Andrew Nelis racing

  St Mark's Basilica is among nine high-class confirmations for the Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday. Aidan O'Brien's colt has carried all before him so far this season, bagging back-to-back Classic wins in France with victories in the French 2000 Guineas and French Derby before dominating his rivals in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown last month.                      Andrew Nelis racing 

  Brian Ellison has announced the retirement of stable star Definitly Red after being pulled up in the Randox Grand National at Aintree. The 12-year-old was running in the world's most famous steeplechase for a second time, after being badly hampered when still going well in the 2017 renewal. Definitly Red won 15 of his 38 career starts, including the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree twice, the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby and the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham                Andrew Nelis racing 

  Latest Exhibition   bids to overcome his relative inexperience as well as defy top weight in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at   Fairyhouse   on Monday. The Paul  Nolan -trained novice has had just four races over fences, but he has shown plenty of potential, especially when runner-up to Monkfish in two Grade One races. Connections decided not to take on Monkfish again at Cheltenham last month, having suffered defeat in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle last year....

  Aintree turned on the taps on Wednesday as preparations continue for next week's Randox Grand National meeting. After several days of warm weather, clerk of the course Sulekha Varma opted to water both the National and Mildmay courses as the forecast continues to be for dry weather in the immediate future. She said: "We are watering today - we have put six millimetres on the Grand National course and 10mm on the Mildmay, with the Mildmay good, good to soft in places and the National course good to soft, good in places..                    Andrew Nelis Racing 

  Jonbon, whose stunning price tag matches his beautiful pedigree, produced a sparkling display on his rules debut in Newbury's bumper and could be something special, trainer Nicky Henderson said in his post-race debrief. A brother to the brilliant Douvan, Jonbon strolled home in a point-to-point at Dromahane for Ellmarie Holden in November and was then purchased by JP McManus for £570,000. That figure made him the most expensive point-to-pointer ever sold at auction and McManus subsequently placed his big-money buy in the care of the Lambourn-based Henderson, who had described the gelding as a "beautiful horse" and "exciting for everyone".                         Andrew Nelis racing 

July Cup winner Oxted is on course for the Betfair Sprint Cup after featuring among 15 entries for Haydock’s showpiece. The four-year-old will try to join an elite band to win both races, with Harry Angel in 2017 being the last horse to complete the notable double. Oxted gave trainer Roger Teal and jockey Cieren Fallon their first Group One triumph when taking the Newmarket race – and it is all systems go for Saturday’s Merseyside feature. “All seems good – fingers crossed, we’ll get there in one piece,” said Teal. “I’ve had a quick look at the entries. I was watching them come in, and it’s what was expected......                      Andrew Nelis Racing 

Andrew Balding is pinning hopes on the QEII at Ascot to provide another crowning moment after a season he senses could have worked out very differently for his 2000 Guineas hero Kameko. Since his Classic victory at Newmarket, Kameko has run in the Derby over a mile and a half, the Sussex Stakes over a mile and the 10-furlong Juddmonte International..                    Andrew Nelis Racing 

Jim Crowley reached a major milestone at Goodwood as he secured his 2,000th career winner in Britain aboard Modmin. The former champion jockey enjoyed a memorable Ebor Festival at York, with six winners highlighted by sprint sensation Battaash’s Nunthorpe victory as part of a fabulous Friday four-timer. He needed two more winners for his landmark heading into a new week, and suffered a few frustrating days before getting Zahratty home at Newmarket on Saturday. The Marcus Tregoning-trained Modmin looked to hold every chance of giving Crowley his milestone, and so it proved as the 30-100 favourite made all in the Ladbrokes Supporting ‘Children With Cancer UK’ Novice Stakes..

James Fanshawe reports The Tin Man to be in good order ahead of trying to reclaim his crown in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday. The Equiano gelding will bid to secure his first victory since landing the six-furlong Group One prize in 2018, having finished runner-up 12 months ago. The Tin Man showed he still retains plenty of enthusiasm at the age of eight when taking a step forward from his return in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes to chase home Tabdeed in the Hackwood Stakes at Newbury...                         Andrew Nelis Racing 

Make A Challenge made a swift return to action pay dividends by securing back-to-back Listed wins in the Abergwaun Stakes at Navan. Denis Hogan's charge hit the target at the Curragh last Saturday and reappearing just seven days later, he again took gold under Joe Doyle. Sent off the 4-9 favourite in a contest saved over from Tipperary's cancelled meeting on Thursday, Make A Challenge was not the best away but he travelled smoothly through the five-furlong heat before Doyle let him edge in front of Elzaamone inside the distance....                   Andrew Nelis Racing 

Hollie Doyle was in fantastic form at Windsor, notching an 899-1 five-timer highlighted by Extra Elusive in the featured Gallagher Group Winter Hill Stakes. The rider has been enjoying a campaign to remember in 2020, securing her first Royal Ascot win in June before bagging a four-timer at Wolverhampton and her inaugural Group race success with Dame Malliot at Newmarket in July. Doyle reached another level at the Thamesside track on Saturday, with Mistress Nellie's victory in the first division of the Racing To School Inspiring Young Minds Handicap giving the jockey the distinction of being the first woman to ride five winners on the same card in the....                   Andrew Nelis Racing 

Oisin Murphy will miss the Pertemps St Leger Festival at Doncaster after deciding not to appeal against a seven-day suspension. The champion jockey was banned from September 7 to 13 inclusive after the Ayr stewards found him guilty of careless riding aboard winner Tiritomba in Monday's Shadwell Stud Maiden Stakes..                    Andrew Nelis Racing 

Plans to stage the 2020 BoyleSports Irish Grand National in the autumn have been abandoned. The showpiece event was due to be run at Fairyhouse on April 13, but was called off when racing was put on hold in Ireland on March 24 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Horse Racing Ireland had initially intended to reschedule the race as part of an enhanced National Hunt programme later this year, but a number of factors have combined to mean that will not happen and it is hoped the decision will give trainers "as much certainty as possible in relation to the preparation of their horses"....                     Andrew Nelis Racing 

Alpine Star may bid to cap her fine season in next month’s Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. Jessica Harrington’s Group One-winning filly was outgunned only by the unbeaten Palace Pier in her first foray into open-age company against the colts in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville this month. She was previously a Royal Ascot winner in the Coronation Stakes and then narrowly failed to peg back Fancy Blue in the Prix de Diane over 10 and a half furlongs at Chantilly. Her owners the Niarchos family are yet to decide whether another of their three-year-old stars Highest Ground will be out again this season, or wait until next summer. But racing manager Alan Cooper confirmed they have a much more definite plan for Alpine Star.. “At the moment, Mrs Harrington is leaning towards the Irish Champion Stakes,” he said.                        Andrew Nelis Racing 

Prince Of Arran heads eight British-trained entries for the Lexus Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Charlie Fellowes' runner has twice placed in the two-mile Group One, finishing third in 2018 and passing the post in third again last year, before being promoted to second following a stewards' inquiry...                      Andrew Nelis Racing 

Ralph Beckett will only run Max Vega in the Pertemps St Leger at Doncaster provided conditions are suitable. Having finished down the field in the Derby on his penultimate start, last year's Zetland Stakes winner returned close to his best when finding only Hukum too strong in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes on his most recent outing at Newbury. While Beckett - who won the St Leger with Simple Verse in 2015 - is keen to let Max Vega have a second shot at Classic glory, his chances of appearing on Town Moor will depend on how much rain falls in the build up to the race....                      Andrew Nelis Racing 

Ante-post favourite Pomelo is likely to bypass the Ladbrokes Prestige Stakes at Goodwood on Saturday in favour of an outing in the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster. Trainer Ralph Beckett plans to step the unbeaten daughter of Dubawi up to a mile for the first time in the Group Two prize on September 10. The Khalid Abdullah-owned filly earned quotes for next year's 1000 Guineas after running out an impressive five-length winner on her debut at Newbury last month..                  ANDREW Nelis Racing        

Stradivarius is among 20 entries for the Prix Foy at ParisLongchamp on September 13. John Gosden indicated after his six-year-old’s latest Goodwood Cup triumph that the mile-and-a-half contest would be the intended next port of call for his star stayer, with a crack at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in mind. The progressive Way To Paris, who won his first Group One at the age of seven last time out, and Jean-Claude Rouget’s Sottsass head the home team. Aidan O’Brien has entered Japan, Anthony Van Dyck and Sovereign, while Roger Charlton has given Extra Elusive the option after providing Hollie Doyle with a notable triumph in the Rose of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock. The Prix Vermeille has attracted 25 entries, including the O’Brien-trained Magical, Ger Lyons’ Irish Oaks winner Even So, Dermot Weld’s Tarnawa and Rouget’s exciting filly Raabihah. Also among the entries is David Menuisier’s very easy Prix Minerve winner Wonderful Tonight. “We were very pleased with her last tim...

Love is a deserved favourite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in the view of Frankie Dettori following her exploits this season. Victories in the 1000 Guineas, Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks have seen Aidan O'Brien's filly usurp Enable at the head of the market for the European middle-distance championship - and Dettori is fully aware of the threat she poses to the John Gosden-trained mare's bid for an unprecedented third victory in the race. The Italian is back in Britain and undergoing a period of quarantine after a brief sojourn in France, where he bagged two Group Ones courtesy of Palace Pier and Campanelle and a Group Two with Mishriff....                     Andrew Nelis Racing 

British racing leaders have pledged to prioritise the retention of owners and key investors as part of a new recovery plan in response to the coronavirus crisis. The plan, published on Tuesday by the British Horseracing Authority, confirms the next phase of recovery policy agreed in discussions with the Racecourse Association and owners’, jockeys’ and trainers’ representatives. It identifies nine “industry goals” – including a full resumption of racing with maximum possible attendance and “best possible ownership and spectator experience”, the continuation of safety measures and strict control of social distancing on course, a reduction of the sport’s cost base and “pursuit of immediate Levy reform”..                        Andrew Nelis Racing