Sandown‘s Brigadier Gerard meeting on Thursday produced some exciting winners with a view to Royal Ascot. Both Ombudsman and Talk Of New York impressed ahead of the meeting next month.
Here is today’s racing news round-up as we head into the weekend.
Sandown: Ombudsman & Talk Of New York impress as Dubai Future upsets
Ombudsman made a winning return to British shores in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown. The Godolphin-owned five-year-old won the Dubai Turf at the top table earlier this year. That extra boost of fitness enabled him to go one better at Sandown than he had 12 months ago. William Buick eased him through the winning line narrowly ahead of Gethin, to whom he was conceding 7lb. A repeat victory in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot is now the aim. (Racing Post)
Even more impressive earlier on the card was Talk Of New York. Another Godolphin individual, he stormed to success in the Listed Heron Stakes. The 1m contest, exclusively for three-year-olds, was turned into a procession by the son of Wootton Bassett. The margin of victory was five-and-a-half lengths over stablemate Time To Turn. Charlie Appleby’s charge was cut to 6/1 from 16/1 for the St James’s Palace Stakes. He could meet both Bow Echo and Gstaad in that race. (Thoroughbred Daily News)
There was an upset in the first Group race on the card. Yet again, it went the way of Godolphin, but Dubai Future was not a likely winner of the Henry II Stakes. The ten-year-old veteran went off at 28/1, but was given an expert ride by David Probert. His rider judged the pace perfectly to hold off odds-on favourite Sweet William by a neck. The Gold Cup at Ascot is next according to trainer Saeed bin Suroor. (Sporting Life)
Philip Byrnes handed 21-day ban
Jockey Philip Byrnes has been handed a 21-day ban for dangerous riding at Limerick on Thursday. The rider saw Marian Avenue over the line in front at the Irish venue. However, he caused significant interference to those on his outside on the home straight, resulting in one of his stronger travelling rivals being carried out before the second last. Marian Avenue was subsequently disqualified, with Byrnes receiving a hefty ban from the saddle. (The Irish Times)
Aidan O’Brien worried about Constitution River draw
The draw has not been kind for French Derby favourite Constitution River. The Ballydoyle three-year-old heads to Chantilly this Sunday as opposed to the Epsom Derby the following weekend. Having won the Listed Dee Stakes at Chester so impressively, Constitution River looked a perfectly poised Classic aspirant on the continent. However, he is drawn in stall 15 of 16, much wider than ideal. Now inner in the past decade has emerged from a stall wider than number 8. (Racing Post)