Latest news with #CheshireDancer


The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Cheshire Dancer surprises in Valiant Stakes
Cheshire Dancer travelled in last as her rivals contested the lead, but then began to make progress on the outside in the final two furlongs before grabbing a narrow victory from Ed Walker's American Gal on the line. Palmer, who had struck in the preceding Princess Margaret Stakes with Fitzella, said: 'It's been a great hour, when we got done on the line in the first at Chester I didn't think it would be our day, so this is magical really. 'I said to the owners when she was third at Ascot during the Royal meeting that we would go back for the Valiant and she has since run massive when second in the Pipalong Stakes at Pontefract. 'Sometimes when these fillies find a rich vein of form and grow in confidence they improve and it's difficult to put your finger on how or why, but she's found that magical moment today. 'I was slightly nervous during the race, it wasn't the plan to sit last but they went an even enough gallop and she was really tough. 'She's been in the yard for three years and holds a real soft spot in all our hearts and it's lovely to see the success for everyone who puts so much into her. 'She went up to 86 after the run on the straight track here during the Royal meeting and now after two runs over a turning mile she's going to be up to a 100. 'She failed the vet for America after she finished third in the Kensington Palace. We had accepted an offer for her but that was probably for considerably less than she is now worth now, so it's funny how it goes.' He added: 'Winning these races are important for all trainers, but what we're really keen to get across to people is despite the fact I may have left Newmarket and moved to Cheshire, we're still doing the same job and winning Group races and people can with confidence send us well-bred horses and home breds.'


Powys County Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Powys County Times
Cheshire Dancer surprises in Valiant Stakes
Cheshire Dancer made it a fine afternoon at Ascot for Hugo Palmer as she claimed a surprise victory as a 22-1 shot in the Longines Valiant Stakes. The grey filly was ridden by Billy Loughnane in the Group Three, for which Ralph Beckett's Chantilly Lace was the horse to beat according to the market as the 11-4 favourite. Cheshire Dancer travelled in last as her rivals contested the lead, but then began to make progress on the outside in the final two furlongs before grabbing a narrow victory from Ed Walker's American Gal on the line. Palmer, who had struck in the preceding Princess Margaret Stakes with Fitzella, said: 'It's been a great hour, when we got done on the line in the first at Chester I didn't think it would be our day, so this is magical really. 'I said to the owners when she was third at Ascot during the Royal meeting that we would go back for the Valiant and she has since run massive when second in the Pipalong Stakes at Pontefract. 'Sometimes when these fillies find a rich vein of form and grow in confidence they improve and it's difficult to put your finger on how or why, but she's found that magical moment today. 'I was slightly nervous during the race, it wasn't the plan to sit last but they went an even enough gallop and she was really tough. 'She's been in the yard for three years and holds a real soft spot in all our hearts and it's lovely to see the success for everyone who puts so much into her. 'She went up to 86 after the run on the straight track here during the Royal meeting and now after two runs over a turning mile she's going to be up to a 100. 'She failed the vet for America after she finished third in the Kensington Palace. We had accepted an offer for her but that was probably for considerably less than she is now worth now, so it's funny how it goes.' He added: 'Winning these races are important for all trainers, but what we're really keen to get across to people is despite the fact I may have left Newmarket and moved to Cheshire, we're still doing the same job and winning Group races and people can with confidence send us well-bred horses and home breds.'

Rhyl Journal
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Royal Dress scores in fine fashion at Pontefract
James Tate's mare won at Listed and Group Three level last season and kicked off the current campaign by finishing third behind See The Fire in the Middleton Stakes at York. Having since placed fourth in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom on Derby day, Royal Dress was a well-backed 85-40 favourite dropping back to Listed class in West Yorkshire and after being coaxed into contention by a confident Clifford Lee from the home turn, she finished off strongly once given her head to score by a widening three and a quarter lengths from Cheshire Dancer. Tate told Racing TV: 'We reinvented her last year as a mile/mile and one (furlong) filly with a hood and I just felt after her first two runs back maybe we didn't need the hood any more, I think that really helped her in the last furlong or two. 'Cliff is a really good jockey, we always do really well together and he gave her a great ride. He made all the right decisions, to take her back a little bit early because they were going a strong pace, to angle out wide rather than riding for luck because he felt he was on the best horse in the race and we enjoyed the last furlong when he had a cheeky look round!' Paddy Power cut Royal Dress to 16-1 from 25-1 for the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on July 31 and Tate is not ruling out a tilt at Group One glory on the Sussex Downs. 'Do we try to win a Group Two or a Group Three, or do we try to go for an each-way run in one of the big races and say we finish in the first three that would be worth it for value, because she's obviously a valuable, well-bred broodmare,' he added. 'I think we'll just take each race as it comes and see how she is.'

Leader Live
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Royal Dress scores in fine fashion at Pontefract
James Tate's mare won at Listed and Group Three level last season and kicked off the current campaign by finishing third behind See The Fire in the Middleton Stakes at York. Having since placed fourth in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom on Derby day, Royal Dress was a well-backed 85-40 favourite dropping back to Listed class in West Yorkshire and after being coaxed into contention by a confident Clifford Lee from the home turn, she finished off strongly once given her head to score by a widening three and a quarter lengths from Cheshire Dancer. Tate told Racing TV: 'We reinvented her last year as a mile/mile and one (furlong) filly with a hood and I just felt after her first two runs back maybe we didn't need the hood any more, I think that really helped her in the last furlong or two. 'Cliff is a really good jockey, we always do really well together and he gave her a great ride. He made all the right decisions, to take her back a little bit early because they were going a strong pace, to angle out wide rather than riding for luck because he felt he was on the best horse in the race and we enjoyed the last furlong when he had a cheeky look round!' Paddy Power cut Royal Dress to 16-1 from 25-1 for the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on July 31 and Tate is not ruling out a tilt at Group One glory on the Sussex Downs. 'Do we try to win a Group Two or a Group Three, or do we try to go for an each-way run in one of the big races and say we finish in the first three that would be worth it for value, because she's obviously a valuable, well-bred broodmare,' he added. 'I think we'll just take each race as it comes and see how she is.'


South Wales Guardian
08-07-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Royal Dress scores in fine fashion at Pontefract
James Tate's mare won at Listed and Group Three level last season and kicked off the current campaign by finishing third behind See The Fire in the Middleton Stakes at York. Having since placed fourth in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom on Derby day, Royal Dress was a well-backed 85-40 favourite dropping back to Listed class in West Yorkshire and after being coaxed into contention by a confident Clifford Lee from the home turn, she finished off strongly once given her head to score by a widening three and a quarter lengths from Cheshire Dancer. Tate told Racing TV: 'We reinvented her last year as a mile/mile and one (furlong) filly with a hood and I just felt after her first two runs back maybe we didn't need the hood any more, I think that really helped her in the last furlong or two. 'Cliff is a really good jockey, we always do really well together and he gave her a great ride. He made all the right decisions, to take her back a little bit early because they were going a strong pace, to angle out wide rather than riding for luck because he felt he was on the best horse in the race and we enjoyed the last furlong when he had a cheeky look round!' Paddy Power cut Royal Dress to 16-1 from 25-1 for the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on July 31 and Tate is not ruling out a tilt at Group One glory on the Sussex Downs. 'Do we try to win a Group Two or a Group Three, or do we try to go for an each-way run in one of the big races and say we finish in the first three that would be worth it for value, because she's obviously a valuable, well-bred broodmare,' he added. 'I think we'll just take each race as it comes and see how she is.'