JC / Railbird

International Archive

Royal Ascot Opens

Royal Ascot opens Tuesday and stud dud George Washington, winner of last year’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, will make his much anticipated return to the races in the Queen Anne Stakes. “He’s good. We think he has matured, we’ve been very happy with him and he is behaving very well,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien of the colt (Sporting Life). George Washington is the hot favorite in the race, at even money on Ladbrokes, 11-4 on Betfair in the early wagering.
On Wednesday, rivals Notnowcato and Dylan Thomas clash in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Times), won last year by Ouija Board, now retired and in foal to Kingmambo. A beautifully illustrated biography written by owner Lord Derby has recently been published about the tremendous mare, who often trounced the best of her peers, male and female, during her 22-race career run in seven different countries.

Posted in International on June 18, 2007

Epsom Derby 2007

Authorized wins “by a street,” giving jockey Frankie Dettori his first Derby victory (Guardian).
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Dettori followed up on Sunday with a win in the French Derby aboard Lawman. Bookmakers wept: “Plenty of customers picked up their Authorized winnings on Sunday morning and many kept the faith in Frankie doing the Derby double, making this a weekend to forget for us,” said David Stevens, spokesman for the bookmakers Coral (Guardian).

Posted in International on June 3, 2007

Epsom Results

– “Bargain-buy Sir Percy was delivered on the line to gain a famous victory in a pulsating finish to the 227th Vodafone Derby at Epsom.” The colt won the race by a head in one of the closest finishes seen in the Epsom Derby in years, with the top four all finishing within a head or nose of each other. The race was marred by the tragic breakdown of second favorite Horatio Nelson, who was pulled up in the stretch after fracturing his right front leg, an injury unfortunately foreshadowed before the race when jockey Kieren Fallon expressed concern that the colt wasn’t warming up well. Trainer Aidan O’Brien and racecourse vet Peter Webbon watched Horatio Nelson trot and determined that he was fit to run. “Thus was the equine Horatio Nelson killed in action, sharing the fate of his illustrious namesake, Lord Nelson, killed in action at Trafalgar.” Owner John Magnier, asked about the pre-race concerns, declined to lay blame on anyone for the accident. “If there was something, it was checked by the people down there and they passed it.”
– At Epsom on Friday, Alexandrova “ran away with the Oaks,” winning by six lengths under a handride from jockey Kieren Fallon. “She just took off with me,” Fallon said. “Any filly that wins in the Oaks is very special, and I’ve been lucky enough to win it three times before today, but I never thought until today that I’d get a feel from a filly in the Oaks like I did from Ouija Board two years ago.” In the Coronation Cup, Shirocco was briefly tested by Ouija Board, but then easily drew away to win by 1 3/4 lengths.

Posted in International on June 4, 2006

Dubai World Cup Results

Godolphin could have its first Kentucky Derby starter since 2002 with Discreet Cat. The colt won the UAE Derby impressively by six lengths, beating a field that included older horses like previously undefeated Uruguayan Triple Crown winner Invasor, and is attracting excited attention as a result. British bookmaker William Hill made Discreet Cat its 5-1 Kentucky Derby favorite, but Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford is warning eager fans to wait before wagering:

And jockey Frankie Dettori sounded a note of caution after the UAE Derby as well: “I don’t know how he’s going to be against the best of the Americans,” he said. “But he showed great determination and focus.”
If Discreet Cat were to run in the Kentucky Derby, it would be only his fourth career start, going 1 1/4 miles against tested competitors like the current leading favorites Brother Derek and Lawyer Ron. However impressive his Dubai win, those are a couple of tough knocks to overcome.
Other Dubai results: Local horse Electrocutionist overcame a slow start from post one to win the World Cup by 1 1/4 lengths. “I knew he was a good horse and a special horse,” said happy owner Sheik Mohammed after. The Americans put in a good show, with Brass Hat finishing second, Wilko third, and Magna Graduate fourth.
Buff Bradley, trainer of Brass Hat, admitted some disappointment at the results, but said, “I got over it, and it took me about 10 seconds … We were so proud of Brass Hat. He made us proud. He ran super.”
Electrocutionist could start in this fall’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, as might David Junior, who turned in an eye-catching performance winning the Dubai Duty Free. “He was swinging away like he was running in a maiden and when I asked him to quicken up, he went away like a rocket,” said jockey Jamie Spencer. “Once he had got out I was never going to get beaten.”
Related: Sources close to Ouija Board’s connections say jockey Kieren Fallon has lost the mount on the “wonder mare” following her poor showing in the Sheema Classic, and Wilko will remain with trainer Jeremy Noseda. The four-year-old returned to Noseda’s Newmarket barn following the World Cup, and may start next in the May 29 Met Mile or the June 17 Stephen Foster.

Posted in International on March 26, 2006