Robin Oakley

Europe

Turf Correspondent at The Spectator

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Articles

The intrigue of the jockeys merry-go-round

2 weeks ago | spectator.com.au | Robin Oakley

Nearly always a thriller, Newbury’s Lockinge Stakes, instituted in 1958 and a Group 1 race since 1995, is an ever-welcome signpost to the Flat season. The Guineas Classics have started the three-year-old stories; the Lockinge shows us which older horses will be battling for supremacy over a mile. For four-year-olds and upwards, it has been won by great horses like Brigadier Gerard, and I will never forget Frankel scorching away from his field to win by five lengths in 2012.
The intrigue of the jockeys merry-go-round

2 weeks ago | spectator.co.uk | Robin Oakley

Nearly always a thriller, Newbury’s Lockinge Stakes, instituted in 1958 and a Group 1 race since 1995, is an ever-welcome signpost to the Flat season. The Guineas Classics have started the three-year-old stories; the Lockinge shows us which older horses will be battling for supremacy over a mile. For four-year-olds and upwards, it has been won by great horses like Brigadier Gerard, and I will never forget Frankel scorching away from his field to win by five lengths in 2012.
My ones to watch this season

1 month ago | spectator.co.uk | Robin Oakley

With racing there is always a little history involved. One of the few top races John Gosden has never won as a trainer is the one-mile 2,000 Guineas, and many of us hoped that after a scintillating performance in the Craven Stakes his Field of Gold was going to fill the most significant hole in his trophy cabinet.
Is an Epsom renaissance on the way?

1 month ago | spectator.com.au | Robin Oakley

Through 30 years of living within walking distance of the Derby course I was ever hopeful of seeing Epsom’s status revived to the 600 horsepower training centre it once was with the likes of Walter Nightingall turning out winners for Winston Churchill. There have been brief dawns as when Laura Mongan won the St Leger with Harbour Law in 2016, or Adam West won the Nunthorpe with Live in the Dream.
Is an Epsom renaissance on the way?

1 month ago | spectator.co.uk | Robin Oakley

Through 30 years of living within walking distance of the Derby course I was ever hopeful of seeing Epsom’s status revived to the 600 horsepower training centre it once was with the likes of Walter Nightingall turning out winners for Winston Churchill. There have been brief dawns as when Laura Mongan won the St Leger with Harbour Law in 2016, or Adam West won the Nunthorpe with Live in the Dream.
The Mullins men are a force to be reckoned with

1 month ago | spectator.com.au | Robin Oakley

Where would racing be without Willie Mullins? Even for a man who regularly rewrites the record books, who has 17 times been Irish National Hunt Champion Trainer, has collected 113 Cheltenham Festival winners, including four Gold Cups, and who has won the Grand National twice before, his feat in training the first three in this year’s Aintree spectacular (and five of the first seven) was incredible.
The Mullins men are a force to be reckoned with

1 month ago | spectator.co.uk | Robin Oakley

Text size Small Medium Large Line Spacing Compact Normal Spacious Comments Where would racing be without Willie Mullins? Even for a man who regularly rewrites the record books, who has 17 times been Irish National Hunt Champion Trainer, has collected 113 Cheltenham Festival winners, including four Gold Cups, and who has won the Grand National twice before, his feat in training the first three in this year’s Aintree spectacular (and five of the first seven) was incredible. Only Michael...
My highlights from the Cheltenham Festival

2 months ago | spectator.co.uk | Robin Oakley

When Poniros, trained by Willie Mullins, swept home in this year’s Triumph Hurdle as the first 100-1 Cheltenham Festival winner since Norton’s Coin won the Gold Cup in 1990, one of the very few people who had backed him was my regular racing companion Derek, known in this column as the Form Guru.
My highlights from the Cheltenham Festival

2 months ago | spectator.com.au | Robin Oakley

When Poniros, trained by Willie Mullins, swept home in this year’s Triumph Hurdle as the first 100-1 Cheltenham Festival winner since Norton’s Coin won the Gold Cup in 1990, one of the very few people who had backed him was my regular racing companion Derek, known in this column as the Form Guru.
The Sandown meeting that’s a good predictor of next year’s prospects

2 months ago | spectator.co.uk | Robin Oakley

I never enter a Cheltenham Festival week without thinking of the Irish punter who won enough on champion hurdler Istabraq to pay off the mortgage on his house. He then lost the lot when Ireland’s hope Danoli failed to win the Gold Cup.