Latest news with #WoottonBassett
Leader Live
4 days ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
Davy Crockett collects on hurdling bow at Galway
The Willie Mullins-trained four-year-old is a son of dual Derby hero Camelot out of Champion Hurdle-winning mare Annie Power, making him a half-brother to dual Grade One victor Mystical Power, who landed this Galway Festival curtain-raiser two years ago. Easy winner of a Punchestown bumper on his debut in early June, the 1-2 favourite to make a successful transition to the jumping game raised brief concerns for his supporters two out, but knuckled down well for Mark Walsh in the straight to beat Mick Collins by two and a half lengths. Mullins said: 'I was very happy with how efficient his jumping was except, for the mistake at the second-last. For a horse having his first run over hurdles and just the second run of his career, I was very pleased with him. 'We'll just keep going down the novice hurdle route and hopefully he might make into a Royal Bond horse. He could go to Listowel before then.' Mullins also paid tribute to training great Edward O'Grady, who died on Sunday at the age of 75. He added: 'Edward was someone that back in the day we looked up to. He was the foremost trainer going to Cheltenham – when no one (from Ireland) was having runners or winners in Cheltenham, he was having one or two of them every year. 'People forget how difficult it was for Irish trainers to bring horses across and win and Edward had fantastic horses. He had a great Galway connection of course with Golden Cygnet, owned by Ray Rooney who was chairman here in Galway. 'He'll be sorely missed in Irish racing.' Constitution River confirmed the promise of his debut run to land the Eventus Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden with real authority. Contrary To Law attempted to keep tabs on Aidan O'Brien's runner up front, but he was shrugged off with some ease, as were the rest, as the imposing Wootton Bassett colt powered to a three-and-three-quarter-length triumph under Wayne Lordan, as odds of 1-5 suggested he would. A €400,000 purchase as a yearling, the winner – who is out of a sister to the top-class racemare Wonderful Tonight – just missed out to the Charlie Appleby-trained Distant Storm at the Newmarket July meeting, when the pair were nicely clear of the third. O'Brien's representative Chris Armstrong said: 'He had a very good run in a nice maiden in Newmarket and with normal improvement coming here you'd think he'd put up a good display. 'He was very green and Wayne said he was looking at the camera on his inside, but he went to the line with plenty still left in him. The experience around here will do him the world of good. 'He's a colt with a touch of class and is one to look forward to going into the second half of the season. I suppose he puts himself into the Futurity mix with the rest of them and the lads will divide them up and see where they go.'
The Herald Scotland
24-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
North Coast takes Tyros triumph in style
He was sent off a 3-1 chance against the Aidan O'Brien-trained 30-100 market leader Flushing Meadows, who was only just beaten in Group Three company on his most recent start,. Under a positive ride from Dylan Browne McMonagle, North Coast more than had the measure of the favourite, coming home a six-length winner, although Ryan Moore did ease his mount a little in the closing stages. Paddy Power put North Coast in as a 25-1 chance for next year's 2000 Guineas and Derby, with a Group One date likely to be next on the agenda. Dylan Browne McMonagle and trainer Joseph O'Brien (Brian Lawless/PA) 'That's probably a good trip for him, a stiff seven furlongs,' said the winning trainer. 'He ran great in Naas and you'd have to be impressed with what he did today. 'I backed him up a bit quick coming here, so we'll probably go straight to the National Stakes now rather than going for the Futurity on the way. That would be my immediate thought. 'He's a smart colt and has an exciting future. 'I was very impressed with his last half-furlong. It looked like it was going to be an eyeballing match down to the line but he really pulled away again.' Composing impressed in victory (Brian Lawless/PA) Composing made virtually all the running to register a comfortable success in the Saudi Cup Silver Flash Stakes. Fifth on debut at the Curragh in May, she broke her maiden back at that track last month, prompting Aidan O'Brien to raise her sights to Group Three level here. Moore was eager to get to the front and allowed to stride on, he dictated the pace aboard the 4-9 favourite and Composing never looked like being caught, eventually pulling three and a quarter lengths clear of the staying-on Skydance. The Wootton Bassett filly was cut to 16-1 from 25s by Paddy Power for both the 1000 Guineas and Oaks next year, with O'Brien rating her a potential Group One challenger later in the campaign. Composing with jockey Ryan Moore in the winner's enclosure (Brian Lawless/PA) 'We're delighted with her, she's a lovely, straightforward filly,' said O'Brien, who was winning the race for the fourth successive season. 'She won lovely the last day and Ryan loved her. She was very professional. 'She'll go for the Debutante Stakes at the Curragh next and could be a filly for the Moyglare.'
Irish Examiner
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Jan Brueghel spearheads stellar list of King George contenders
Jan Brueghel, Lambourn, Rebel's Romance, and Calandagan are among the eight horses left in a potentially star-studded King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. Aidan O'Brien said at the weekend it was probable that Coronation Cup winner Jan Brueghel would be his number one hope, with Lambourn likely to be aimed at the St Leger, possibly via the Great Voltigeur at York. O'Brien's Epsom Oaks runner-up Whirl, who has been mentioned in terms of the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, has stood her ground, while the Ballydoyle handler is also responsible for Continuous. Like last year's winner Goliath, Calandagan is trained by Francis-Henri Graffard and pushed Jan Brueghel all the way at Epsom. The Aga Khan Studs-owned gelding has since bagged an elusive Group One victory in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. The Charlie Appleby-trained Rebel's Romance, meanwhile, showed he is as good as ever in recording a popular triumph in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. Andrew Balding's Group One winner Kalpana is another representative for the fillies, with Jessica Harrington's Green Impact bolstering the Irish challenge. Kalpana will be stepping up to a mile and a half for the first time this season, at the scene of her biggest success to date, the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes back in October. Her two outings this season have been in Ireland, finishing third in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and second in the Pretty Polly Stakes, both at the Curragh. Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon said: "Kalpana is all systems go for the King George. This has been her intended target since her last run in Ireland and she is in good shape. "I think her two runs this year have been very solid. We know she is proven over a mile and a half on soft ground, so for her to produce those performances over 10 furlongs on quicker ground is very promising. "We would be hopeful of a strong showing on Saturday back over 12 furlongs, for all it looks a competitive race. Calandagan is a top-class horse and we all saw what Jan Brueghel did at Epsom. I don't know if Lambourn will line up as well, but a Derby winner always commands respect." O'Brien, meanwhile, has confirmed Henri Matisse on course for a rematch with his Royal Ascot conqueror Field Of Gold in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. O'Brien's Wootton Bassett colt ended last season in victory at the Breeders' Cup and struck Classic gold in the French 2,000 Guineas before finding only John and Thady Gosden's Field Of Gold too good in the St James's Palace Stakes. The Ballydoyle handler said: "He's being trained for the Sussex and is going good so far. We're very happy with him and he is progressing." Also a runner-up at the Royal meeting was Illinois, in the Gold Cup behind Trawlerman, and he too is set for a trip to the Sussex Downs, where he could be joined by an emerging stablemate. O'Brien said: "At the moment he (Illinois) is going for the Goodwood Cup and it's possible that Scandinavia could go there as well. "We were very happy with his run in Ascot. We'd prefer he had another year before he went there (for the Gold Cup), but that is the way it worked out." O'Brien also outlined plans for Coventry Stakes winner Gstaad, who will be seen next in top-level action at the Curragh. He said: "The plan is to go for the Phoenix Stakes (August 9). That is the way we are thinking at the moment."
Glasgow Times
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Henri Matisse ready to renew Field Of Gold rivalry at Goodwood
O'Brien's Wootton Bassett colt ended last season in victory at the Breeders' Cup and struck Classic gold in the French 2,000 Guineas before finding only John and Thady Gosden's Field Of Gold too good in the St James's Palace Stakes. The Ballydoyle handler said: 'He's being trained for the Sussex and is going good so far. We're very happy with him and he is progressing.' Also a runner-up at the Royal meeting was Illinois, in the Gold Cup behind Trawlerman, and he too is set for a trip to the Sussex Downs, where he could be joined by an emerging stablemate. O'Brien said: 'At the moment he (Illinois) is going for the Goodwood Cup and it's possible that Scandinavia could go there as well. 'We were very happy with his run in Ascot. We'd prefer he had another year before he went there (for the Gold Cup), but that is the way it worked out.' O'Brien also outlined plans for Coventry Stakes winner Gstaad, who will be seen next in top-level action at the Curragh. He said: 'The plan is to go for the Phoenix Stakes (August 9). That is the way we are thinking at the moment.'
Leader Live
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Henri Matisse ready to renew Field Of Gold rivalry at Goodwood
O'Brien's Wootton Bassett colt ended last season in victory at the Breeders' Cup and struck Classic gold in the French 2,000 Guineas before finding only John and Thady Gosden's Field Of Gold too good in the St James's Palace Stakes. The Ballydoyle handler said: 'He's being trained for the Sussex and is going good so far. We're very happy with him and he is progressing.' Also a runner-up at the Royal meeting was Illinois, in the Gold Cup behind Trawlerman, and he too is set for a trip to the Sussex Downs, where he could be joined by an emerging stablemate. O'Brien said: 'At the moment he (Illinois) is going for the Goodwood Cup and it's possible that Scandinavia could go there as well. 'We were very happy with his run in Ascot. We'd prefer he had another year before he went there (for the Gold Cup), but that is the way it worked out.' O'Brien also outlined plans for Coventry Stakes winner Gstaad, who will be seen next in top-level action at the Curragh. He said: 'The plan is to go for the Phoenix Stakes (August 9). That is the way we are thinking at the moment.'
