Latest news with #JulyStakes
North Wales Chronicle
22 minutes ago
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Zavateri defies penalty with Vintage performance
A surprise winner of the July Stakes at Newmarket, he was still a fairly generous 8-1 for this Group Two affair, mainly due to the fact he was carrying 3lb more than such promising types as Humidity and Dorset. Charlie Bishop still had five in front of him with two furlongs to run, but when the gap came he shot through it and while immediately challenged by John and Thady Gosden's Morris Dancer, he stuck his neck out and had his head in the right place on the line. The Ed Walker-trained Do Or Do Not placed yet again in third. 'After Newmarket I didn't know where to go because when you have a 3lb penalty it's damn hard,' said Johnson Houghton. 'It was either come here or wait until Doncaster, but so glad we did. He had to win his race twice after cutting through them like a knife through butter. 'I put him in the Mill Reef this morning, but that's out of the question now as we will head for the Dewhurst with the Jean-Luc Lagardere as a back up. 'He's never had to tough it out at home, but he did today. What a dude he is, just a lovely, lovely horse. 'Dad (Fulke Johnson Houghton) trained (2002 Dewhurst winner) Tout Seul when I was around, and he was brilliant, but this one would be better, I think. There's nowhere to go now before the Dewhurst so we'll have to wait for that.' Bishop added: 'It's a massive performance with a penalty. We're getting closer, step by step (to thinking about the 2000 Guineas), I don't know how much more racing he'll have this year but the Dewhurst will be where we work back from, after that then I think we can talk about the Guineas. He's seen the seven out extremely well today, headed and rallied and was strong at the line.'
North Wales Chronicle
23 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Morris Dancer one step shy of Vintage victory
The Godolphin-owned son of Palace Pier was a winner when last seen in a Haydock novice, but with rivals proven at Group level, he was a 22-1 shot under William Buick. Those odds meant little to him as he chased home Eve Johnson Houghton's Zavateri, missing out by just a short head on the line. John Gosden said: 'We are thrilled with him, he has run a great race. He won at Haydock and then just had a little niggle and cough. So we backed off and he has come here off the minimum work and run a great race. 'That's the July Stakes form, with the winner by an old friend of ours in Without Parole. Morris Dancer is by Palace Pier so it is nice to see your old pals in Group Two races like this. 'William said don't be frightened to step up to a mile with him and we will do that somewhere.' Ed Walker is not inclined to lower the sights of Do Or Do Not after his third-placed run under Tom Marquand, the latest in a string of placings in highly-competitive races. 'He's a star, isn't he? He just doesn't know how to win yet, annoyingly!' said Walker. 'I actually thought today he was coming in to win but it was just greenness and whatever you want to call it, he was wandering around a little bit. He seems to find a way of not winning, which is frustrating. 'I think we'll go for something easier but I don't think we need to go for a maiden or a novice. The horse who was second in the Chesham (Thesecretadversary) was then beaten at 2-13 in one, it happens. 'There's nothing to gain, he doesn't need to win a maiden or a novice. 'He is a really solid horse and we are throwing the kitchen sink at him. He keeps answering. We might just try to find a slightly lower race – not a maiden because there isn't any point – to give him some confidence.'
France 24
an hour ago
- Sport
- France 24
Impressive Scandinavia delivers O'Brien Goodwood Cup 1-2
Scandinavia, only the second three-year-old to win the race in the past 35 years with the legendary Stradivarius the last to do so in 2017, provided O'Brien with his fifth win in the two mile contest. His victory was dampened, not only by the unseasonably grey skies, but also by a terrible injury to the much-loved 2021 winner Trueshan which resulted in the nine-year-old being put down. For Trueshan's long-time rider Hollie Doyle, who had won the previous race, it was devastating, having experienced some great moments in the 21 times she had ridden the old trooper. Scandinavia had been interfered with as Trueshan retreated through the field but jockey Wayne Lordan refocussed him and managed to get past Ryan Moore on the favourite Illinois inside the final furlong. For Illinois and Moore it was more big race frustration as they had filled the runners-up spot behind Trawlerman in last month's Ascot Gold Cup. "He has improved all year," said Lordan, who landed the Epsom Derby for O'Brien in June on Lambourn. "There is plenty of improvement to come. "Illinois is very genuine and a Group One winner. "Today was about finding out how smart my ride was and he has proved he is a very smart stayer. "He would be an Ascot Gold Cup horse for next year." 'Moody' Audience Earlier Zavateri backed up his July Stakes win earlier this month with victory in the Group Two Vintage Stakes and set his eyes firmly on next year's English 2000 Guineas, a double that has been achieved on four occasions. The Eve Johnson Houghton-trained winner showed real guts too, battling back under Charlie Bishop after being headed by Morris Dancer inside the final furlong. "He is a dream ride," said Bishop. "He is tough as teak. He beat horses round him then William Buick came and passed me but his attitude is hang tough and he got back in front. "We can definitely dream of the 2000 Guineas." Whilst Zavateri franked the form as probably being England's top two-year-old, Do or Do Not is certainly the most consistent having finished third, after filling the runner-up spot in the Coventry at Royal Ascot and then the July Stakes. The other Group Two of the day, the Lennox Stakes, was robbed of a lot of its interest when favourite Kinross's bid to become the first horse to win the race three times ended before even the start. Kinross had to be withdrawn after the temperamental Audience, last year's winner, lashed out and drew blood below the knee. "I am gutted, I tried to avoid Audience as I know how moody he is," said Rossa Ryan. With him out of the running he was followed swiftly by another of the leading fancies, Royal Ascot winner Noble Champion, who was pulled up early in the race and as a result interfered with several of the contenders. The honours went instead to Doyle on outsider Witness Stand, sparking scenes of rapturous delight from joint trainers Jamie Insole and Richard Newlands, the latter a Grand National winning handler.
Glasgow Times
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Zavateri defies penalty with Vintage performance
A surprise winner of the July Stakes at Newmarket, he was still a fairly generous 8-1 for this Group Two affair, mainly due to the fact he was carrying 3lb more than such promising types as Humidity and Dorset. Charlie Bishop still had five in front of him with two furlongs to run, but when the gap came he shot through it and while immediately challenged by John and Thady Gosden's Morris Dancer, he stuck his neck out and had his head in the right place on the line. The Ed Walker-trained Do Or Do Not placed yet again in third. Zavateri was tough (PA) 'After Newmarket I didn't know where to go because when you have a 3lb penalty it's damn hard,' said Johnson Houghton. 'It was either come here or wait until Doncaster, but so glad we did. He had to win his race twice after cutting through them like a knife through butter. 'I put him in the Mill Reef this morning, but that's out of the question now as we will head for the Dewhurst with the Jean-Luc Lagardere as a back up. 'He's never had to tough it out at home, but he did today. What a dude he is, just a lovely, lovely horse. 'Dad (Fulke Johnson Houghton) trained (2002 Dewhurst winner) Tout Seul when I was around, and he was brilliant, but this one would be better, I think. There's nowhere to go now before the Dewhurst so we'll have to wait for that.' Zavateri looks the part (PA) Bishop added: 'It's a massive performance with a penalty. We're getting closer, step by step (to thinking about the 2000 Guineas), I don't know how much more racing he'll have this year but the Dewhurst will be where we work back from, after that then I think we can talk about the Guineas. He's seen the seven out extremely well today, headed and rallied and was strong at the line.'
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Humidity coming to the boil for hot-looking Vintage Stakes
Andrew Balding's son of Ulysses excelled from the front when winning the Chesham Stakes and although the form of that race has taken the odd knock since, connections are hopeful they have identified the perfect Group Two spot for the exciting youngster to cement his position near the top of the juvenile ranks. 'I loved the way he did it at Ascot and he was just lolloping along and James (Doyle) felt if someone had come to him he would have picked up and gone again,' said Richard Brown, racing adviser for owners Wathnan Racing. A GUTSY PERFORMANCE 💪 Humidity wins the #RoyalAscot Chesham Stakes 🏆 — ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 21, 2025 'The form has taken a few whacks which would make you nervous, but he did it in great style at Ascot and it makes you excited to seeing him go again. 'He's drawn 10 which might be a bit wider than ideal, but hopefully he can get out and get striding. 'I'm sure we'll try to go forward with him, but it's not like he has to make the running and he's a really relaxed horse who has a very big stride and I think he will be fine.' Also arriving with a 100 per cent record from two starts is Eve Johnson Houghton's Zavateri, who renews July Stakes rivalry with Ed Walker's Do Or Do Not having fought out the finish at Newmarket last month. Both colts are stepping up in trip here, something Johnson Houghton believes will bring improvement from Zavateri. Zavateri in the parade ring after winning the July Stakes (Steven Paston for The Jockey Club) 'He's been in very good form since Newmarket and won the July Stakes impressively,' said Johnson Houghton. 'I know he's got a 3lb penalty now, but we think that won't be a problem to him and we've always thought he wanted further so this was the obvious next step for him.' Aidan O'Brien has won this three times in the past, with Highland Reel his most notable graduate, and this time he relies on Dorset, who has caught the eye both in defeat on debut and when returned to the Curragh to open his account next time. O'Brien said: 'We think he's come forward from the last day and it will be interesting to see.' Dorset is joined from Ireland in the line-up by Joseph O'Brien's Coventry Stakes fourth Andab, who has not only had the misfortune of bumping into an on-song Gstaad but also Albert Einstein since a clear-cut winner on debut. Dorset in winning action at the Curragh (Brian Lawless/PA) David Menuisier's Goodwood Galaxy, Richard Hannon's Gharma Sutra and Hugo Palmer's Laureate Crown have all raced once, won once and step up in grade, with the latter given the chance to emulate subsequent Classic hero Galileo Gold who won this for Palmer 10 year's ago. Charlie Johnston's Vincenzo Peruggia showed marked improvement when off the mark at the second time of asking, while John and Thady Gosden's Haydock winner Morris Dancer.
