Racing (Horse) : General Horse Racing Thread

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HUGHES HAS ASCOT VOW

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...e&sub=&day=Thu

Connections of Vow will be hoping Richard Hughes can maintain his winning momentum as he partners the filly for the first time at Ascot on Saturday.

The William Haggas-trained three-year-old won her first two outings this term, including the Oaks Trial at Lingfield in May, and duly went on to Epsom where she finished a creditable fourth behind Was, before paying the price for her busy early season with a lacklustre run at Royal Ascot.

PANTHER SWERVES ASCOT CUP

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...e&sub=&day=Thu

Brown Panther will bypass Saturday's Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot in favour of a trip to France the following week.

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CECIL HAPPY WITH FRANKEL CONDITION

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Thu

Sir Henry Cecil "could not be happier" with Frankel as the clock ticks down to Saturday's Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot.

The 10-furlong Group One is expected to be the four-year-old's final start before he retires to stud and he will be defending his 13-race unbeaten streak in Berkshire.

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EXCELEBRATION TOPS QEII FIELD

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Thu

Excelebration heads a field of eight declared for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, sponsored by Qipco, at Ascot on Saturday.

The four-year-old, trained by Aidan O'Brien, has been beaten five times by Frankel and has the chance to prove himself the top miler in Europe without having to take on his nemesis, who runs in the Champion Stakes.

WIZZ KID OUT TO GO ONE BETTER

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Thu

Prix de l'Abbaye hero Wizz Kid bids to follow up in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

The French raider, trained by Robert Collet, got up close home to deny Mayson at Longchamp earlier this month. The four-year-old is among a field of 15 for the Group Two contest over six furlongs, in which he was runner-up 12 months ago to the sidelined Deacon Blues.

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FRANKEL FACES GROUND QUESTIONS

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Thu

Sir Henry Cecil has admitted Frankel will be heading into the unknown in Saturday's Qipco Champion Stakes if the ground turns heavy.

Ascot has been hit by consistent rain in the build up to Champions Day and following another five millimetres overnight, clerk of the course Chris Stickels has mentioned the possibility of further rain on already soft ground. The forecast for Saturday itself is better but with showers still forecast, the ground is unlikely to be any better than soft.

CUP WINNERS SET TO CLASH

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Thu

Three previous Ascot Gold Cup winners will take each other on in Saturday's Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup.

Godolphin's Colour Vision, successful in June, last year's winner Fame And Glory and the 2010 hero Rite Of Passage will all clash in the Group Three.

Colour Vision has been beaten three times since his finest hour but Frankie Dettori has stayed loyal. Mahmood Al Zarooni's Opinion Poll, second in the Gold Cup this season, opposes again and will be ridden by Mickael Barzalona.

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DISCUSSIONS IMMINENT ON STAR FUTURE

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Fri

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls and owner Clive Smith are poised to sit down shortly to discuss the racing future of Kauto Star.

The 12-year-old bounced back to his brilliant best last season to win a fourth Betfair Chase and a record-breaking fifth King George VI Chase. He then suffered a schooling fall when being prepared for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and faced a race against time to make the race. Kauto Star ran but was pulled up before halfway.

No final decision has been made on whether he will race again, but Nicholls' inclination to keep going appears to be waning.

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CIRRUS CLOUDS FRANKEL HORIZON

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...e&sub=&day=Fri

Frankel's team admit the threat he faces in the Qipco Champion Stakes will be his toughest test to date when he comes up against last year's winner Cirrus Des Aigles.

The prospect of soft ground at Ascot has put strains of fear into many of Frankel's huge army of followers, especially as the French raider is at home in testing conditions.

Whereas Frankel only ran for the first time over 10 furlongs in the Juddmonte International at York, Cirrus Des Aigles is as battle-hardened as they come - a fact which has not escaped Teddy Grimthorpe, owner Prince Khalid Abdullah's racing manager.

BUICK HAS CONFIDENCE IN KATE

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...e&sub=&day=Fri

William Buick is expecting a big run from Elusive Kate in the Qipco-sponsored Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

The John Gosden-trained filly was only a length and a half behind Saturday's favourite Excelebration in third place in the Prix Jacques le Marois and was an unlucky second in the Sun Chariot Stakes on her latest start.

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EXCEL OUT TO STAR IN QEII

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...e&sub=&day=Fri

With no Frankel in opposition, Excelebration has the chance to flaunt his undoubted ability in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

The four-year-old, trained by Aidan O'Brien, has been beaten five times by Frankel, including twice this year, but with Sir Henry Cecil's superstar having stepped up a mile and a quarter, Excelebration has a golden opportunity to prove himself the top miler in Europe in this Qipco-sponsored Group One.

Runner-up to Frankel in this race 12 months ago, when handled by Marco Botti, he showed his class with a smooth victory in the Jacques le Marois at Longchamp in August.

TRAVEL KEY TO WIZZ SPRINT BID

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...e&sub=&day=Fri

Connections of Irish-owned filly Wizz Kid are hoping concerns about her journey from France prove ill-founded ahead of the Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot.

The four-year-old, who will be ridden Olivier Peslier, can be a poor traveller, but she was able to run her race 12 months ago when second to Deacon Blues and returns to Berkshire on the back of a storming Group One success nearer home.

That came in the Prix de l'Abbaye, where she pounced late to pip July Cup hero Mayson in the five-furlong dash on Arc day at Longchamp.

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FRANKEL EXPECTED TO GET GO-AHEAD

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...e&sub=&day=Sat

Frankel is set to head a star-studded cast on Qipco Champions Day at Ascot as long as the ground is considered safe for the world's highest-rated racehorse.

The going at the Berkshire track on Friday afternoon eased from soft all round to soft on the straight course and soft, heavy in places, on the round course after three millimetres of rain.

Although a little more rain was expected before midnight, dry conditions are forecast for race day itself.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah, said: "We will look at it in the morning. It depends what happens. What I have always said is that as long as we are happy the ground is safe for Frankel, that will be our call. We are going to walk it and the intention is to run if we can."

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Here are my best tips for today.

Ascot 1.45 Opinion Poll
Ascot 2.20 Society Rock
Ascot 2.55 Great Heavens
Ascot 3.30 Cityscape
Ascot 4.05 Frankel
Cheltenham 2.00 Talkonthestreet
Cheltenham 2.30 Rebel Du Maquis
Cheltenham 3.05 Dodging Bullets
Cheltenham 3.40 Hold On Julio

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REDVERS IN AWE OF DEADLY DUNADEN

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Sat

Dunaden, last year's Melbourne Cup winner, was hailed a "horse of a lifetime" following his stunning come-from-behind victory in the BMW Caulfield Cup.

Despite having been saddled with joint-top weight, the Mikel Delzangles-trained six-year-old overcame an outside draw to power half a length clear of Alcopop under Craig Williams.

All roads for Dunaden will again lead to Melbourne for the Flemington highlight on November 6.

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WELD GETS IT JUST RITE

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Sat

Dermot Weld reaped the rewards of a brilliant training performance when he produced Rite Of Passage fit from a lengthy lay-off to win the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot.

The Gold Cup winner of 2010 had been absent for 510 days and had run just the once since his great victory at the Royal meeting.

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Frankel made it 14 wins from 14 starts with victory over Cirrus Des Aigles in the QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot.

http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/r...n-stakes-glory

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/horse-racing/19819948

The race didn't go exactly to plan for Sir Henry Cecil's superstar, as he missed the break and his pacemaker Bullet Train struggled to get the lead, however the final manner of his success oozed class.

Tom Queally brought him through on the outside of runners to challenge French raider Cirrus Des Aigles for the lead with a furlong to run, and although the winning margin wasn't as spectacular as in the past, there was clear daylight at the line.

Even in going which he disliked he still won like a champion.

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EXCELEBRATION TIME FOR O'BRIENS

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...Briens&day=Sat

Excelebration finally enjoyed his moment of glory when romping away with the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

Beaten five times by Frankel, the Aidan O'Brien-trained four-year-old gained his first Group One success in Britain and third in all with a superb victory in the hands of Joseph O'Brien.

Although there were worrying moments when he had to wait for the gaps to come, when they did the 10-11 shot eased up to Cityscape before powering clear to score easily by three lengths, with long-time leader Elusive Kate three and three-quarter lengths away in third.

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SAPPHIRE THE JEWEL IN WELD CROWN

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...e&sub=&day=Sat

Sapphire stayed on strongly to deny perennial bridesmaid Shirocco Star in the Qipco British Champions Fillies' And Mares' Stakes at Ascot.

Relishing the testing conditions, the four-year-old filly pulled nicely clear in the closing stages to give trainer Dermot Weld and jockey Pat Smullen a high-profile double after the success of Rite Of Passage in the Long Distance Cup.

Last year's winner Dancing Rain tried to make all and stuck on well for third, but Sapphire, the 5-2 joint-favourite, got the better of Shirocco Star to land the Group Two spoils by two and a quarter lengths.

MIGHTY MAAREK THE SPRINT KING

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...e&sub=&day=Sat

Maarek got a fine run through on the stands rail to take the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot.

The 5-1 shot was one of just four horses to stick to the near side and David Nagle's seasoned campaigner, who revels in soft ground, grabbed the lead from The Cheka to seal the race.

From the main group, it was Hawkeyethenoo who did best, but he was three-quarters of a length behind the second Irish-trained winner on the card. Sirius Prospect kept on well for third place, a further length and three-quarters away.

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CIRRUS TRAINER SALUTES FRANKEL

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Sun

French trainer Corine Barande-Barbe, responsible for Champion Stakes runner-up Cirrus Des Aigles, said it was a privilege to have a horse good enough to be a worthy opponent to the mighty Frankel.

Cirrus Des Aigles put up the stiffest resistance to the Sir Henry Cecil-trained great at Ascot, coming up short by a length and three quarters.

"I'm feeling great. It was an honour to meet Frankel and I am very proud of my gelding," she said.

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Dettori and Godolphin to go separate ways.

ONE of the most successful and durable associations in the history of Flat racing is about to end after Godolphin confirmed on Sunday that Frankie Dettori will not be one of its retained riders next year.

Dettori, whose 18-year role as principal jockey to Sheikh Mohammed's operation has yielded victories in most of the world's major races, sparked speculation that his ties with Godolphin could be severed when sensationally accepting the mount on the Coolmore-owned Camelot in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

That speculation has now been proved accurate with Godolphin confirming in a statement that they felt the retainer with Dettori "was not really working".

http://www.racingpost.com/news/live.sd