Latest news with #Group 1
The Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Richard Hughes' tears at Newmarket show there really is hope for all in racing this season
HOPE. That's what we all need. And for those battling the superpowers in the world of horse racing hope is everything. 1 The good news is this season there is hope emerging on many different levels. Most recently, of course, Richard Hughes banged in Saturday's Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket. That will have given Hughes hope, and many other trainers will be thinking 'it could be me next'. But it's been a Flat season where Hughes - who was in tears during an emotional interview with me moments after his biggest win - is not the only one to have hit the jackpot. Docklands banged in the Group 1 Queen Anne at Royal Ascot for Harry Eustace. That's massive for the young up-and-coming handler, and while the horse is owned by a group with plenty of cash to splash, it still gives everyone hope. Eustace, of course, doubled up in Group 1s by also banging in the Commonwealth Cup with Time for Sandals. And don't forget old Scotsman Jim Goldie, who was responsible for American Affair taking the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes, also at Royal Ascot. Don't also forget the Irish raider Cercene, who took the Coronation Stakes and a first Group 1 for both trainer Joe Murphy and jockey Gary Carroll. Why is this so important? After all sport is just about finding out who is best of the best, it's not about who is actually taking the prizes. Well it's crucial because, as I have said, everyone needs hope. Other than those I have mentioned, group 1 races in the UK so far in 2025 have gone to Ruling Court, Desert Flower, Lead Artist, Jan Brueghel, Minnie Hawk, Lambourn, Field of Gold, Ombudsman, Trawlerman, Lazzat, Delacroix and Cinderella's Dream. The owners of that lot are some of the richest people in the world in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Ireland and Qatar. Godolphin, Juddmonte, Coolmore and Wathnan Racing cough up more money than most for horses. For most people matching them is the stuff of dreams. But there is not only hope in what has happened in Group 1 races this term. Eve Johnson Houghton is also giving people hope, as is Jonny Portman, who is having a fantastic season headed by horses like Rumstar and had a terrific treble at Newbury the other day. He's trading at 20 per cent with a massive 28 victories this season. Since he started training in 1998 the most victors he has ever had in a campaign has been 33. Portman is on fire. Eve landed the Group 2 Kingdom of Bahrain July Stakes with Zavateri and also enjoyed success at Royal Ascot thanks to Havana Hurricane in the Listed Havana Hurricane. Superpowers are needed in every sport to inject cash. But for the people just below the mega players hope is so important. And this is a Flat season of hope for all. Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who:
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Liam Howley aiming stayer Virtuous Circle at Saturday's Deane Lester Flemington Cup
A trainer knowing they have a horse in prime condition and winning races are two separate things. Just ask Macedon Lodge trainer Liam Howley. Howley has talented stayer Virtuous Circle perfectly ticking over but the gelding is yet to place in six 2025 outings. Ability isn't the issue as Virtuous Circle was less than a length from a Group 1 win when second in the 2023 Australian Derby in Sydney. Firm tracks and race tempos have been against the backmarker for most runs this time in, especially in the five-year-old's last two outings in which he has finished fourth in Flemington staying contests. 'He ran really well two starts ago and they just walked last start and it made it impossible to make ground from where he settles,' Howley said. 'He can't work any better and all the data suggest he's back to his best. 'He's better when he can get his toes into it but it's also tempo related now.' Howley conceded he erred at the start of Virtuous Circle's preparation, which began with an eye on rich Sydney autumn carnival staying features. He said changing plans meant the son of Almanzor needed to regain fitness before his last two promising runs. 'We wanted to protect him from rock-hard tracks through the autumn,' Howley said. 'Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I probably shouldn't have brought him up as early. 'We were hoping for a wet Sydney autumn and we just landed on the wrong leg. 'We had him up and going and he had to go eight weeks between runs. 'He always goes better when he can consistently race every two to three weeks. 'He's finally got some continuity.' While Virtuous Circle is at peak fitness for Saturday's Deane Lester Flemington Cup 1849 (2800m), Howley would like plenty of opposition for his charge in the $150,000 race. Howley said a big field was likely to produce the tempo Virtuous Circle needed for his first win since June last year, even if he found himself on good ground. 'In the last 12 to 18 months, some of his better runs have been on Good 4s but they have been solidly run races, when he can build momentum. 'There's a lot of noms so hopefully it will be a big field. 'We're just hoping we get a big field where they roll along and he can build momentum.'
Khaleej Times
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Khaleej Times
July Festival delivers historic milestone for Dubai's Godolphin stable
At Newmarket, the long-established heartbeat of British flat racing, Godolphin added another significant chapter to its illustrious racing story with a weekend to remember at the July Festival. The Dubai-owned stable proudly celebrated its 450th Group 1 triumph, while retained jockey William Buick marked his 2,000th career win. The defining moment came on Friday as Cinderella's Dream, a filly bred in the royal blue tradition of excellence, stormed to a stirring victory in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes to mark Godolphin's 450th top-level win since the stable was founded in 1993. Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by Buick, Cinderella's Dream showed trademark grit and class as she fended off a determined challenge from Irish raider January, pulling half a length clear at the finish. 'This filly is all class,' said Buick, who was celebrating his 60th Group 1 win with Godolphin. 'She gave everything, and it's days like these that make the job so rewarding.' The victory was the centrepiece of a sensational Friday treble for the Appleby-Buick axis, with King's Charter landing the Heritage Handicap and Distant Storm taking the Weatherbys British EBF Maiden Stakes. Buick joins Racing Royalty But before Cinderella's Dream stole the show, Thursday had already delivered a moment of personal significance for Buick. In the Group 2 Princess of Wales's Stakes, his masterful ride aboard El Cordobes brought home a victory that sealed his 2,000th British win, a milestone that cements the 36-year-old Norwegian-born jockey as one of the modern greats of the weighing room. 'I'm incredibly proud,' Buick said. 'To do it here at Newmarket, for Charlie and Godolphin, it means everything. I owe so much to my family, and to everyone at Godolphin who has supported me since I joined as a stable jockey in 2015.' Since then, Buick has won the British jockeys' title in 2022 and 2023, and ridden more than 150 winners in each of those championship years, including one in the coveted Epsom Derby in 2018 aboard the legendary Masar. The three-day July Festival ultimately reaffirmed Godolphin's deep resources and competitiveness, although Saturday brought mixed fortunes. The day's big story came from outside their camp, as former jockey-turned-trainer Richard Hughes delivered a shock result in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup (G1), saddling rank outsider No Half Measures to a stunning victory, two decades after he won the same race aboard Oasis Dream. Notable Speech, Godolphin's star miler and 2,000 Guineas winner who went into the race as the favourite, couldn't replicate that form and finished sixth in the six-furlong sprint. Al Basti's Commitment to Racing Race sponsor Al Basti Equiworld, a prominent equine industry supplier based in Dubai, was established in 1998, demonstrates a strong global commitment to top-level horse racing through both marquee sponsorships and holistic investment in racing communities worldwide. Spanning Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, and Dubai, their support includes high-profile races as well as grassroots initiatives like jockey development schemes, reflecting a dedication to nurturing the sport's future. Back at Newmarket, Godolphin did not leave the final day's race empty-handed. In the Group 2 Superlative Stakes, two-year-old Saba Desert overcame a stuttering start to power home under Buick, sealing Godolphin's eighth win in the race's history. The win was a nod to former champions like Dubawi, Master of the Seas, and Native Trail, who used the race as a springboard to elite careers. Trainer Appleby hinted at high hopes for the young Dubawi colt: 'Saba Desert did everything we could have asked for, he's a colt with real potential. He wasn't straightforward today, but that often brings out the best in the good ones.' With targets like the G1 National Stakes or Dewhurst now under discussion, Saba Desert may well be the next headline act from a stable that is showing no sign of slowing down. By the Numbers: Godolphin & Buick 450 Group 1 wins worldwide for Godolphin since its founding in 1993. 2,000 Career British wins for William Buick after Thursday's Princess of Wales's Stakes. 10 Group 1 wins for Godolphin in the 2025 season to date. 60+ Group 1 victories by Buick in Godolphin colours since 2015. 2 British Champion Jockey titles in the Godolphin colours for Buick (2022, 2023).
Khaleej Times
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
Cinderella's Dream a reality as Godolphin strikes landmark 450 Group 1 win
The historic July Course at Newmarket Racecourse in the UK delivered a storybook script for Dubai's Team Godolphin, as two extraordinary days of racing saw them add another Group 1 victory, notch their 10th top-tier win of 2025, and witness a career-defining moment for their leading rider, William Buick. At the heart of Friday's drama at the storied racetrack, which comprises undulating terrain and a famous dip about two furlongs from home, was the courageous Cinderella's Dream, who brought the Godolphin silks storming home in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes, the feature race of the day. The four-year-old daughter of Shamardal, a product of blue-blooded breeding, proved once again why she's one of the most talented fillies in training when outbattling a quality field to claim her first elite European success. The win also marked a landmark 450th Group 1 victory for the Dubai-owned stable, a number that reflects decades of global dominance. Buick, full of praise, called Cinderella's Dream 'all class,' as she fought off Aidan O'Brien's January in a thrilling stretch duel, giving away 9lbs and still finishing half a length clear. 'I am delighted with Cinderella's Dream. Everyone involved with her said she has been ticking all the boxes over the last 10 days or so,' said trainer Charlie Appleby Cinderella's Dream's win was part of a sensational Friday treble for the Appleby-Buick partnership, which also included King's Charter in the Heritage Handicap and Distant Storm in the Weatherbys British EBF Maiden Stakes. But it was Thursday that delivered a personal milestone for Buick himself. Steering El Cordobes to victory in the Group 2 Princess of Wales's Stakes, the 36-year-old rider with Scottish and Scandinavian roots, chalked up his 2,000th British winner. This staggering achievement places him firmly among the sport's modern greats. 'I am very proud. Thanks go to a lot of people, my family first and foremost, as you cannot do it without them,' Buick told the Godolphin website. 'Thanks to all the owners, trainers and stable staff who have helped me, especially Charlie and Godolphin, over the last 10 years. It has been hanging over me for a while, so to do it at this meeting for Charlie and Godolphin means the world. Buick, who has been Godolphin's retained rider since 2015, has captured some of the sport's biggest prizes, including the 2018 Derby aboard Masar and consecutive 2,000 Guineas with Notable Speech and Ruling Court. Together, the past two days have not only reaffirmed Godolphin's supremacy on British turf but also showcased the enduring power of loyalty, class, and excellence that are embedded in the team's identity.
Telegraph
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Horse racing tips: Sunday July 13
Ron Wood's selections: NAP: Trinity College (7.25, Longchamp) 1pt win @ SP with Betfred ⭐⭐⭐ Other: Kullazain (6.15, Southwell) 1pt win @ 7/4 with Betfred ⭐⭐ Odds provided by Betfred and correct at the time of writing. Stars denote strength of selection (max 5). If you already have a Betfred account and are looking for a new bookmaker to use for this week's racing, check out more free bets from the best betting sites, reviewed by our experts. 6.15, Southwell – Class 2 Handicap (5f) The lightly raced KULLAZAIN progressed well as a two-year-old, winning a Sandown maiden on his second start, then finishing third in the Group 3 Cornwallis at Newmarket, both of those starts coming over 5f. He struggled on his reappearance, but that came in a 6f Group 2 at Haydock and the ground had dried out more than he would have liked. Now another seven weeks on, and dropping in class and trip, he should build on last season's promise. He cost 150,000gn as a juvenile and looked the type to make a better three-year-old. James Tate's charge is switching surfaces, which should be fine for him as a half-brother to an all-weather winner, and his connections seemingly want to keep him off fast turf. 7.25, Longchamp – Grand Prix de Paris (Group 1, 1m 4f) This race in France for three-year-olds is something of a Sunday evening treat. While it has some slow horses, TRINITY COLLEGE is not one of them. Most recently he made all in the 1m 2f Group 3 Hampton Court at Royal Ascot. The question is whether this Dubawi colt will stay 1m 4f. The weather is baking across the Channel and this small-field event will probably not be a severe stamina test for our nap. So the speed of Aidan O'Brien's charge could be the key asset. Ryan Moore is booked for the ride. Selection: Trinity College 1pt win @ SP with Betfred If you want to find more odds and offers, take a look at our list of the best betting sites and free bets Today's racing (Flat unless stated) Navan 12.30-4.00 Sligo (NH) 1.50-5.20 Perth (NH) 1.58-4.53 Stratford (NH) 2.07-5.35 Southwell 2.55-6.45 What does NAP mean? Nap is a word used in betting circles to describe a prediction that a tipster thinks has a particularly strong chance of winning. Many horse racing tipsters pick out a 'nap of the day', which is their favoured selection from all the races across the different meetings. The term nap derives from the French card game Napoleon. When players of this game thought they had a particularly strong hand that they would win with, they would shout 'Napoleon'. What is an each-way bet? An each-way bet is a popular type of wager, particularly with horse racing fans. It is essentially two bets, both of which have the same size stake. An each-way bet features one bet on the selection to win and the other bet on the selection to place. So a £10 each-way bet will cost you a total of £20. There will be one £10 bet on the selection to win and another £10 on the selection to place. It's a popular bet because it offers punters the chance of a return, even if the horse in question fails to win. Bookmakers will pay out at a stated percentage of the odds for a place finish, for example one-fifth of the starting price (SP) for finishing in the first three. The more runners there are in a horse race, the more places will be on offer. In races that feature lots of runners, the horses will be available at bigger odds, making an each-way bet a wise choice. Star ratings explained ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - confident selection ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - strong fancy ⭐⭐⭐ - fair claims ⭐⭐ - tentative choice ⭐ - minimum confidence
