England's Racing Post this morning has reported that Newmarket trainer, David Elsworth, has retired from training. Elsworth, known in Europe as one of the greatest dual purpose trainers of all time has announced that he will not renew his license next year, and thus retires after 6 decades in the sport. The news first reported by Racing Post. "If you go to a party there's a time to go home" said Elsworth on Wednesday. "I'm not upset or downhearted about anything, it's just time to move on. I've had a great time." The trainer, who turned 82 earlier this week was awarded the Cartier Award of Merit, marking an extraordinary career, taking out his license to train in 1978. Among top class horses to have emanated from Elsworth stable was the filly In The Groove, who won the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas in 1990, making Elsworth one of very few trainers to have trained both a classic winner and a Grand National winner over jumps. In The Groove also won the G1 Juddmonte International Stakes and defeated Linamix to win the G1 Champion Stakes during her high flying 3YO season, and she would return as a 4YO to win the G1 Coronation Cup. The great grey Dessie will always rank as Elsworth greatest jumping star with his emotional victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, as well as 4 King George VI Chase wins and an Irish Grand National triumph. His Grand National victory was secured by Rhyme 'N Reason. Following Elsworth's move his long tenure in Whitsbury to Newmarket's Egerton House Stables in 2006, the biggest name to emerge from his yard was the filly Arabian Queen who defeated Epsom Derby and Arc hero Golden Horn at York in the G1 Juddmonte International Stakes in 2015. Other notable horses during Elsworth career was his fan favorite stayer Persian Punch, who's major victories included two Goodwood Cups and a Doncaster Cup. His tough as nails, all heart race mare Barshiba, who raced blind in one eye, a 2-time winner of the G2 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock, and his most recent group race success came with Sir Dancealot who's four G2 wins included the Lennox Stakes twice, Hungerford Stakes, & Park Stakes.
The Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner, Loves Only You, signs off with another G1 victory at Sha Tin in the G1 Hong Kong Cup in the final race of her career! She finishes an international G1 winner in Japan at 12F of the Yushun Himba(Japanese Oaks), a G1 winner in the United States at 11F of the Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and a 2-time G1 winner in Hong Kong at 10F of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup & Hong Kong Cup.
The old grey gelding does it again!! Not that already winning the G3 Singspiel Stakes back in Janauary & G1 Jebel Hatta back in March at Meydan, with a 3rd in the G2 Al Rashidiya in February sandwiched in-between din't make for a great 2021 Dubai Carnival for the 8YO son of Whipper. Today he sprung another big international surprise at odds of 40-1, running down the Godolphin pair of Barney Roy in 2nd and Magny Cours in 3rd to win the G3 Bahrain Trophy International at Sakhir Racecourse, a race with another lofty purse of $550,000 Euros.
This horse has been warrior at 6-1/2F and most definitely over the 7F trip for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin. The Breeders Cup Mile is the final race of his career. Would love to see him go out a winner!
@MaiyaDay, If your lecture is over I would simply remind you about what opinions are like. Everybody's got one, but most of them stink.
@MaiyaDay, maybe, but it's still America (I think), free speech and all, and I fought for this country on more than one occassion, so I believe that gives me the right.
I give two sh-ts what the CHRB rule says. This is the Breeders Cup, not some listed or G3 Del Mar juvenile race. Modern Games would've taken a ton of money for that race, so it sounds to me like either very crooked or very incompetent officials to have scratched Modern Games incorrectly instead of his stabelmate Albahr. Either way the Breeders Cup has egg all over their face, because Modern Games won that race going away easily under a hand ride by William Buick. Incopetence at that level could get themselves a different job easily by in the morning working for that moron Joe Biden.
Race of the day right here! A host of colts & fillies in this line-up with solid G1 level form, although Palace Pier and the still unbeaten to date Baaeed figure to take most of the money from the betting public one would think.
It's always been a quick turnaround for the Euro's to go to the Breeders Cup from British Champions Day, but the horses that get sent are always the horses who don't have a problem racing off of quick turnarounds. A quick example that comes to mind is Breeders Cup-2015 at Keeneland & Breeders Cup-2016 at Santa Anita. Found runs poorly at Longchamp on October 4th, finishing 9th in the Arc. Shows up at Ascot on October 17th and finishes 2nd in the Champion Stakes beaten 1-1/2 lengths by Fascinating Rock. She then ships to Keeneland and defeats the Arc winner from that year, Golden Horn, to win the Breeders Cup Turf two weeks later on October 31st. She returned to Longchamp the following year and defeated her hard as nails stablemate Highland Reel to win the 2016 renewal of the Arc on October 2nd. Finished 2nd again behind Almanzor on October 15th in the Champion Stakes, and then shipped to Santa Anita with her Arc-2nd stablemate Highland Reel, who ran Flintshire and Found both bow-legged on November 5th to win the Breeders Cup Turf easily and square the ledger with his stablemate. Both Found & Highland Reel back to back Breeders Cup Turf winners off of pretty quick turnarounds.
@hrn-0dce449a837563deced19b57dd4783f7:disqus, Sir Mark Prescott's filly, Alpinista, has looked really good this season. 4 for 4 to date in 2021 having won a listed at Goodwood, a G2 at Haydock, and a couple of G1's over in Germany. Ran well last backend too finishing 2nd to Love in the Yorkshire Oaks and 2nd to Antonia De Vega in the Princess Royal Stakes at Newmarket. Not sure how much longer Prescott and Kirsten Rausing intend to race her, but she's really come into her own nicely this season, IMO.