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1 week ago | 
bloodhorse.com | Keith Melrose |Catherine Macrae
It seems counterintuitive that, with speed and precocity being so en vogue in the breeding industry, the juvenile races at Royal Ascot are harder than ever to call. The June 19 Norfolk Stakes (G2) embodies that. In its first nine years as a group 2, the winners returned 11-4, 2-1, 11-4, 10-1, 16-1, 6-1, 4-1, 4-1, and 8-1. In the last decade, most winners have returned double-figure odds and two of the last three have been 50-1 and 150-1.
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1 week ago | 
racingpost.com | Keith Melrose |Catherine Macrae
Draw biases normally favour horses who are given less distance to run. It would thus be rare on a round course these days for high-drawn runners to be at an advantage. The 1m4f track at Ascot, especially in big fields like the King George V, is one of the exceptions. A horse drawn in stall one or two in a big-field race here is at a distinct disadvantage, with only 13.4 per cent winning or placing. Horses drawn in low double-figure stalls will win or place around 30 per cent of the time.
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2 weeks ago | 
racingpost.com | David Milnes |Catherine Macrae
Wathnan Racing have added more firepower to their expanding ranks with the purchase of two progressive Royal Ascot-bound sprinters. The Qatari-backed operation have scooped up Listed winner Night Raider from Clipper Logistics with a view to dropping him to five furlongs for the first time in the King Charles III Stakes, for which he is a best-priced 12-1 shot for trainer Karl Burke.
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3 weeks ago | 
racingpost.com | Jonathan Harding |Catherine Macrae
Godolphin's Maximized extended his perfect record to two when stretching clear of Havana Hurricane to land the Woodcote Stakes for Charlie Appleby. The £720,000 breeze-up purchase followed up his debut victory at Haydock in a race the yard won in 2019 with Pinatubo, a subsequent three-time Group 1 winner. "He did it really well," said William Buick. "He's a very smooth sort of horse and we were very happy with the track for him, he dealt with it brilliantly.
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3 weeks ago | 
racingpost.com | Scott Burton |Catherine Macrae
Charlie Appleby and William Buick felt rain-softened ground was to blame for blunting the speed of red-hot Betfred Oaks favourite Desert Flower, who lost her unbeaten record but proved best of the rest in a distant third behind stronger stayers Minnie Hauk and Whirl. Appleby said he hadn't been worried by a description of good to soft, good in places, but said Buick felt the 1,000 Guineas heroine wasn't at home on the surface.
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3 weeks ago | 
racingpost.com | Harry Wilson |Catherine Macrae
Double-digit fields have become commonplace in the Woodcote in recent years, which has made finding the winner more difficult. Add in the fact that precocious juveniles can improve bundles between starts and it has become a tricky race to assess. Trainers tend to be creatures of habit, though, and the presence of Charlie Appleby for the first time since 2020 catches the eye. He saddled Modern News to be second on that occasion, a year on from unleashing superstar Pinatubo on the Downs.
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3 weeks ago | 
racingpost.com | Robbie Wilders |Catherine Macrae
As the build up to a big weekend at Epsom ramps up, we are reminded of a recent Classic winner at that fixture in this 7f handicap. Commanding Prince, a Too Darn Hot half-brother to 2018 Derby winner Masar, has been running well in turf handicaps and it feels inevitable one will fall his way soon. The four-year-old was late to the track, making his debut only in February, but made up for lost time by landing two of his three novice starts on the all-weather.
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1 month ago | 
racingpost.com | Catherine Macrae |James Stevens
After a speculative entry a tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is closer to becoming a reality for Almaqam after a gutsy victory in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes. The Ed Walker-trained four-year-old was entered in Longchamp's October Group 1 contest on the word of Ryan Moore, who thought Almaqam would relish a mile and a half after finishing second in the Prix Dollar last year.
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1 month ago | 
racingpost.com | Catherine Macrae |James Stevens
Beverley: another Royal Ascot star for Wathnan? A Royal Ascot star could be uncovered at Beverley as Naval Light aims to tread a familiar route to glory for Wathnan Racing in the 5f conditions stakes (2.45). The Qatari operation landed this £50,000 contest last year with Shareholder, who followed up in the Norfolk Stakes, and the owners and trainer Karl Burke are again represented by a promising newcomer in Sam James's mount.
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2 months ago | 
racingpost.com | Catherine Macrae |Matt Rennie
Find out where your selections finished in the 2025 BoyleSports Irish Grand National run at Fairyhouse Haiti Couleurs seals magical Irish Grand National victory for Rebecca Curtis and Sean Bowen 2025 Irish Grand National finishing positions 2 Any Second Now 17-2 3 Quai De Bourbon 11-2 favourite 4 Dunboyne 22-1 5 Johnnywho 9-1 Recommended Offer Request custom bets on Twitter with #WhatOddsPaddy 6 Better Days Ahead 16-1 7 Shecouldbeanything 33-1 8 Another Choice 50-1 9 Bushmans Pass 33-1 10...
