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Turfling
Europe
Wednesday 23 September 2026
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The lead
Hurricane Fly dies at 22 at the Irish National Stud
Hurricane Fly has died aged 22 at the Irish National Stud, his home since retiring in August 2015. The son of Montjeu won the Champion Hurdle in 2011 and 2013 and the Irish Champion Hurdle five years running to 2015, and took a record breaking 22 Grade 1 wins. Willie Mullins, who trained him, called him one of the greatest horses ever to come through his stable.
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Why it matters: Grade 1 races are the top tier of the sport and most horses never win one, so a record 22 of them is the plainest measure of why his trainer ranks him among the greatest he has had.
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Five things to know
| 1 |
Meriden landed the Listed Listowel Stakes over a mile on Tuesday, beating Iron Fist by a length and three quarters under Chris Hayes for Denis Hogan, with Jagged Edge third.
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| 2 |
Hugo Palmer went to 210,000 euro for a Chaldean colt from Rathbarry Stud, the top lot on day one of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale at Fairyhouse. Palmer, bidding with Ed Sackville and Michael Owen, spent 537,000 euro on five.
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Rayevka has been retired after a setback and will become a broodmare. The Aga Khan Studs homebred won the Group 3 Prix de Saint-Georges and was second in this year’s King Charles III Stakes, running 15 times in all.
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Bjorn Nilsson resigned as chairman of Svensk Galopp with immediate effect and left the board, citing the tone of the debate over a proposed new racecourse in southern Sweden as Jagersro prepares to close.
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John Lowe, who rode more than 2,000 winners before retiring in 2000 and later worked for Sir Henry Cecil and Roger Varian, has died aged 75 in Australia. He won the Cambridgeshire twice and the 1982 Prix Marcel Boussac.
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New here
Yearling
A yearling is a horse in the calendar year after the one in which it was foaled, not yet old enough to race, which is why buyers at the September sales are judging animals none of them has seen compete.
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The number
22
Grade 1 wins by Hurricane Fly, the record breaking total his trainer Willie Mullins called remarkable.
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Around the world
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America
Keeneland September lifts 23 per cent on day eight
Keeneland September’s eighth session grossed 30,215,000 dollars, up 23.35 per cent, with 297 yearlings sold. Donato Lanni gave 850,000 dollars for a Yaupon colt from Glennwood Farm, agent for Frank Fletcher and Jackpot Farm.
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Australasia
Ka Ying Rising settles into Sydney for The Everest
Ka Ying Rising reached the Canterbury quarantine centre on Monday after a 16 hour trip from Sha Tin, losing five kilograms. David Hayes rates him ten per cent better than last year ahead of The Everest on 17 October.
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Coming up
| Today |
Ballygunner Castle won the Grade 3 Guinness Kerry National Handicap Chase at Listowel for Willie Mullins and Danny Mullins, four and a half lengths clear of Ol Man Dingle, with Downmexicoway third and Doctor Ken fourth. It is a second win in a row in the race for the same trainer and rider.
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| Thursday |
The Cambridgeshire meeting opens at Newmarket with the Group 3 Somerville Tattersall Stakes |
| Saturday |
The Cheveley Park Stakes and the Middle Park Stakes, both Group 1, and the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket, with the Goffs Million at the Curragh |
| 4 October |
The Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp |
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Turfling
Reported from official race-day materials, racecourse and regulator publications, and sales results, verified against trade press. Where a fact originates elsewhere, we say so. Drafted with AI assistance. Not affiliated with any track, tote board, regulator or wagering product.
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