Group 1 Prix de Diane on Sunday features Blue Rose Cen

This year’s Prix de Diane looks a riveting prospect given the elevated level of fillies declared for Sunday’s classic. While the domestic contingent is undeniably strong, there is no shortage of quality hailing from the UK and Ireland.
It is Blue Rose Cen who is attracting most of the attention. In landing the Poule d’Essai last month, she provided Christopher Head with his first classic. Winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac at two, she has never raced over 2100m, but according to her handler, she should not be inconvenienced by the longer trip.

Impressive winner of the Prix Saint-Alary, Jannah Rose, in contrast, is not lacking on the staying front. A filly of considerable class, she is expected to play a leading role. Pensée Du Jour has not run since winning the Prix Pénélope on 1st April but is highly-regarded at home and there is no shortage of confidence concerning her chances.

John and Thady Gosden will try to put Running Lion’s Oaks misadventure behind them. Justifiably held in high esteem by the father-son team, she has a realistic prospect of stamping her mark on the Chantilly showpiece. Elusive Princess ran second in the Saint-Alary and was supplemented on Wednesday for €66,000 but has a few lengths to make up in order to win. Aidan O’Brien’s Never Ending Story could finish only fifth in the Poule d’Essai that day and will also need to step up her game.

Second to Blue Rose Cen in her last two races, Lindy was unlucky in the Poule d’Essai. She should suit the Chantilly profile and according to Christophe Ferland, distance is not an issue. As for the beautifully-bred Left Sea, she won a Longchamp Listed last weekend, and while Carlos Laffon-Parias is taking something of a gamble, she nevertheless represents an interesting outsider.

Source: French PMU

Horse Racing in Singapore to Cease Operations

“I had a gut feeling going into the meeting,” Michael Clements, president of the trainers’ association and the current premiership leader, told Asian Racing Report.

Lim addressed the group. Her manner was uncomfortable, ‘sheepish’ even, as she told the trainers of the industry’s fate: horse racing in Singapore would cease within 16 months. She took three questions from the floor – the first being what will happen to the horses? – and left for a news briefing. A STC press release was issued.

Despite a general acceptance among trainers of the government’s need for land, and that the decision will not be reversed, there are moves afoot to lobby for an extension. But there is also anger and exasperation among stakeholders at the way in which the STC has handled a weighty matter of such grave importance to the people who work in Singapore’s racing industry and their families.

“We go into a meeting on three hours’ notice, we get 15 minutes of her time, and they tell us that it is all over. They didn’t handle the situation well,” said local trainer Jerome Tan… continued:

Shock and anger at Singapore racing’s sad demise

Big June Ahead for French Horse Racing

France ChantillyFrench horse racing in June offers an exciting and varied calendar, featuring prestigious events such as the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, the Prix La Coupe, the Prix de Diane, the Grand National du Trot and the Prix du Président de La République.

THE RACES:

The racecourses will be very coveted during this month of June thanks to the prestige and history of the races.

4th June – The Qatar Prix du Jockey Club will be held at the Chantilly racecourse, a race reserved for 3-year-old colts during which they will have an intense battle for the title of champion.

7th June – A few days later, the 6th stage of the Grand National du Trot will take place at the Laval racetrack. This is a must for trotting fans where many champions will compete to win this competition.

11th June – Direction the Paris-Longchamp racecourse for the Prix La Coupe which is a flat race for which horses of 4 years old and more will fight for the victory.

18th June – The show will continue at the Chantilly racetrack with the Prix de Diane, a major race in the equestrian calendar. This event is highly anticipated as it attracts the best. The race is reserved for 3-year-old fillies and is also known as the “Ladies Jockey Club”.

21st June – The Grand National du Trot will be back for the 7th stage which will take place this time on the Langon racecourse. It will be a great first for this racecourse where the best trotters will compete.

25th June – It will be on the Vincennes racecourse that will close this month of June with the Prix du Président de La République which is a mounted trotting race, this race will gather the best trotters of the country for an exceptional day.

Return of Horse Racing Fans on One of Hong Kong’s Biggest Days

21/1/2023 Horse Racing Tips and Best Bets – Sha TinThe pandemic years have been rich with surreal imagery. Vacant office space where once there was none, silent schools once brimming with students, public transport with few passengers, empty or closed stadiums, theatres and other entertainment venues, a population that kept its distance and remains masked to this day. The list goes on, but the second day of the Year of the Rabbit recalled an image that no one ever imagined they would see in the turf capital of Hong Kong – horse racing held behind closed doors without trackside punters as an anti-infection measure.

The punters have been back for a while, but [last] Tuesday’s Lunar New Year meeting at Sha Tin underlined how surreal their previous absence was. Nearly 80,000 people clicked the turnstiles at Sha Tin, plus more than 5,000 at the Happy Valley video meeting – the biggest turnout since the 2019, pre-pandemic Lunar New Year meeting.

More telling about how the Lunar New Year ignited the enthusiasm with which Hongkongers embraced the return to normality is that the Jockey Club reports a betting turnover of HK$2.06 billion (US$265 million), the biggest since… more on the Return of Horse Racing Fans on One of Hong Kong’s Biggest Days

British Racing Suspended after Horse Racing’s Queen has Passed

Queen Elizabeth II's Sporting Fascination Was Racing: ‘I Love Horses'London (AFP) – British horseracing chiefs suspended all events after the death of Queen Elizabeth II was announced on Thursday as sport paid tribute to the late monarch.

Buckingham Palace made the announcement in a short statement, triggering 10 days of national mourning. Charles, Prince of Wales, becomes king immediately.

“All of British Racing is in mourning today following the passing of Her Majesty the Queen,” the British Horseracing Authority said in a statement.

“Her Majesty has been one of the greatest and most influential supporters in the history of horseracing. Her passion for racing and the racehorse shone brightly throughout her life”.

The statement added: “It is right, therefore, that all racing is suspended for today and tomorrow as we begin to grieve Her Majesty’s passing and remember her extraordinary life and contribution to our sport and our nation.”

BHA chairman Joe Saumarez Smith, said: “Racing owes an incalculable debt of gratitude, not only for Her Majesty’s dedication and commitment to the sport, but for her public advocacy of it.”

Industry Profile: RIP Trainer Alec Head

Frankie Dettori: Enable will have to bring her A-game to beat MagicalAlec Head, one of the key figures in French racing for more than 70 years, has died at the age of 97.

A hugely successful trainer with four wins in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe to his name, Head was also an influential owner and breeder, while his children Freddy and Criquette and his grandson Christopher have continued one of the most remarkable dynasties anywhere in the racing world.

In the post-war era Head dominated the French training ranks alongside Francois Mathet and enjoyed huge success in Britain and Ireland, with Lavandin’s victory in the 1956 Derby the highlight…

In 2013 his homebred Treve won the Prix de Diane, the Prix Vermeille and the Arc for Criquette, the last-named success being repeated 12 months later….

More on the passing of Alec Head from The Racing Post

Breeders’ Cup Watch: A New Star in the Making in Homeless Songs

Homeless Songs lit up the Curragh on Sunday with a scintillating performance in the 1000 Guineas and is now just about the most exciting Flat horse in training. The way she travelled and quickened clear against a high quality field at the Curragh marks her out as potentially one of the best milers we have seen in years. She looks to possess the same star qualities as her father Frankel and I can’t wait to see what she can achieve over the course of the season.

She had shown a glimpse of her electric acceleration when beating Agartha in a Trial race over seven furlongs at Leopardstown at the beginning of April but her performance at the Curragh was truly out of the ordinary. All the more extraordinary when you take into account the poor form of her stable coming into the race. Since Homeless Songs won at Leopardstown on April 2nd Dermot Weld had trained just one winner – Ezine, a short head winner of a maiden race at Naas at odds of 4/6 favourite – from 69 runners in almost two months.

Weld is a past master at nurturing high-class talent and his patience with Homeless Songs certainly reaped due reward with her demolition job at the Curragh, but there is a real sense that she is only going to improve with racing. The veteran trainer turns 74 in a couple of months and this Moyglare Stud filly could well roll back the years to the halcyon days of Vintage Crop, Media Puzzle, Grey Swallow, Go And Go and Vinnie Roe.

The Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot is set to be the next assignment for Homeless Songs where she could meet last season’s Champion 2-y-o filly Inspiral and the English 1000 Guineas winner Cachet in an exciting clash. If she turns up in the same form she was in on Sunday they won’t see which way she went…

Watch Homeless Songs demolish the field, along with a post-race interview with trainer Dermot Weld.

This Hall of Fame Jockey Wanted to End It All. His Story

…It is what follows next from the man who spent three seasons riding some of the best racehorses in the world for trainer Aidan O’Brien that stops you in your tracks.

Eighteen months after he was on the top of the racing world when winning the Derby on John Oxx-trained Sinndar and 13 months after winning the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on the same horse, the future five-time champion jockey in Ireland was at such a low ebb because of his losing battle with drink that he stood on a top-floor balcony of a Dubai apartment block ready to throw himself off.

Johnny Murtagh: Creating Belief

Johnny Murtagh has opened up on his a battle with alcoholism that almost cost him his life

A desperate phone call to US trainer John Sadler, who Murtagh was in town to ride for, rescued him from the precipice until his family could arrive to look after him. Murtagh, 51, says: ‘I looked over… that’s how close I was. It scares me to think back now. It is still gut-wrenching when you think about how close it was.

‘The signs were probably there. Drinking a bottle of wine at night on your own with all those bad thoughts in your head.

Johnny Murtagh: Creating Belief is sponsored by Coral and broadcast on Thursday May 5 at 9pm on ITV4 and Tuesday May 10 at 11pm on ITV.

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See www.samaritans.org for details.

The Queen Calls These Two the Most and It’s About Horse Racing

Queen Elizabeth's Horse Wins Race — and Her Racing Manager Says She'll Be Watching on TVHer royal phone is packed with “anti-hacker encryption” which shows the importance of maintaining a secret channel for the monarch.

Two people – including one of her children – the monarch reportedly contacts the most with her phone may come as a surprise.

Royal expert Jonathan Sacerdoti said the Queen calls her daughter Princess Anne and her racing manager John Warren the most.

Is Horse Racing Dead? Not Down Under in Australia

Arrowfield Group’s John Messara says engagement with Australian horse racing has “grown” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think the fact that we’ve been able to get through COVID and survive during that COVID period,” Mr Messara said.

“The engagement has, I suppose, grown as people have been stuck at home and not able to do other things.

“Racing has continued, and people have been drawn to it … And the pie is growing.”

Check out the 6-minute video interview with Messara and learn about the strength of the Australian sales market where 94% of the horses entered sold.