Home Affairs is on course to run in the Platinum Jubilee S. while Nature Strip is a leading fancy for the King's Stand S. for Waller, who will forever be remembered for his handling of Australian legend Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) and, more recently, last year's Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}).

Nature Strip, one of the most decorated sprinters in the world with eight Group 1 wins to his name, and Home Affairs, twice successful at the highest level, were reported to have come through their breeze at Ascot racecourse with flying colours, according to the trainer. 

Waller said, “It was pretty much a perfect trip-they had two stopovers, one in Singapore and one in Dubai.

“Collectively they drank 120 litres of water on the flight and I think that's the key for anyone travelling, just making sure they're well hydrated.

“They put on a couple of kilos on the flight but now they're back to their normal weights, so they needed to do a little bit of work this morning.

“Today was their first piece of fast work for two weeks, they just needed a little bit of stimulation and I was pretty happy with what they did.”

A handful of international raiders have based themselves in Newmarket while American handler Wesley Ward has taken his team to Chelmsford racecourse in the build-up to next week's royal meeting.

Waller was full of praise for the facilities in Lambourn, a racing centre more celebrated for its jumps inhabitants, as well as his European training colleagues.

He said, “It's been great, a lovely relaxed environment. It's amazing, the facilities over here, it's awesome-the horses just enjoy themselves and are very relaxed.

“Like a lot of training centres around the world, we train in the city and everything is a rush. There's a lot of horses in a small area, but not here, it's all about the horse and it's no wonder the English, Irish and French turn up so many good winners.”

He added, “You train to your own environment, we know what works in Australia. I have the utmost respect for how hard it must be to train a horse here.

“In particular they've got to have their horses right for six months of the year, we have 12 months to get things right. If you miss a carnival, you've got another one two or three months later – but there's only one Royal Ascot.

“The way the English and Irish trainers, and the French as well, the way they prepare them for their races is quite unique. We have prep runs, we don't get them ready for a 2,000 metre race first time.”

While Winx never made the trip to Ascot that so many fans hoped for, Waller is not a total stranger to Royal Ascot having sent Brazen Beau (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) to race in 2015.

The son of I Am Invincible came close to victory in the then Diamond Jubilee S., finding only the Ward-trained Undrafted (Purim) half a length too good.

Asked what he learnt from his experience with Brazen Beau, Waller said, “That it would be achievable to win a race here one day.

“He ran very well and he was a good Australian sprinter, a young horse with a similar profile to Home Affairs. You've got to have a horse with a good temperament, they've got to be quick, they've got to be able to cope with good tracks or perhaps a bit of rain on the day as well.

“We almost pulled it off, so not much has changed really, we almost got it right and we'll try to get it right this time.”

The post Waller Upbeat About Home Affairs and Nature Strip After Ascot Gallop appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 84 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Dream Of Dreams to start in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which will be run at five furlongs at Del Mar. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of $40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.

Dream Of Dreams, a chestnut gelding by Dream Ahead out of the Dansili (GB) mare Vasilia (GB), and trained by Sir Michael Stoute, had experienced two defeats by a head in the Diamond Jubilee in the last two years. In 2019, he fell narrowly short of catching Blue Point (IRE), and, in 2020, finished just too late to catch Hello Youmzain (FR).

After last year's Royal Ascot defeat, Dream Of Dreams won three of his next four starts, which included his Group 1 breakthrough in the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup. Today, he doubled his Group 1-winning record, and made it four wins out of the last five, when mastering the front-running Glen Shiel (GB) inside the final furlong to win by a length, under jockey Ryan Moore.

Dream Of Dreams completed the 6 furlongs in 1:14.87 on a course listed as soft. Art Power (IRE) finished third. Prerace favorite Starman (GB) was a non-runner because of the ground conditions.

“Michael has been great to me throughout my whole career,” said Moore. “He's got this horse, who is 7 now, to perform three times in a row here. It's great that he's able to win today. He's been a great horse. He's got better every year. A stiff six with cut in the ground is perfect for him.”

Stoute gained his only other success in the race with Dafayna (GB) in 1985 when it was a Group 3 race known as the Cork And Orrery Stakes. His second triumph with Dream Of Dreams was the 82nd Royal Ascot victory for the meeting's winningest trainer. Dream Of Dreams also became one of only two 7-year-olds to win the race since 1946 and the joint oldest.

“The horse really deserves it,” said Stoute. “He's a top-class sprinter. In the previous two years, one more stride and he wins, but that's not what it's about, you've got to get there first. I am really happy for him today. He's a very untypical sprinter. He goes down so relaxed; he is almost pulling up. It's a great thrill.

“I was pretty hopeful from two furlongs out because he finishes well. He's actually a very effective horse over seven furlongs as well. He won a Group 1 last year and he's won Group races but it's been very frustrating he's been beaten so narrowly.

“As he's got older and more mature, he has relaxed more and got better. The team has done a great job with him. He has been pretty consistent, getting beaten a head two years running. He doesn't run too many below par races.”

Dream Of Dreams left Archie Watson, trainer of Glen Shiel, standing in the runner-up spot for a second day after a Royal Ascot Group 1.

On Friday, Watson's Dragon Symbol (GB) had been demoted to second after being found to have caused interference to the U.S. challenger Campanelle (IRE), trained by Wesley Ward, when finishing first past the post in the G1 Commonwealth Cup.

“Glen Shiel has probably put in a career-best performance today,” he said. “He got closer to the winner than he did at Haydock last year. I'm delighted he has backed up his Group 1 win [in the G1 British Champions Sprint ] with another very solid run at this level. He's shown that that wasn't a one-off and he can now go through the rest of the year in these six-furlong Group 1s and we can be confident he'll run well in them.”

Dream Of Dreams joins Casa Creed, winner of the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes  at Belmont Park on June 5, as the first two runners to earn automatic starting positions into this year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

The post Diamond Jubilee Win Gives Dream Of Dreams Guaranteed Spot In Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The G1 highlight over six furlongs is always an exciting contest and the latest edition was no exception, with seven-year-old Dream Of Dreams (3-1 favorite) fighting off the persistent challenge of Glen Shiel (7-1) to prevail by a length. Third home Art Power (7-2) was the one to catch for much of the race, before giving way to the front two.

It was an 82nd Royal Ascot success for Sir Michael Stoute – the meeting's most successful trainer. Moore was chalking up win number 65 and moved ominously into second place in the leading jockey standings for the week with three wins.

Stoute said: “I am delighted – the horse deserves it. The past two years, he has been beaten a head finishing fastest of all, so I am really thrilled for him.

“He has got more and more relaxed; he doesn't go to post like a sprinter, does he? I thought he was going to pull up halfway down. He is more relaxed, and a little better. He's fully developed and strong now. But it's his mind – he's really, really chilling.

“He loves a little cut in the ground, but I don't think he's run on ground quite as soft as this, so I was a little concerned. Ryan [Moore] had it all planned and it all worked out, and told me what he was doing, so I said, kick on.

“Any winner here is a great thrill, particularly a Group One. But additionally, this fellow has just been touched off twice, so I'm pleased for him – he deserves it.

“I thought I wasn't going to have a Royal Ascot winner this year – this is the last runner we've got. It's been tough – it's always been tough, but it's tougher.”

Moore said: “Sir Michael has been great to me throughout my whole career. He has got this horse, who is seven now, to perform here three times in a row and it's great that he's able to win today.

“Dream Of Dreams has been a great horse. He has got better every year. A stiff six [furlongs] with cut in the ground, it's perfect for him.

“Any winner here is important and the bigger the race… a race like this, a prestigious race like this…it's great.”

Archie Watson said of the runner-up: “I am delighted with Glen Shiel. He tries so hard. Hollie said that Ryan came to her late and whilst Glen Shiel kept on battling, she just wished they had come to him earlier as he just keeps on finding.

“He has backed up his Group One win with another solid run in a Group One and we'll just keep on rolling through these races during the summer.

“It's very simple with these sprinters. We'll go to the July Cup next and then he'll probably have a crack at the Prix Maurice De Gheest – I think the six and a half furlongs will really suit him there. Then you have the Sprint Cup and then back here in October for the Champions Sprint. I might throw something else in along the way. But that will be the gist of it.”

Hollie Doyle said: “It was an unreal run. It's a bit disappointing not to win, but we know that Glen Shiel is back to his best so early on in the year whereas he didn't hit top form till the end of last year. We have plenty to look forward to.”

Art Power's trainer Tim Easterby said: “He has run an absolute blinder. He ran to the line and just got a little tired in the last half-furlong. The other horses were just a bit stronger, and he was out on his own for a long time. He ran a great race and will come on again. The King George at Goodwood is a possible now.”

The post Third Time’s The Charm For Dream Of Dreams In Diamond Jubilee At Royal Ascot appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 84 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California on Nov. 5-6.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Diamond Jubilee winner to start in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which will be run at 5 furlongs at Del Mar. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of October 25 to receive the rewards.

The Diamond Jubilee is the fourth of four Breeders' Cup Challenge Series “Win and You're In” races to be conducted during the Royal Ascot meeting. The race will be televised live on NBC, TVG, ITV and Sky Sports.

In his 2021 debut, Starman, trained by Ed Walker, won York's 6-furlong Duke of York Clipper Logistics Stakes (G2) on May 12. The bay son of Dutch Art (GB) took the lead in the final furlong and held off Nahaarr (IRE) by a neck for his fourth win, all at the 6-furlong distance.

“He is a massively exciting horse,” said Walker of the 4-year-old Starman. “He is a big imposing horse with that presence, a real head-turner in the string. He's obviously very good as well. Everything has gone well since York.”

After winning his first three races last year, Starman finished 13th in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (G1) at Ascot over a soft course. Oisin Murphy has the mount on Starman.

The 7-year-old chestnut gelding Dream Of Dreams, trained by Michael Stoute, has finished second by a head in the last two runnings of the Diamond Jubilee, losing the 2019 race to Blue Point (IRE), and in 2020 to Hello Youmzain (FR). But following last year's defeat, Dream Of Dreams returned on Aug. 15 at Newbury and romped home a 7-length winner in the Unibet Hungerford Stakes (G2). That win set him up for his biggest score yet, when he captured the Group 1 Betfair Sprint Stakes at Haydock by 1 ¼ over Glen Shiel (GB) in September.

In preparation for this year's race, Dream Of Dreams won the listed Weatherbys ePassport Stakes at Windsor on May 17. He will be ridden Saturday by Ryan Moore.

Sheikh Ahmed al Maktoum's 5-year-old Nahaar has won six races for trainer William Haggis, including three last year. A bay son of Dark Angel (IRE), Nahaar just missed taking his first Group stakes race in his gallant runner-up effort in the Duke of York.

Another son of Dark Angel is Power Racing's 4-year-old Art Power (IRE), who won last year's Palace Of Holyroodhouse Handicap at Royal Ascot by 3 ¼ lengths, defeating 20 rivals. Trained by Tim Easterby, Art Power followed that win by taking the Lacken Stakes (G3) at Naas. Stepping into Group 1 competition in his next two starts, Art Power finished fourth in the Haydock Sprint and fourth in British Champions Sprint Stakes. He had a disappointing 2021 debut in the Duke of York Stakes when he started awkwardly and finished fifth. Silvestre De Sousa has the mount on Art Power.

Hambleton Racing's Glen Sheil is seeking his ninth win. Trained Archie Watson, the 7-year-old chestnut gelding by Pivotal (GB) finished first or second in eight of nine starts last year. In addition to his British Champions Stakes win, Glen Sheil captured the Phoenix Sprint Stakes (G3) at the Curragh. He made his 2021 debut in the Wetherbys Ireland Greenland Stakes (G2), finishing fourth at the 9-5 favorite. Hollie Doyle will ride Glen Sheil.

The post Win And You’re In: Starman, Dream Of Dreams Headline Saturday’s Diamond Jubilee At Royal Ascot appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Trained by Brendan Walsh, Extravagant Kid on Saturday turned in his third work at Keeneland since his Dubai performance, covering 5 furlongs in 1:02.20 in company with stakes-placed winner Lontano over a fast dirt track.

Clockers caught him in fractions of :11.80, :24, ;36, :49.60 and 1:02.20.

“He worked great. He's doing good,” Walsh said about Extravagant Kid, who would be the trainer's first starter at Royal Ascot. “Looks like he came out of the race in Dubai good and got back in good shape.”

The fact that Extravagant Kid handled the trip to and from Dubai so well gave his connections confidence in sending him to Royal Ascot.

“If it worked out good going to Dubai, why wouldn't it work out going to England?” Walsh said. “He shows that he's good enough to take on those kind of horses.”

Walsh said Ryan Moore, who rode Extravagant Kid to his Dubai victory, will ride the gelding at Royal Ascot. Extravagant Kid is to accompany the contingent of horses trained by Wesley Ward on the flight from Indianapolis.

Another Saturday worker at Keeneland for Walsh was Godolphin's Maxfield, who was clocked in :49.80 for a half-mile in his first work since winning the April 30 Alysheba (G2) Presented by Sentient Jet at Churchill Downs. The 4-year-old son of Street Sense is scheduled to make his next start in the June 26 Stephen Foster (G2) at Churchill.

“Maxfield is doing great,” said Walsh, who has around 40 horses stabled at Keeneland. “He worked nice, and we're back on the go and on to the next spot.”

The post Walsh-Trained Extravagant Kid Tunes Up At Keeneland For Upcoming Royal Ascot Trip appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The field consists of multiple big-race winners and none more so than the winner of the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, Hello Youmzain. The four-year-old was giving jockey Kevin Stott his first Royal Ascot win as well as first Group 1 win and the pair will be well fancied again this Saturday.

Stott is hoping to continue his whirlwind start to the season; the 25-year-old had undoubtedly the biggest day of his career on the Saturday of this year's Royal meeting. He won the Diamond Jubilee Stakes with Hello Youmzain for his first Group 1 and immediately followed it up with a winner in the next race with Hey Jonesey – his first Royal Ascot winners.

The North Yorkshire-based jockey revealed the pure emotion he felt that day and that Kevin Ryan's stable star, Hello Youmzain, has come out of the race well and is ready to go on Saturday, in a race that forms part of the 2020 QIPCO British Champions Series.

“As we crossed the line it was the best feeling in the world. It's something that I've dreamt about since I was a kid,” Stott said.

“Hello Youmzain has come out of the race brilliantly, his preparation for the July Cup on Saturday has been very good. He's been fresh and well so I'm very happy with him.

“He's a very big horse, he was a late two-year-old. He's extremely balanced and very fast out of the stalls. If I could describe him in one word it would be that he's athletic. He's an absolute pleasure to ride.”

Stott is 12^th in this year's Flat Jockeys' Championship with 21 wins from 117 rides at a strike rate of 18%.

The winner of the other six-furlong sprint at the Royal meeting, Golden Horde will also head to post after his commanding victory in the Commonwealth Cup. Clive Cox and Adam Kirby know all about teaming up with sprinters in this race having won it twice before with Lethal Force and Harry Angel.

The past three runnings of the Darley July Cup have been won by 3-year-olds and last year the Classic generation were responsible for the first five home – a good omen for Clive Cox's sprinter.

Last year's champion apprentice Cieren Fallon Jr. is hoping Oxted can provide him with a dream first Group 1 triumph by landing the Darley July Cup at Newmarket on Saturday. Fallon Jr. is still able to claim 3lb in the majority of races but the status of the showpiece sprint, which forms part of the 35-race QIPCO British Champions Series, means he has to compete on level terms.

Fallon Jr. guided Oxted to victory in the William Hill Portland Handicap at Doncaster in September and was also on board him when he won the Group 3 Betway Abernant Stakes on his return at Newmarket last month.

Fallon Jr. believes the absence of any spectators will be a bonus for the horse: “He has his quirks and we have the hood on him in the parade ring. The crowd not being there is a big help to him as he can get a little worked up beforehand.”

Hello Youmzain's win in the Diamond Jubilee could prove to be a good form guide as three of the first four home all re-oppose each other here.

Irish sprint sensation, Sceptical was third in the Royal Ascot Group 1 and will be looking to overturn that result this time out. Trained by Denis Hogan in Ireland, Sceptical changed hands for just 2,800gns last year as an unraced three-year-old and has already proved a lucrative purchase. He will again be ridden by Frankie Dettori, still searching for an elusive first win in the July Cup.

Fourth place in the Diamond Jubilee went to Khadeem and he will also be looking to reverse that form for trainer, Charlie Hills.

Brando, the 2017 Prix Maurice De Gheest winner, will be running in his fourth July Cup for Kevin Ryan. He beat all bar U S Navy Flag in the 2018 renewal and chased home Judicial at Newcastle last time out.

Threat scooped two Group 2 prizes as a juvenile last year – including when beating Lord Of The Lodge in the Al Basti equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes at York – and drops back in distance after finishing fifth on his return over a. mile in the St James's Palace Stakes. Conversely, Equilateral moves up in distance after chasing home Battaash, his brilliant stablemate, in the King's Stand Stakes.

German-trained challenger Namos, winner of two pattern races in his native country this year, adds international flavour, while Sir Dancealot gets the opportunity to try and improve on the fourth place he managed in the 2018 July Cup.

Shine So Bright ounds out the field of 13 and will be looking to return to some sort of form after a disappointing run in the Diamond Jubilee where he could only manage tenth.

The post Darley July Cup: Jockey Kevin Stott Hoping To Continue Dream 2020 Season With Hello Youmzain appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post