Ballo in the clear, Jackknife kept on into third under a hand ride and looks capable of much better over this additional two furlongs. Detain (third) and Trinity College (fourth) have their sights lowered after running well in the Prix du Jockey Club and have claims, along with High Stock. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 JACKKNIFE, 2 TRINITY COLLEGE, 3 HIGH STOCK 6.10 Buckingham Palace Stakes RAMAZAN needs to leave this season's form way behind to figure, but is capable of doing exactly that. Richard Fahey's five-year-old will win nothing if repeating his 'achievements' of 2025, a sixth at Musselburgh and a last-of-10 effort at Haydock Park in April and a hefty defeat - he blew the start before coming home 11th of 16 behind Rousing Encore - at York last month. But the plus side is that the British Horseracing Authority number cruncher has taken a losing run stretching back to August 2023 into account. Victorious from a rating of 98 at Chepstow for his latest win - Razaman finished a head second in the Victoria Cup over this course and distance from 105 in May of last year - he now competes from a figure of 96. That makes him a well-handicapped horse, and Fahey's booking of rising star 5lb claimer Warren Fentiman is another plus. In a finale of many possible outcomes, Never So Brave, Akkadian Thunder and Fifty Nifty merit a second look. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 RAMAZAN: 2 NEVER SO BRAVE, 3 FIFTY NIFTY FREE £2 William Hill Shop Bets every day of Royal Ascot inside your Mirror We've teamed up with racing experts William Hill to offer your a £2 FREE shop bet every day of the iconic Royal Ascot festival. Pick up your Mirror from Tuesday June 17 -> Saturday June 21, 2025 to get your hands on this great offer. With 12 pages of incredible pullouts every day, PLUS a £2 shop bet, the Mirror is ready to bring you all the runners, riders, and winners of Ascot 2025.
Glasgow Times
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Kalpana has Irish alternative after scope scuppers Middleton plan
Andrew Balding's Group One winner was scheduled to start her campaign on the Knavesmire before marching on to the Curragh's Pretty Polly Stakes in June, but she will no longer be following the 'Bluestocking route' to Paris following the small setback on Tuesday morning. 'Andrew just wasn't happy with her scope this morning and there was a little bit of mucus there. The vet said he would like to treat her for a couple of days so we couldn't declare her for York,' explained Barry Mahon, European racing manager of Kalpana's owners Juddmonte. 'It's unfortunate but it is nothing sinister and hopefully we will get her back in a couple of weeks.' Kalpana dazzled during her three-year-old season, placing in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot before winning three on the bounce and ending the year with a top-level success back at Ascot on British Champions Day. With the Arc set as her long-term aim, she is as short as 10-1 to replicate her owners' success with Bluestocking last October and holds a host of big-race entries in the early part of the current season. Connections are hopeful there will only be a small delay to the start of her campaign, with an earlier than anticipated trip to the Curragh now earmarked for a possible reintroduction on May 25. Mahon added: 'We could look towards the Curragh for the Tattersalls Gold Cup and if the treatment clears her up and Andrew is happy with her I would say that would look the most obvious next target. After that you are rolling into Epsom (for the Coronation Cup).' 'They didn't think it is anything overly sinister and she probably just needs a few days of antibiotics and should be OK. Hopefully that could still leave her on track for the Tattersalls Gold Cup all being well.'
