Royal Ascot 2015: Free Eagle to land another major prize for Dermot Weld June 16, 2015 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS THE PRINCE OF WALES’S AND QUEEN MARY STAKES There are plenty of good trainers in the UK and Ireland, but only a handful have managed to stay at the top of their game for a long period. Dermot Weld is one of them. The first European to win a race in [...]
Go loco when Acapulco scoots away from her rivals June 16, 2015 IF it is Dermot Weld who has changed the travelling habits of European trainers, then Wesley Ward holds the honour of chief U.S. ambassador to Royal Ascot. It was back in 2009 when he took this meeting by storm, becoming the first Stateside trainer to win at this historic event. He took the Windsor Castle [...]
Classy Ivawood to take the Jersey June 16, 2015 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS THE JERSEY AND DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE STAKES LAST week I had the pleasure of visiting Richard Hannon’s stable in Wiltshire and the one horse on virtually everyone’s lips was IVAWOOD who lines up in this afternoon’s Jersey Stakes (2.30pm). The son of Zebedee has yet to visit the winner’s enclosure in three [...]
Integral hard to beat but get on Rizeena each-way June 16, 2015 When Sir Michael Stoute’s Integral waltzed away with last year’s renewal of the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (3.40pm), she did so in the style of a filly who looked more than able to mix it up with the very best of the boys over a mile. And one year on, the Cheveley Park Stud-owned mare [...]
Royal Ascot 2015: Solow can get the ball rolling in Queen Anne Stakes June 15, 2015 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS THE OPENING DAY OF ROYAL ASCOT 2015 Royal Ascot has got underway with a bang in recent times – and this year’s meeting should be no exception. The Queen Anne Stakes (2.30pm) normally features the best milers that Europe has to offer. On this occasion they will be joined by [...]
Bolger to knockout rivals in Round Two June 15, 2015 IT really is bizarre that this afternoon’s Coventry Stakes (3.05pm) is still only a Group Two. You only have to look at the roll of honour over the past decade to see why it should be awarded the highest status. Henrythenavigator, Canford Cliffs, Strong Suit, Dawn Approach and The Wow Signal all proved themselves to [...]
Top Tips from Paddy Power June 15, 2015 If you were looking for an unbiased view of the King’s Stand today, you’re in the wrong place! I am of course talking about my mum’s horse Sole Power who is trying to become the first horse ever to win the King’s Stand three years on the trot. All I can tell you is he’s [...]
King’s Stand beckons for speedy Angel June 15, 2015 THE Group One King’s Stand Stakes (3.40pm) is always hotly-contested and today features 19 speedballs that are sure to be wound up and ready to go. Sole Power has been a wonderful servant for Eddie Lynam and the Power family. He has won the last two editions of this race and bids to make history [...]
Ray to give flat boys a long overdue Ascot Stakes June 15, 2015 NATIONAL Hunt trainers have had a stranglehold on the Ascot Stakes (5.00pm) in recent years, winning the last five renewals, and they are strongly represented again. Nicky Henderson and Willie Mullins saddle five runners between them in their attempts to win the race for a second time. But I reckon RAY WARD can put one [...]
Panther hiccup spoils the Ascot party June 14, 2015 GEOFF LESTER TALKS TO TRAINER TOM DASCOMBE AHEAD OF THIS WEEK’S ROYAL ASCOT TO paraphrase that well-used political expression, “24 hours is a long time in racing”. Having lived the dream with trainer Tom Dascombe on Friday that his stable-star Brown Panther was “jumping out of his skin” in readiness for Thursday’s Ascot Gold Cup, [...]