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, [...]
Scalzo can prove money well spent for his new owner June 11, 2015 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS THE BEST OF THE WEEKEND’S RACING IT IS a predictably quiet weekend seeing as we’re just four days away from Ascot. A winner is a winner, though, and there is some competitive action at York, Sandown and Musselburgh. The highlight is the Charity Sprint at York (3.45pm) where northern trainers have won [...]
Back speedy Waady to return to winning ways at Sandown June 11, 2015 JOHN Gosden’s speedster WAADY was far too keen when stepped up in trip at Newbury in the Carnarvon Stakes last month and is interesting now back down to five furlongs in tomorrow’s Scurry Stakes at Sandown (2.55pm). He caught my eye when whizzing up over course and distance in a Class Two handicap off a [...]
England set for scrap in Slovenia as they search for six wins on the spin June 11, 2015 BEN CLEMINSON LOOKS AT THE EURO 2016 QUALIFIERS HAVING won all five of their European Championship qualifiers to date, England are well-fancied to add a sixth victory against Slovenia on Sunday night. They have also beaten their opponents in their three previous meetings. Any repetition will see them go nine points clear at the top [...]
Belgium to emerge on the right side of a Cardiff thriller June 11, 2015 ON PAPER, tonight’s Group B qualifier between joint leaders Wales and Belgium in Cardiff appears to be something of a mismatch. The visitors are ranked second in the world, were 2014 World Cup quarter-finalists, and haven’t lost to their hosts in five encounters. However, while Belgium should still be fancied, Wales are in fine form, [...]
Maximum excitement on euro 2016 qualifiers June 11, 2015 GOALS galore or bore draw? Friday’s Euro 2016 qualifier between Wales and Belgium could go either way. Level with Marc Wilmots’ men on 11 points at the top of the table, the Dragons have given themselves a clear chance of reaching the finals in France, but have only scored seven times in five fixtures. By [...]
Perfect start for Stoute and Moore June 5, 2015 RACE 1 2.00pm Investec Banking Handicap SIR Michael Stoute knows a thing or two about today’s first race, the Investec Private Banking Handicap, after saddling Conduit to victory in 2008. The son of Dalakhani went on to take the St Leger, King George and back-to-back Breeders’ Cup Turfs in a memorable career that saw him [...]
Experienced Buratino to end stable’s Woodcote wait June 5, 2015 RACE 2 2.35pm Investec Woodcote Stakes NORTH Yorkshire’s most successful trainer, Mark Johnston, is double-handed in today’s Investec Woodcote Stakes. Jockey William Buick will be wearing Sheikh Hamdan’s yellow cap aboard BURATINO, while it’s Adam Kirby who will be in charge of Aleko for the second race on today’s card. Franny Norton didn’t have to [...]
Gosden’s Golden opportunity June 5, 2015 Geoff Lester talks to John Gosden about his Investec Derby hopefuls WHILE Barcelona are lucky enough to have both Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez for tonight’s Champions League final against Juventus, John Gosden hopes that a few hours earlier at Epsom his own potent striking force, namely Golden Horn and Jack Hobbs, might have what [...]