Bill Esdaile

ASCOT’s feature race on Saturday is the Group One King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (3.35pm), where a star-studded field of nine head to post for Britain’s most prestigious all-age Flat race.Last year’s winner, CALANDAGAN, is back to defend his crown.Francis-Henri Graffard’s five-year-old was winning the second of five consecutive Group Ones in this [...]

DIFFERING form lines from Royal Ascot come to the fore in the Group Three Princess Margaret Japan Cup Stakes (1.45pm).Queen Mary sixth, ALTA REGINA, is a filly to be interested in.The Wathnan recruit was seen doing her best work late on when flying home under James McDonald, suggesting that an extra furlong would suit.With the [...]

AMONGST the action on the opening day of Glorious Goodwood comes a typically tricky sprint, the Coral Rewards Shaker Handicap (4.10pm).Whilst it is competitive, I do keep coming back to one and that’s the likely favourite LEXINGTON BLITZ.He was deadly over course and distance on his penultimate run, travelling powerfully before kicking clear to win [...]

GLORIOUS Goodwood is here and racing fans can look forward to five days of top-class action from the picturesque Sussex Downs.Without doubt the headline acts on today’s opening card are Scandinavia and TRAWLERMAN, who clash again in the Group One Goodwood Cup (3.35pm) after their epic battle in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.On that [...]

JOSEPH O’Brien has enjoyed a brilliant season so far thanks to Thundering On’s win in the Betfred Oaks and a remarkable five-timer at Royal Ascot.The 33-year-old has a busy week in store back home at Galway, but he isn’t ignoring Goodwood and I expect his CANNES to be very hard to beat in the opening [...]

DAY Two of Glorious Goodwood is headlined by the Group One Sussex Stakes (4.10pm) which offers the first chance to see a clash of the generations over a mile.All the talk has been about the third edition of an enthralling rivalry between three-year-olds Bow Echo and Gstaad.The record stands two-nil in favour of the former, [...]

SOME of the world’s best jockeys will line up at Ascot this Saturday for Flat racing’s annual team competition, the Shergar Cup.This year’s edition looks a high-class one, with the decision to move the Curragh’s Group One Phoenix Stakes to Sunday meaning that both Ryan Moore and Dylan Browne McMonagle are free to compete.Along with [...]

WITH Glorious Goodwood in the rear-view mirror, attention turns to the York Ebor Festival as the next major meeting.Several of the contests from the Knavesmire are already priced up, and there are a few horses that look overpriced.The first of those is COVER UP, who’s currently 16/1 for the Nunthorpe.He caught my eye in the [...]

SHERGAR Cup Day concludes with the Shergar Cup Mile (4.30pm), and the winning team and rider could all come down to this contest.Ryan Moore is booked to ride the Ian Williams-trained OZAT, who is an interesting contender.He caught the eye in Goodwood’s competitive Golden Mile last week, when travelling well inside the final two furlongs [...]

SATURDAY’s Shergar Cup Sprint (3.20pm) looks set to be one of the highlights of the card, with a competitive field lining up over six furlongs at Ascot.Favourite THUNDER CALL brings the strongest form into the contest and looks difficult to oppose.William Haggas’ colt has done little wrong this season, making a winning return with a [...]