Forecast rain sweet for Sugar and Kalpana August 19, 2026 YORK is bracing itself for a potential deluge of overnight rain with torrential thunderstorms set to hit the Knavesmire. The going had already changed to good, good-to-soft in places before racing began on Wednesday, so there is every chance conditions could get really tough if some forecasts are to be believed. The feature contest on [...]
State ready to Star on the Knavesmire August 19, 2026 THURSDAY brings us the second of four days of racing from York’s Ebor Festival, with the fillies and mares taking centre stage. Another 19 two-year-old fillies will take to the Knavesmire to test their credentials for next year’s Classics in the Group Two Lowther Stakes (1.50pm) The ground has been a big talking point heading [...]
Expect Sun after the rain at York August 19, 2026 AIDAN O’Brien’s SUN GODDESS is far and away the classiest performer in what is Europe’s richest two-year-old race (2.25pm), having already won the Group One Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh last week. On ratings she looks miles clear of the majority of these and should make straightforward work of this if too much rain doesn’t [...]
Ombudsman and River to serve up another Juddmonte thriller August 18, 2026 YORK’s Group One Juddmonte International Stakes (3.35pm) regularly features among the top-rated races in the world and for good reason. In 2024, it saw a superb performance from City Of Troy to down one of the best older horses around in Calandagan, and while Delacroix attempted to repeat the feat for the three-year-olds last year [...]
Twomey’s Trean the bet in the Acomb August 18, 2026 DAY ONE’s Group Three Acomb Stakes (2.25pm) is the first pattern contest of the week, and is set to see a field of 11 runners going to post. Ballydoyle, unsurprisingly, have the current favourite in the form of Haffner who arrives having just been touched off in the Group Two Vintage Stakes at Goodwood. He [...]
Madera and Man the Ones for opening York sprint August 18, 2026 YORK’s big four days are upon us with the Ebor Festival, and the action kicks off with a typically tricky sprint, the Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Handicap (1.50pm). 22 runners go to post ready to dash over the fast five furlongs, and I think I’ve found an interesting way into the race. With [...]
Thunder Call set to Strike in Shergar Cup Sprint August 7, 2026 SATURDAY’s Shergar Cup Sprint (3.20pm) looks set to be one of the highlights of the card, with a competitive field lining up over six furlongs at Ascot. Favourite THUNDER CALL brings the strongest form into the contest and looks difficult to oppose. William Haggas’ colt has done little wrong this season, making a winning return [...]
Moore can set Ozat on Road to victory at Shergar Cup August 7, 2026 SHERGAR Cup Day concludes with the Shergar Cup Mile (4.30pm), and the winning team and rider could all come down to this contest. Ryan Moore is booked to ride the Ian Williams-trained OZAT, who is an interesting contender. He caught the eye in Goodwood’s competitive Golden Mile last week, when travelling well inside the final [...]
Qatar Racing takes over sponsorship of £4.4m British Champions Day August 5, 2026 Qatar Racing has replaced QIPCO as title sponsor of British Champions Day at Ascot for its next three editions, starting this year. The racing empire of Qatari royal Sheikh Fahad bin Abdullah Al Thani is a subsidiary of QIPCO, which has sponsored the most lucrative day in the British racing calendar, worth £4.4m in prize [...]
Twilight and Thunder the Calls at Shergar Cup August 4, 2026 SOME of the world’s best jockeys will line up at Ascot this Saturday for Flat racing’s annual team competition, the Shergar Cup. This year’s edition looks a high-class one, with the decision to move the Curragh’s Group One Phoenix Stakes to Sunday meaning that both Ryan Moore and Dylan Browne McMonagle are free to compete. [...]