Racing (Horse) : General Horse Racing Thread

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Shifting sights set on Guineas.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...e&sub=&day=Tue

Richard Hannon expects the stiff nature of the Curragh to bring out the best in Shifting Power, who has been supplemented for the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas.

The colt defied his 50-1 starting price to finish fourth, beaten only three lengths by stablemate Night Of Thunder, in the first Classic of the season at Newmarket.

While Night Of Thunder heads for the St James's Palace at Royal Ascot, Shifting Power will meet Guineas second Kingman again on Saturday, and Hannon hopes more emphasis on stamina in Ireland can help his Free Handicap winner repay connections' faith.

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Hot Weld steeled for Guineas charge.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...e&sub=&day=Wed

Dermot Weld will run only one of his two remaining entries in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday, with Mustajeeb more likely than Alkasser at this stage.

Both colts are owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum, but Mustajeeb has arguably achieved more, having beaten a solid yardstick in the older Brendan Brackan in the Amethyst Stakes at Leopardstown.

"Both horses are working well, but only one of them will run," said the in-form Weld.

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Glory and Cirrus set to clash.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...=&sub=&day=Wed

Olympic Glory is on a collision course with Cirrus Des Aigles in the Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp on Sunday.

Trained by Richard Hannon and owned by Al Shaqab Racing, Olympic Glory is set for a quick return to the track in the nine-furlong Group One contest after winning the JLT Lockinge Stakes at Newbury last weekend.

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Rizeena out of Irish Guineas.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...=&sub=&day=Thu

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Kingman declared for Curragh charge.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...=&sub=&day=Thu

Kingman will face 13 opponents when he gets a second shot at Classic glory in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.

John Gosden's exciting colt was a hot favourite to secure his fourth win from as many starts in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket at the start of the month, but was narrowly beaten on the Rowley Mile by the Richard Hannon-trained Night Of Thunder.

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O'Brien ready to go to war.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...to+war&day=Fri

Aidan O'Brien is looking for his 10th victory in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh and his five-strong team is headed by Newmarket disappointment War Command.

The colt will be aiming to follow in the recent footsteps of Power and Roderic O'Connor, who flopped in the English Guineas before bouncing back to win in Ireland.

O'Brien has stopped short of putting blinkers on War Command, but has opted for cheekpieces.

He said: "Before the Guineas he wasn't working as impressively as Australia and the way they finished is the way they worked at home.

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Great faces Marble five.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...=&sub=&day=Fri

Aidan O'Brien's The Great War will face five opponents when he puts his huge reputation on the line in the Cold Move EBF Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh.

The American-bred son of War Front created a big impression when justifying odds-on favouritism on his debut at Tipperary at the end of April and he was just as impressive when following up over this course and distance at the start of the month.

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Kingman rules in Irish Guineas.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...e&sub=&day=Sat

Kingman ran out a scintillating winner of the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh.

Beaten into second in the Newmarket equivalent earlier this month, his backers never really had an anxious moment on this occasion as he travelled powerfully throughout in the hands of James Doyle.

The John Gosden-trained colt moved smoothly into contention and t he response was immediate when Doyle pressed the button a furlong out. The 4-5 favourite dispelled any fears over the testing ground as he went five lengths clear of the supplemented Shifting Power. Mustajeeb finished third.

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Hot streaks clear in Temple.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...=&sub=&day=Sat

Kevin Ryan hailed Hot Streak as "the best I've trained" after he came of age with an exhilarating display in the Betfred Temple Stakes at Haydock in the hands of teenage sensation Oisin Murphy.

The Iffraaj colt showed quality form as a two-year-old and his comeback third against his elders in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket suggested he was ready to make his presence felt in top-level sprints this year.

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Mission possible for brave Noble.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...e&sub=&day=Sun

Lady Cecil's Noble Mission continued his remarkable transformation with a first Group One victory in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh.

It is only at the age of five that Frankel's younger brother has started to emerge from his sibling's shadow and he reaped the benefit of an aggressive ride from James Doyle, also successful in the colours of Khalid Abdullah on Kingman in Saturday's Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas.

Its so heartwarming to see Lady Cecil win a big race since the death of the her late great husband Sir Henry Cecil last year.

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Marvellous result for mighty Moore.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...e&sub=&day=Sun

Ryan Moore was full of praise for Marvellous after the Aidan O'Brien-trained filly provided the jockey with a first victory in the Etihad Airways Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh.

Ballydoyle number one jockey Joseph O'Brien opted to partner eventual fifth Palace, allowing the all-conquering Moore to team up with the 10-1 chance, who was running for only the third time having finished sixth in the Leopardstown trial on March 30.

The Olly Stevens-trained Lightning Thunder, narrowly beaten by Miss France in the Newmarket equivalent, went off the 100-30 favourite and led going into the final furlong, but she could not cope with the winner's late surge and went down by three lengths.

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Magnier backs Australia to shine.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...=&sub=&day=Mon

Coolmore supremo John Magnier claims "Ballydoyle would be surprised" if Australia did not win the Investec Derby.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien repeated his view earlier this month that the colt could be the best Epsom candidate he has ever fielded, and Australia remains a warm market leader after his encouraging third in the 2000 Guineas.

There has, though, been good recent money for stablemate Geoffrey Chaucer, who is now a clear second favourite.

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Panther seeking Henry II rule.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...=&sub=&day=Tue

Talented stayer Brown Panther heads a field of 12 declared runners in the Cantor Fitzgerald Henry II Stakes at Sandown on Thursday.

Tom Dascombe's charge, who won the Goodwood Cup last summer before finishing eighth in the Melbourne Cup, made a successful return to action in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester three weeks ago.

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Speed queen Lochsong dies aged 26.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...=&sub=&day=Tue

Brilliant sprinter Lochsong, dual winner of the Prix de l'Abbaye, has died at the age of 26.

Trained by Ian Balding and enjoying her biggest moments when ridden by Frankie Dettori, the Jeff Smith-owned filly graduated from winning big handicaps such as the Ayr Gold Cup in the hands of 7lb claimer Franny Arrowsmith to ruling at the top level in the Longchamp showpiece (1993 and 1994) and the Nunthorpe at York, also in 1993.

Such wonderful memories of days gone by.

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Toast swerves Epsom for New York.

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Thu

Toast Of New York is set to go on his travels again after trainer Jamie Osborne and owner Michael Buckley decided against a run in next week's Investec Derby.

The son of Thewayyourare was added to the Epsom field at a cost of £8,000 last month following his UAE Derby victory at Meydan in March but the recent spell of wet weather has forced a change of plan.

Osborne has now set his sights on the Belmont Derby Invitational at the New York track on July 5 as he believes the Grade One event represents a much better opportunity for Toast Of New York.