David Carr

2 days ago | racingpost.com | Keith Melrose |David Carr

The Surrey Stakes is something of a late trial for the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, although it must be said not a particularly successful one. Even Space Blues, by far the most famous recent winner of this race, was beaten at Ascot. But success these days is not just judged by subsequent Group-race success. All four three-year-old winners of the Surrey since Space Blues (the race was temporarily opened to older horses in 2020) have been sold abroad, the last three within a year.

4 days ago | racingpost.com | Robbie Wilders |David Carr

The biggest Derby field in years awaits. Every runner with the exception of the five from Ballydoyle has a jockey booked, and the maximum quota of 20 may be filled.  Pre-declaration analysis is better used for establishing a shortlist rather than striking a bet. Punters are getting three places each-way at the time of writing, but that could extend to five with leading bookmakers after the final line-up is revealed on Thursday.

6 days ago | racingpost.com | Richard Birch |David Carr

Perhaps the most striking aspect of this 0-95 handicap concerns an entry held by the Richard Fahey-trained Strong Warrior. One of two unbeaten sprinters in a ten-strong field, the son of Mehmas remains eligible for Royal Ascot’s Group 1 Commonwealth Cup. Strong Warrior graduates to handicaps on a mark of 91 following wins in small-field minor events at Ayr and Pontefract, but he made the final declarations for a Newbury Listed event last month and is clearly held in high regard.

1 week ago | racingpost.com | David Carr |Jonathan Harding

Vimy Aykroyd is relishing the prospect of her talented homebred Pride Of Arras lining up in next week's Betfred Derby (3.30) and believes her impressive Dante winner has a "strong chance" when he takes on the might of Ballydoyle and Godolphin at Epsom. The owner-breeder, a proud Yorkshirewoman with four mares to her name, is also hopeful the son of New Bay can provide her county with a first success in the Classic since Shirley Heights carried Lord Halifax's colours to victory in 1978.

1 week ago | racingpost.com | David Carr

Back-to-form Alice Haynes sent out her fifth winner in the past nine days when Rogue Invader returned from nine months off to land the 7½f maiden. "The horses are coming to themselves," the Newmarket trainer said. "They hadn't been on grass much, maybe they'd been a piece of work too short but it's a long season.