Newmarket staged their Champions Day last Saturday with seven races, the showpiece being the Champion Stakes which New Approach won decisively for Princess Haya of Jordan. New Approach was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed for his wife at the end of last season. Can another shrewd purchase for her in Ravens Pass (pictured) complete a memorable…
Flat Horses
Newmarket Champions Day 2008
by Ian Wade •
The lure of Champions Day at Newmarket with two Group 1’s, three Group 2’s, one Group 3 and the Cesarewitch Handicap means we will be neglecting our seats at Ipswich Town Football Club. The feature race of the afternoon, the Champion Stakes, looks as though it should go the way of New Approach (pictured winning…
Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe Meeting 2008
by Ian Wade •
In my blog of a year ago on the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe I did list the past winners since 1959 and reminisced some of the great winners of this race, which in my opinion is the greatest flat race of the season. Soldier of Fortune was my hope for the race twelve months…
Newmarket Cambridgeshire Meeting 2008
by Ian Wade •
We are into the third day of Newmarket Cambridgeshire Meeting where there has been some terrific racing so far. The Group 1 race this afternoon is the Sun Chariot Stakes worth £200,000.00. Darjina comes over from France and will run provided we do not get a deluge of rain as happened on her last visit…
The Ascot Festival 2008
by Ian Wade •
The Ascot Festival gets underway today for three days excellent racing of which the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, a Group 1 worth £250,000.00 for 3yo’s+ over the Ascot round mile, takes centre stage and will be run on Saturday. There have been some super horses win this race over the years and in my blog…
Doncaster St Leger Meeting 2008
by Ian Wade •
The Doncaster St Leger Meeting got under way on Wednesday the 10th with the build up over the four days to the St Leger which will be run on Saturday. Today (Friday) we have the Doncaster Cup to look forward to. This is a Group 2 for 3yo’s+ run over 2 miles 2 furlongs. The…
Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown 2008
by Ian Wade •
Lets hope the Leopardstown Meeting is able to go ahead and Duke of Marmalade turns up for a re-match with New Approach in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes worth one million euros and run over one mile two furlongs for 3yo’s+. I did not think either horse was at their best in the Juddmonte…
Haydock Sprint Cup 2008
by Ian Wade •
Thankfully Sakhee’s Secret does not run in this years Haydock Betfred Sprint Cup, a Group 1 run over six furlongs for 3 year olds plus. His last two runs have been very disappointing to say the least ! There looks to be something radically wrong with the horse. I would be surprised if we saw…
York Nunthorpe Stakes at Newmarket 2008
by Ian Wade •
The loss of the 4 Day York Festival is a great shame but at least the majority of the Group races have been saved with now Newmarket, Newbury and Goodwood benefiting from York’s loss. Newmarket stages a mammorth card on Friday where Sakhee’s Secret (pictured) will get the going he needs in the Nunthorpe Stakes.…
York Ebor Festival 2008
by Ian Wade •
It has been a quietish couple of weeks for horse racing since the Glorious Goodwood Festival. Of course with the Olympics in Beijing and the start of the new football season here there has been plenty of other sport to enjoy. Two visits have already been made to Portman Road Ipswich to see our beloved…
