Latest news with #Group2
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Diego Velazquez highlights O'Brien's impressive Curragh treble
Classy Diego Velazquez bagged his second Group 2 success and retained his unbeaten record on home soil when landing the Romanised Minstrel Stakes, highlight of a Sunday treble for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore. Close to the pace, set by California Dreamer, the 11/8 favourite hit the front before the furlong-pole and then responded to Moore's handling to hold 25/1 shot East Hampton by a neck. 'This year has been a bit of a mess for him. He got upset in the stalls at Leopardstown and had to be withdrawn. And then the 'Queen Anne' turned into a non-event for him," O'Brien explained. "A mile is his trip – this seven furlongs was a bit short and the ground a bit easy. But everyone has been happy with him at home and he's a classy horse, powerful and strong, and knuckled down well.' Described by his rider as 'uncomplicated, with a very good attitude" Diego Velazquez will now step back up to a mile and into Group 1 company, with Goodwood's Sussex Stakes and the Prix Jacques Le Marois possible targets. Following the withdrawal of morning favourite Signora, Moore switched to Sugar Island in the opening two-year-old fillies maiden. Although a market drifter, drifting out to 9/2, the Dubawi filly delivered in good style to spark the Ballydoyle treble. Having raced prominently, she stayed on to beat fellow debutante Saint Agatha by a half-length. 'She was ready for her first run and was very green," O'Brien commented. "Ryan said that when he asked her to quicken at the two, she found plenty – and that's a good sign. She'll have no problem going a mile this season and should be a lovely filly over a mile and a quarter, or more, next year.' The Ballydoyle treble was completed when 88-rated Light As Air dug deep to see off Winston Junior in the mile and a half maiden. Earlier, the Paddy Twomey-trained One Look, stepping-up to a mile and a quarter for the first time, bounced back from her trip to Royal Ascot when taking the Group 3 Al Shira'aa Racing Meadow Court Stakes under Wayne Lordan, sweeping past Azada inside the final furlong to score by a length, with favourite Tasmania coming from last to take third spot. 'She didn't enjoy the clearest passage through, but Wayne looked happy, and she hit the line well,' stated Twomey. 'Ascot didn't work out for her and she appreciated the ten furlongs today, on softer ground. "We just let her tick over since Ascot. But she's four now and we might run her a bit more. We might look at races like the Blandford, back here, the Romanet and the Opera with her.' Winning rider Lordan added: 'I sat where I was happy and she travelled quite well. As Billy (Lee) told me, she hit a bit of a flat spot but, when I pulled her out, I knew she'd finish well. She pulled up when she got to the front, but won well.'
Courier-Mail
5 days ago
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
Gosford preview: Sneaky Choice aims for repeat victory
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Trainer Brad Widdup is hoping history repeats for pint-sized filly Sneaky Choice. Widdup sent Sneaky Choice to Gosford for a 1000m race on debut and the daughter of Extreme Choice tracked the leader before running down Miss Judas to score by three-quarters of a length. Spelled after a sixth at Goulburn, Sneaky Choice returns to the Central Coast for the TEG Tradies Day 29 August 2025 Class 1 Handicap over the 1000m. Jockey Grant Buckley, who was aboard for her debut win, will again partner the three-year-old. 'She is only very little but she did a really good job to win on debut,' said Widdup. 'Where going back to where she won and hopefully she can do it again. Trainer Brad Widdup is chasing a two-year-old win with You're The Choice. Picture: Grant Guy The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here! 'She's only had the one trial this time in so she is obviously open to improvement but I thought this was a good starting point for her.' Widdup is hoping well-bred filly You're The Choice can claim a late season two-year-old win and a BOBS bonus when she resumes in the Central Coast Locksmiths Provincial Maiden Plate (1000m) where she has drawn barrier 6 with apprentice Mitch Stapleford aboard. The two-year-old made her debut at Newcastle over 900m back on February 15 where she finished a head second behind Frostfire. She then took a big jump in grade when Widdup sent her out in the Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes at Randwick. After racing keenly she finished down the order behind Within The Law. 'She was quite good on debut so we gave her a run in the Sweet Embrace,' Widdup said. 'She is a nice filly and has come back in good order this preparation. 'I expect her to run well first-up from a good draw.' A two-year-old win will increase her future broodmare value. The filly is a daughter of Golden Slipper Farnan from a half-sister to Group 1 Blue Diamond winner and top sire, Extreme Choice. Widdup also has Gladstone Grande in the same race but will likely save him for Maiden Plate at Hawkesbury the following day. The gelding has only had one run, in the Kirkham Plate at Randwick on October 26 where he was last of the six runners behind Comedy. 'I will likely split them up,' he said 'Even though he has drawn worse at Hawkesbury he will probably go there. 'I had a throw at the stumps in the Kirkham. I may not have been the right thing but it gave him some experience. 'He is still mentally immature but I have been happy enough with him in his trial. 'If the brings that to the races, he should be competitive.' Widdup also has two options with the promising Tequisoda this weekend – Gosford and Hawkesbury. The two-year-old is entered for the Consolidated Panels & Veneers 2&3YO Maiden Plate (1600m) at Gosford and a Maiden Plate at Hawkesbury over 1500m. 'He will likely go around at Hawkesbury on Sunday but I will wait until I see if there are any scratchings at Gosford,' Widdup said. 'If it ends up a small field, he may head that way.' The son of Pierro was gallant in defeat on debut over 1300m at Wyong where he finished a length-and-the-quarter second behind Sapling who is one of the favourites in the opening race at Rosehill. 'He ran enormous on debut,' he said. 'He was a smidgen slow out but then he got a buffeted and settled a fair way off the leader. 'That's not ideal for a horse having its first start so he did a very good job to finish as close as he did.'
Independent Singapore
5 days ago
- General
- Independent Singapore
12 new millionaires as Toto jackpot snowballs to over S$12.7 million but goes unclaimed
Photo: WM Commons SINGAPORE: As no one won the jackpot in the Toto lottery drawn last night (July 17), the prize money of more than S$12.76 million was divided equally among the 12 winning bets in the second group. Each bet received S$1.186233 million, making each Group 2 winner a millionaire overnight. No one won the first prize for three consecutive periods, and the first prize for last night's draw swelled to S$12,766,543. This marks the seventh time in 2025 that the jackpot has exceeded the $10 million mark. Under Toto's rules, when the first prize remains unclaimed for three draws, the jackpot continues to snowball, but if it still remains unclaimed after the fourth draw, the total prize amount will not be carried forward again and will instead be distributed evenly among winners in the next prize group. If no one secures the Group 1 prize, the entire accumulated amount will be shared among those who win Group 2. See also SMRT, SBS launch new virtual maps for passengers Yesterday's draw produced the winning numbers 7, 8, 17, 29, 32, and 42, and the additional number was 1. Singapore Pools advises participants to play responsibly and reminds the public that official tickets should only be purchased from authorised retailers or through its website and app. () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
No jackpot, but 12 Toto punters still laughing all the way to the bank with RM4.2m each
SINGAPORE, July 18 — Twelve Singapore Pools punters struck it rich with about S$1.2 million (RM4.2 million) each after no one won the S$12.7 million (RM44.5 million) Toto jackpot on July 17. Because it was the fourth draw without a Group 1 winner, the massive prize rolled down to the 12 Group 2 tickets, The Straits Times reported today. The winning numbers were 7, 8, 17, 29, 32, 42 and 1. The winning tickets were bought at places like Tampines, Race Course Road and Toa Payoh, though it's unclear if they were bought solo or shared. Separately, there were 609 winners in Group 3 who will each take home S$1,658 (RM5,810). The jackpot had snowballed from S$1.2 million (RM4.2 million) on July 7 to S$5.8 million (RM20.3 million) on July 14 before hitting its RM44.5 million peak.
New Paper
10-07-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Crimson Advocate on an upward spiral
A small field of eight fillies and mares will contest the £275,000 (S$478,000) Group 1 Falmouth Stakes (1,600m) at Newmarket on July 11, but it is still riveting for its quality and competitiveness, highlighted by a two-horse renewal of hostilities - Crimson Advocate and Cinderella's Dream. The pair quinellaed the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (1,600m) in that order at Royal Ascot on June 18, with Wathnan Racing's Crimson Advocate a clear-cut winner over Godolphin's Cinderella's Dream by nearly two lengths. With both mares sharing the top-weight of 61kg this time, Cinderella's Dream's task to turn the tables has arguably been rendered easier with a 1½kg swing. But, the separation visual of Crimson Advocate sweeping past her rival under gun Kiwi jockey James McDonald in the Duke Of Cambridge was so breathtaking that weights and measures might not be enough to overturn the result on Friday (at 10.35pm, Singapore time). The penny seems to have really dropped for Crimson Advocate since she came from America as a speedball boasting a record of three wins over 1,000m, including the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot two years ago. Not only has the Nyquist four-year-old gone to another level, but she has also added a new string to her bow as a miler. Since the Wathnan takeover and transfer to leading UK trainers John and Thady Gosden at Newmarket, she also won the Listed Conqueror Fillies' Stakes (1,600m) at Goodwood on May 3 before the Royal Ascot triumph. "She's a different filly this year and has taken her form to a completely new level," said Wathnan racing adviser Richard Brown to Racing Post. "Cinderella's Dream doesn't have the penalty this time, we're back at level weights, but she's a filly on the up and John and Thady are happy she seems to have come out of Ascot okay." The mare's progress is on an upward trajectory that her ambitious owners are keen to emulate in their own business model. It may be years before Godolphin or Coolmore are unseated as the two leading conglomerates of horse racing, but the emerging Wathnan Racing, the brainchild of the Emir of Qatar, head of the wealthy Al Thani family, is making swift inroads on the global scene. Ever since the gold, blue and red silks flew high in the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup (4,000m) in June 2023, more worldwide winners have joined the juggernaut, none more famous than surprise shot Hit Show in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup (2,000m) in April. Strong favourites to sweep this year's Royal Ascot with a powerful squad, Wathnan did not disappoint. They were crowned the leading owners at the conclusion of the five-day event in June with five wins, including their headline winner Lazzat in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1,200m). Other winners at the iconic summer week were Haatem, French Master and Humidity, all ridden by Wathnan's No. 1 jockey James Doyle since 2024. Interestingly, the English rider missed out on Crimson Advocate's Royal Ascot win as he was on third-placed Fallen Angel, also a Wathnan ward, with Longines world's best jockey James McDonald doing the steering. Doyle will jump back aboard in the Falmouth Stakes, but Brown has not forgotten McDonald's glowing post-race report. "James McDonald has ridden plenty of Group 1 winners and he was pretty taken with her; he thought she would be up to competing at the top level," he said. Wathnan are clearly not resting on their laurels. A Falmouth win by Crimson Advocate would be another Group 1 statement of being more than just a bit player on the world's racing scene. manyan@
