Things to know today
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Saffie Osborne will ride Joseph O’Brien’s Highwayman in Saturday’s Betfred St Leger, in what would be a first Classic win for her. The Persian King colt has won his last two, a Killarney maiden in July and the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes at Leopardstown in August, and is joined in the Classic by his stablemate Enceladus. Osborne said her agent texted her on Monday to tell her she was riding him, that he looks a really nice horse and that it is great to get the opportunity (Thoroughbred Daily News) |
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Constitution Hill has been raised 7lb to an official rating of 108 after finishing fourth in the September Stakes at Kempton at the weekend, five and three quarter lengths behind Pride Of Arras, who was put up 3lb to a mark of 117. Nicky Henderson’s 2023 Champion Hurdle winner lost his unbeaten record on the Flat in a race that was a considerable step up in grade, and had gone there with the Melbourne Cup an autumn option for owner Michael Buckley (irishracing.com) |
| 3 |
The Jukebox Man is out for the first half of the National Hunt season. Ben Pauling said on his X account that the eight-year-old has picked up a knock, that he and owner Harry Redknapp are very disappointed but relieved it is not career ending, and that the horse will receive the best possible care during his rehabilitation. He won a four-way finish to last season’s King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and has won seven of his twelve starts (irishracing.com) |
| 4 |
Emmet Mullins has bought Jim Bolger’s Glebe House at Coolcullen, the yard from which Bolger has sent out about 2,900 winners since 1982, among them Teofilo, New Approach and Poetic Flare. Bolger, who is 84, put the place on the market in May. Mullins, who is 36 and trains alongside his uncle Willie at Closutton, said he will be looking out for yearlings with a view to hitting the ground early with two-year-olds and that the stable will be more Flat orientated from now on (Thoroughbred Daily News) |
| 5 |
A Zelzal colt topped the opening session of the Osarus yearling sale at La Teste on Tuesday, Christophe Escuder giving 45,000 euros for lot 79, an April foal out of Moonlight In Paris consigned by Haras de Castillon and a half-brother to the black type performers Bellaciaociao and Czajkowski. Of 130 catalogued, 125 went through the ring and 90 sold, 72 per cent, for a gross of 1,012,500 euros. The average rose 10 per cent to 12,006 euros and the median 17 per cent to 10,000 euros (Thoroughbred Daily News) |
| 6 |
George Scott is opening a twenty box base at Meydan, to be running by the middle of November, and will aim at races in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Jebel Ali while keeping a separate string in Bahrain. The new recruit Saber Strike is among the horses going out for Victorious Forever, and the trainer intends to buy more at the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale and privately. Scott said it feels like the right time to expand internationally after a series of fruitful winter campaigns in the region (irishracing.com) |
| 7 |
Beset took the Oyster Stakes at Galway on Tuesday over a mile and a half for Joseph O’Brien and Declan McDonogh, beating Chablis Rock with Galileo Dame third and Kalixa fourth. She is owned in partnership by Kevin Blake, Nick Luck, Emma Palmer and Michael Wilson. Blake said it was an easy race to watch and that she was impressive, and that the plan now is the Prix de Royallieu on Arc weekend (irishracing.com) |
| 8 |
Lex Victoria won the Unibet Fillies’ Novice Stakes at Kempton this evening, beating Godolphin’s Pink Larkspur by four lengths and covering the seven furlongs in 1:25.43. The Sioux Nation filly, who topped the Arqana May Breeze-Up at 1.1 million euros, is now two from two for Oisin Murphy and the Crisfords after her Newmarket debut win last month, and races for Victorious Forever and Duaij Al Khalifa. Rogie Kavanagh of Glending Stables said she was very impressive, that she probably got the run of the race but that it was educational as well (Thoroughbred Daily News) |
Eight items against a cap of fifteen. Tuesday’s European racing was confined to Leicester, Goodwood, Catterick, Bangor-on-Dee and a mixed card at Galway, so the day’s news is stable news and sales news rather than results. The St Leger Festival and the Irish Champions Festival appear in The week ahead below.
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