Fall on Forest to make Park Stakes a successful Affair September 10, 2024 DONCASTER hosts the final Classic of the Flat season this Saturday as the St Leger Stakes (3.40pm) takes centre stage. It’s a chance for horses with strong reserves of stamina to slog it out down the long home straight on Town Moor, and is a race where Aidan O’Brien often has a leading contender. This [...]
Keep the faith with Believing in Bradsell rematch September 10, 2024 IRISH Champions Festival action moves across to the Curragh on Sunday for another fantastic card. The Flying Five (3.00pm) is the first of four Group Ones on the day and features Bradsell at the head of the market. Archie Watson’s colt is seeking back-to-back top-level wins after last month’s Nunthorpe victory but has never fired [...]
Warrior to continue Shum’s Power-packed start at Happy Valley September 10, 2024 BANK on trainer Danny Shum to continue his sparkling start to the new season in Hong Kong when he sends seven raiders to the city track at Happy Valley for their eight-race programme starting at lunchtime on Wednesday. 64-year-old Shum, renowned for always getting quickly off the mark in the territory, obliged with an opening-day [...]
Frankie Lor’s Less can prove to be More under Atzeni September 10, 2024 IT ALWAYS pays to follow trainers who have their stable raring to go and start the season brightly in Hong Kong. Trainer David Hayes made no secret he had the majority of his gallopers in mint condition and was subsequently proved correct with an opening day double, including potential superstar Ka Ying Rising. Many of [...]
Beauty to make Waves in Sha Tin’s season-opening feature September 6, 2024 THE SEVEN-week summer-break is finally over for horse racing enthusiasts in Hong Kong. Racing action resumes at Sha Tin on Sunday, with a highly-competitive 10-race programme, featuring the £370,000 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup (6.50am), a handicap over six furlongs. All eyes will be on potential sprinting sensation Ka Ying Rising, a winner of five of [...]
Fast Network Wishes to remain unbeaten September 6, 2024 THERE’s no points for guessing reigning champion Zac Purton will be the go-to jockey for the majority of the estimated 25,000 spectators who make their way through the turnstiles at Sha Tin on Sunday. The Zac-Man has looked a picture of health and wellbeing since returning from an extended Mediterranean holiday, and looks raring to [...]
Chris Barnett (27/8/1959 – 26/8/2024) August 28, 2024 THAT dreaded telephone call came on Monday morning. The one I knew would come one day, but had hoped wouldn’t. Chris Barnett, host of the City AM Punter podcast, and a man who has defied medical science for so long, finally lost his battle with illness over the Bank Holiday weekend. He was only 64. [...]
Time to start Believing in Regional and Rova August 22, 2024 AUSSIE ace Asfoora has caused a stir in the British sprinting ranks this season. She couldn’t win a Group One on home soil but duly bolted up at Royal Ascot in the King Charles III Stakes, typically one of the highest quality five-furlong heats of the entire year. Though she didn’t double up in the [...]
Insanity far from a mad bet in Friday’s opener August 22, 2024 YORK is a very hard place for jockeys to ride winners, but Rossa Ryan has one of the best strike-rates in the weighing room at 16% and I fancy him to land the opening 1m4f Sky Bet Handicap (1.50pm) with INSANITY. Alan King’s four-year-old had a couple of starts over hurdles last December, which didn’t [...]
Camille Pissarro creates the best impression in open Gimcrack August 22, 2024 THERE aren’t many big races that Aidan O’Brien hasn’t won in 23 years, but the Gimcrack Stakes (3.00pm) is one of them. In truth, it’s not a race the master of Ballydoyle has really targeted with his best stock, but this year I think he’s lined up one of his better juvenile colts for the [...]