Latest news with #LopeDeVega
New Paper
19-06-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Shadow Of Light to shine again
ASCOT Shadow Of Light will face 21 rivals as he bids to get back to winning ways in the £725,750 (S$1.25 million) Group 1 Commonwealth Cup (1,200m) for three-year-olds at Royal Ascot on June 20. A unique winner of the Middle Park and Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket last season, which saw him crowned champion two-year-old, Shadow Of Light returned to action this season by finishing third behind stablemate Ruling Court and St James's Palace Stakes hero Field Of Gold in the Group 1 2000 Guineas (1,600m) at Newmarket on May 3. After quickening up nicely, the son of Lope De Vega faded in the closing stages on his first start over a mile, leaving connections to opt to drop him back to six furlongs for the Commonwealth Cup. Charlie Appleby's colt is a 7-4 chance to claim further Group 1 honours, with the Ger Lyons-trained Babouche, who landed the Group 3 Lacken Stakes (1,200m) at Naas last time, the main danger according to the market. Appleby would be keen for a change of luck as it has been three years since he cracked open the champagne at Royal Ascot. Godolphin's main trainer could barely hide his disappointment after favourite Cinderella's Dream finished second to Crimson Advocate in the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes (1,600m) on June 18. Joining Babouche in the colours of Juddmonte will be Andrew Balding's Jonquil. The colt is another son of Lope De Vega dropping back to 1,200m on the back of finishing runner-up in the Group 1 French 2000 Guineas (1,600m) last time. Balding will also saddle the improving Berkshire Whisper. Aidan O'Brien is dual-handed thanks to last year's Group 1 Prix Morny (1,200m) scorer Whistlejacket and Ides Of March, while the Michael Appleby-trained Big Mojo also takes his chances. Arabian Dusk and Soldier's Heart both go for Simon and Ed Crisford, with Rayevka and Shisospicy, who represent France and America respectively, adding further international spice. Later on the card, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Zarigana heads 11 declarations for the £725,750 Group 1 Coronation Stakes (1,600m). Carrying the colours of his late Highness Aga Khan, the daughter of Siyouni took her record to four from five with a dramatic victory in the Group 1 French 1000 Guineas (1,600m) at ParisLongchamp on May 11. Challengers are aplenty, with Owen Burrows' impressive Listed Pretty Polly Stakes (2,000m) winner Falakeyah defending her unbeaten record for Shadwell, while Kon Tiki will also put her perfect status on the line having been supplemented by Jane Chapple-Hyam on the back of a commanding win in the Listed Sky Bet Fillies' Stakes (1,600m) at York. O'Brien's pair Exactly and January also take their chances, while the Ollie Sangster-trained duo of Flight and Simmering, who finished second and third to Desert Flower in the Group 1 1000 Guineas (1,600m) respectively on May 4, add further depth. RACING AND SPORTS
The Herald Scotland
02-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Conditions key to Almaqam aims
'He's come out of the race really well, he wants soft ground so the plan is to wait for rain and to go wherever we can find it,' said the Lambourn handler, who could hardly be in better form at the moment. Ascot in October could prove tailor-made for the Lope De Vega colt, while he is engaged in another huge event at ParisLongchamp, where he was a head second last year to the ill-fated Jayarebe in the Prix Dollar. Walker added: 'Into the autumn we feel the the Champion Stakes is the perfect race for him really, although Oisin felt the mile and half might suit him and he is in the Arc – we'll see.'
Glasgow Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Appleby ‘on the fence' about Shadow Of Light plans
The son of Lope De Vega thrived as a juvenile and claimed top honours when winning both the Middle Park and Dewhurst on the Rowley Mile last autumn. He was only a length adrift of stablemate Ruling Court in the opening Classic of 2025 but having shown plenty of speed throughout his career, it could be his future is back down in trip, with the colt the general favourite for the six-furlong Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. However, the Moulton Paddocks handler is still to decide in which direction to head at the Royal meeting, with the weekend's Curragh Classic set to prove a handy gauge for Shadow Of Light's connections. 'I'm going to sit on the fence with him, but I'm still quietly confident he'll get the mile,' explained Appleby. 'It's hard to assess and if you go through the speed figures and everything else that went on in the Guineas, it wasn't an end-to-end gallop by any stretch of the imagination. So it was hard to say he gets a mile for certain on the back of that. 'I think we'll just watch the Irish Guineas and see what develops there. I think whatever wins the Irish Guineas will naturally become favourite for the St James's Palace and then we can work out how close we were to them.'
Rhyl Journal
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Appleby ‘on the fence' about Shadow Of Light plans
The son of Lope De Vega thrived as a juvenile and claimed top honours when winning both the Middle Park and Dewhurst on the Rowley Mile last autumn. He was only a length adrift of stablemate Ruling Court in the opening Classic of 2025 but having shown plenty of speed throughout his career, it could be his future is back down in trip, with the colt the general favourite for the six-furlong Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. However, the Moulton Paddocks handler is still to decide in which direction to head at the Royal meeting, with the weekend's Curragh Classic set to prove a handy gauge for Shadow Of Light's connections. 'I'm going to sit on the fence with him, but I'm still quietly confident he'll get the mile,' explained Appleby. 'It's hard to assess and if you go through the speed figures and everything else that went on in the Guineas, it wasn't an end-to-end gallop by any stretch of the imagination. So it was hard to say he gets a mile for certain on the back of that. 'I think we'll just watch the Irish Guineas and see what develops there. I think whatever wins the Irish Guineas will naturally become favourite for the St James's Palace and then we can work out how close we were to them.'
Leader Live
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Appleby ‘on the fence' about Shadow Of Light plans
The son of Lope De Vega thrived as a juvenile and claimed top honours when winning both the Middle Park and Dewhurst on the Rowley Mile last autumn. He was only a length adrift of stablemate Ruling Court in the opening Classic of 2025 but having shown plenty of speed throughout his career, it could be his future is back down in trip, with the colt the general favourite for the six-furlong Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. However, the Moulton Paddocks handler is still to decide in which direction to head at the Royal meeting, with the weekend's Curragh Classic set to prove a handy gauge for Shadow Of Light's connections. 'I'm going to sit on the fence with him, but I'm still quietly confident he'll get the mile,' explained Appleby. 'It's hard to assess and if you go through the speed figures and everything else that went on in the Guineas, it wasn't an end-to-end gallop by any stretch of the imagination. So it was hard to say he gets a mile for certain on the back of that. 'I think we'll just watch the Irish Guineas and see what develops there. I think whatever wins the Irish Guineas will naturally become favourite for the St James's Palace and then we can work out how close we were to them.'
