The ‘Whinny World’ signage as you enter Seoul’s Let’s Run Park racecourse is one; having several of the racing world’s leading administrators colourfully clad on stage in the lead-up to Sunday’s Korean Derby is another. But these things do not disguise the fact that the KRA (Korean Racing Authority) is an emerging racing power. It... Read More

Firstly, though, the opening French Classics of the season returned home to the newly-refurbished Longchamp on Sunday and both the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (Gr 1, 1600m) and Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (Gr 1, 1600m) were marred by controversy with Christophe Soumillon, who finished third aboard Dice Roll (Showcasing) in the former, staunchly criticising the... Read More

The John McArdle-trained three-year-old filly, settled at the tail of the 11-horse field from her outside barrier, went widest of all at the home turn before coming with a strong late run to score by a neck, going away. I’ll Have A Bit ran the 1200 metre journey in 1:09.13 on the Soft 5 track,... Read More

The Steven O’Dea-trained colt Sesar (Sebring) followed up on his second in a two-year-old race over 1200 metres at the Sunshine Coast on 14 April to score his first win in three starts, doing so at stakes level in the Ken Russell Memorial Classic (Gr 3, 1200m). He settled midfield on the rails in the... Read More

Slightly less favoured than his stablemate Gustav Klimt (Galileo), the big, powerfully-built Saxon Warrior was having his first start of the year after recording three wins from three starts at two years in 2017. On Saturday, ridden by his trainer’s teenage son Donnacha O’Brien, the still green Saxon Warrior reached the lead just over a... Read More

Whether it’s a shake of the head in sheer amazement at what seems to be his ever-growing winner’s factory or the mate beseeching another simply not to leave the Weir trained runners out of any leg of the quaddie. Glancing at trainer’s tables and the like is the sort of thing you have time to... Read More