Sunday 23rd August, 2026 Chantez shines to hold off Soul Love in Ballyogan Stakes

By Gary Carson, Press Association

Chantez denied Karl Burke’s raider Soul Love back-to-back Naas victories when causing a 28-1 shock in the Tally-Ho Stud Irish EBF Ballyogan Stakes.

Ger Lyons’ four-year-old had not tasted success since a Listed win in her juvenile days and arrived having finished three lengths adrift of Soul Love in the Yeomanstown Stud Irish EBF Stakes over the same course and distance last month.

However, she finished with a flourish to reverse form in style this time around, winning in Group Three company for the first time in the hands of Gary Carroll and quite possibly staving off impending retirement for the time being.

PJ Colville, racing manager for owners Newtown Anner Stud, said: “That was great because this could have been her last run. We’ll probably keep her going now, we’ll speak to Ger.

“She was running well over longer distances, but she wasn’t showing as much as she did as a two-year-old so we decided to throw the dice and come back in trip with a pair of blinkers.

“I think this set-up, a stiff six, suits her well. The last day she did everything right, but she just needs to get into the rhythm of the sprinting division.

“She was sharp today and got a good set-up, so we’re delighted.

“She does stay a bit further and I think the finish here suits her, the stiff six is ideal.”

He added: “She might not be retired at all! We’ll speak to Ger and Maurice (Regan), but I’m sure we’ll have another go somewhere now. She does want good ground, so we’ll see what the weather is going to do.”

Maeda Matsu put herself in line for a tilt at a good race with victory in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Fillies Maiden.

The Sheila Lavery-trained youngster served notice of her ability when second on debut to Livenka in the valuable Ballyhane Stakes here earlier this month, but was still allowed to go off at 7-1 for this seven-furlong affair.

Taking it up just outside the furlong pole, the Dubawi Legend filly still looked a little green but was full of running passing the post three-quarters of a length ahead of Star Glory in the hands of Rory Cleary.

Lavery said: “It’s just pure relief. The horses have been running fantastic, we’ve been touched off in big handicaps, but that is my first winner this year and that’s a bit scary. I’m thrilled.

“She was very green in front and Rory wasn’t hard on her. I would think I’d be looking at the Ingabelle for her, that’s why I stepped her up so quickly to seven.

“She’s not in any of the big races, hopefully she’ll be a stunning filly for next year. She leaned in, but it wasn’t ungenuine, it was just pure greenness.

“I tend not to take them off the bridle and they learn on the track. Rory said at the end the penny was starting to drop and it was the same in the Ballyhane.”

The Matchbook Exchange Irish EBF Fillies Maiden was won in runaway fashion by Willie McCreery-trained debutant Timeless Tale (14-1).

“That was impressive and I’m delighted to have her,” said McCreery.

“She’s a lovely, big, strong filly and she’s all natural. She’s never been away from the place and I’m delighted with her.

“This filly has natural ability and we’ll see where the lads want to go now. It’ll be a stakes race and she won’t mind a bit of ease in the ground either.”

Zoar, meanwhile, had debuted when best of the rest behind subsequent Richmond Stakes winner and Prix Morny fourth Man’s Best Friend here and showed the benefit of that in winning the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden.

The No Nay Never colt is now with Donnacha O’Brien, who said of his 11-10 favourite: “He’s a grand horse. I’ve not had him that long and in fairness to the Halleys they did a great job with him.

“I think he’ll get another furlong, but I’m not convinced he’s going to be a seven-furlong/mile horse. I’d say he’ll probably get quicker as he gets older.

“It was a nice performance. I’d imagine we’ll have a look at stakes company next time and see where he stands at that level.”

Sunday 23rd August, 2026 ‘Wonderful’ Aventure downs Diamond Necklace in Romanet

By Adam Morgan, Press Association

Diamond Necklace tasted defeat for the first time as Aventure served a reminder of her top-class credentials in the Sumbe Prix Jean et Louis Romanet at Deauville.

Aidan O’Brien’s daughter of St Mark’s Basilica was expected to dazzle once again in France, as she has done when landing the Prix Marcel Boussac, Poule d’Essai Des Pouliches and Prix de Diane on her travels during what was an unbeaten six-race career to date.

However, she had no answer to the experience of her Christophe Ferland-trained elder, who added to last year’s Group One strike in the Prix Vermeille to the delight of her connections.

Pierre-Yves Bureau, racing manager for owners the Wertheimer brothers, said: “We’re very happy and when she won the Prix Corrida earlier this year we were very happy but then made a mistake by running over a mile and a half in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

“There was a strong field of fillies including Diamond Necklace, but what our mare did is just wonderful, she is such a champion. We will be very happy to have her as a broodmare one day, but we will enjoy her racing for the moment!”

Second to Bluestocking in the 2024 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Aventure earned a quote of 20-1 for this year’s renewal by Paddy Power following her triumph over O’Brien’s star performer in the hands of Maxime Guyon.

However, there will be no third attempt at Europe’s richest middle-distance prize for the five-year-old who will instead remain at 10 furlongs for the Prix de l’Opera post the main event on Arc day before a possible trip to Keeneland.

Bureau added: “It’s quite unusual, but this filly is getting more speed with age and 10 furlongs is her perfect trip now. She has been really well prepared for this race.

“The plan is to run her in the Prix de l’Opera and then if everything goes well we might take her to the Breeders’ Cup for the Filly & Mare Turf, but we will take it step-by-step and one race at a time. The next step will be the Prix de l’Opera.”

In a close-up third was the Charlie Johnston-trained Timeforshowcasing, who ran a big race in the hands of Jack Mitchell.

Sunday 23rd August, 2026 Aventure takes unbeaten record from Diamond Necklace

By Press Association Sport Reporters

Diamond Necklace tasted defeat for the first time as Aventure served a reminder of her top-class credentials in the Sumbe Prix Jean et Louis Romanet at Deauville.

Aidan O’Brien’s daughter of St Mark’s Basilica was expected to dazzle once again in France, as she has done when landing the Prix Marcel Boussac, Poule d’Essai Des Pouliches and Prix de Diane on her travels during what was an unbeaten six-race career to date.

However, she had no answer to the experience of her Christophe Ferland-trained elder, who added to last year’s Group One strike in the Prix Vermeille and earned herself a quote of 20-1 for another crack at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe from Paddy Power, a race in wich she finished second to Bluestocking in 2024.

In a close-up third was the Charlie Johnston-trained Timeforshowcasing, who was a big race in the hands of Jack Mitchell.

Sunday 23rd August, 2026 Senorita Bonita proves jet-propelled in Prix Morny

By Adam Morgan, Press Association

Senorita Bonita demonstrated her devastating turn of foot to scorch to Sumbe Prix Morny glory in Deauville.

The 900,000 guineas top lot from April’s Craven Breeze-Up sale, Simon and Ed Crisford’s filly arrived on the Normandy coast looking to follow up her victory in Newmarket’s Duchess of Cambridge Stakes, a win that received a timely boost by Lowther Stakes scorer Libertango earlier this week.

Held up towards the rear by Oisin Murphy, with Clive Cox’s Royal Ascot winner Orthodox ahead, the daughter of Starspangledbanner had plenty of ground to make up on Aidan O’Brien’s front-running Carry The Flag entering the final third of the contest.

However, once the champion jockey stepped on the accelerator the response was instant, as not only did Senorita Bonita rapidly eat away at the deficit but then surged readily clear of the long-time pace-setter for a thoroughly impressive victory.

Simon Crisford said: “She’s shown a great turn of front and obviously they set some very good fractions up front but she finished off super well – she galloped out strongly.

“She was a little bit slow out of the gates and behind the bridle early, but they were going quick and the race set up for the closers and she was the best of the closers.

“At halfway I briefly thought we might have a mountain to climb here, but she’s got such a good turn of foot that at the furlong pole you could see she was going to come home strong.”

It was the father and son training team’s second victory in the Group One race after Vandeek in 2023, while it continues the fine record of fillies in the contest following on from Venetian Sun’s triumph for Karl Burke 12 months ago.

The Victorious Racing-owned Senorita Bonita will now go in search of further top honours in Newmarket’s Cheveley Park Stakes and was made 5-2 by Paddy Power for a race where she could meet former foe Libertango once again, as well as another recent York winner, Sun Goddess.

“All roads lead now to the Cheveley Park now at the end of September and that was a fantastic performance,” continued Crisford.

“It was a deep, deep renewal and it was a really, really pleasing effort and she’s looked really impressive there.

“Any Group One is fantastic to win and we are all just delighted. It’s a great testament to the staff back at home and everyone involved and it’s great to win for Shaikh Nasser (bin Hamed Al Khalifa) and Shaikh Khalid (bin Hamed Al Khalifa).”

Sunday 23rd August, 2026 The sky is the limit for level-headed Daniel King

By Gideon Brooks, Press Association

Given the sky-high praise lavished on Daniel King in the aftermath of a stunning Galway big-race Plate-Hurdle double it would be tempting to think the 21-year-old’s feet might only just be coming back down to earth about now.

It is, after all, not every jockey that is described as, “as good a rider as I’ve seen since the likes of Ruby Walsh. The next coming! Top class” by a trainer in Tony Martin who is not exactly short of laps around the block.

Or praised by no less a judge than Willie Mullins who, when asked after King rode King Alexander to Plate glory whether the jockey was one of the brightest young talents in the weighing room, said: “He appears to be and today franked that.”

If you were expecting King to be dining out on such plaudits for years you would be disappointed. After 20 minutes speaking to him, you suspect a quick sandwich from the garage on the way back from Galway that night was probably as far as it went.

“Obviously it is nice hearing things like that and it is nice publicity, but I enjoyed it because I don’t think anything has changed in the way I go about each day as it comes,” he said. “The good days are hard to come by really so you have to enjoy them.”

It was quite a meeting for the King who booted home three winners at Ballybrit in Frankie John for long-time supporter Denis Hogan, King Alexander in the Plate for Mullins and Putapoundinthejar in the Galway Hurdle for Martin, a double last achieved by Joe Byrne in 1984.

Moreover, it was a week which reflected not only his emerging talent in the saddle but a growing fan base of Irish handlers, a fact that bodes well ahead of the new season.

King started out on the Flat, in his case as a 16-year-old apprentice with Hogan.

“I always wanted to go jumping, but you can’t get your jumps licence until you are 17 and you can get your Flat licence at 16. I was 16 and quite light at the time so I was lucky enough that I could start off on the Flat,” explained King.

“But I had seen my brother Connor (eight years his senior and now a trainer) struggle with his weight so I kind of knew I would get tall and a bit heavier but always planned for it.

“I am glad I started off on the Flat though and I do think it stood to me. It helps with tidying up your riding. I do think it helps with your style as you ride a bit shorter and you ride a bit tighter as well.

“There have been plenty who started on the Flat as well (AP McCoy, Paul Carberry, Charlie Swan and Paul Townend all took that route) and overall I think it has made me a better jockey, but I was always destined for the jumps.”

King rode 35 winners on the level between 2021-24 before becoming a conditional over obstacles finishing third in the conditional jockeys’ championship in 2023-24 with 20 winners and then posting a career-best 34 winners last season which included a pair of Grade Two victories aboard flagship mount, Oscars Brother.

“I was there for four or five years then lost my claim and I went a bit quiet like many do,” added King. “It is a hard old game. But I was kind of at the stage where I needed to spread myself out a bit and went to a few different trainers.

“I am kind of lucky since I started riding I’ve had good people behind me.”

In addition to Hogan, King now rides out at the stables of Martin, Mullins, John Ryan, Thurles-based Mark Molloy and the Tipperary yard of John Ryan – support which the rider from Kilbrin, Co. Cork is determined to fully utilise.

“There is a lot of things I can improve. I try to improve every day,” continued the young jockey.

“I’m lucky enough to be getting plenty of rides every day and once you are riding every day you can improve. I’m quite happy with the way I ride but I like learning off people – there is the older jockeys I like getting advice off and things.”

And for King that desire to pick up from the best does not stop at the current occupants in the weighing room.

“I looked up to all the top jockeys growing up through my teens like Ruby Walsh, AP McCoy and Paul Carberry who was very good coming from behind and switching a horse off and very cool as well. But, to be honest, the one I used to love watching the most was Davy Russell,” he said.

“I always said I’d love to be like him. He was very good at switching a horse off and getting a horse jumping and was very strong in a finish as well. He was probably the main one that I would have always looked up to.”

King was a keen hurling and Gaelic Football player in his youth but admits he does not get time to play anymore or, for that matter, go and watch his two younger brothers.

That situation is unlikely to change any time soon with the jockey likely to be in demand for major Festivals throughout the winter starting he hopes with a few for his greatest cheerleader Martin in the November meeting at Cheltenham.

Sunday 23rd August, 2026 Bay City ready to roll in Prix Foy

By Chris Phillips, Press Association

Bay City Roller could be set for an early sighter of ParisLongchamp, with next month’s Prix Foy seen as the ideal spot to line up a Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe bid.

George Scott’s New Bay colt has not been seen since early June when he bolted up to win the Coronation Cup by 10 lengths, with the fast summer ground scuppering intended outings since then.

Now he could be heading to the French capital on Arc Trials day (September 6) with the main event in October his primary target.

Billy Jackson-Stops, racing manager for owners Victorious Racing, said: “George says a couple of bits of work lately have been as good as ever.

“We’re really happy with him. The plan is the Foy, it’ll be ground dependent. We’ll see how they’re looking in France.

“He could go to the Irish Champion Stakes, but he will go to France if the ground is ideal for him and obviously the end goal for him this year is the Arc.”

Meanwhile, expensive breeze-up buy Mrair missed the chance to enhance his profile in the Gimcrack Stakes at York’s Ebor Festival after a late issue saw him taken out of the race.

Jackson-Stops added: “Mrair had a small setback. We haven’t quite got to the bottom of that at the moment so we’ll just take a bit of time and see where he is.”

Sunday 23rd August, 2026 Jamie Lewis relishing apprentice title run-in

By Gideon Brooks, Press Association

Ashley Lewis is taking inspiration from Billy Loughnane and advice from Ryan Moore in an attempt to reel in the current clubhouse leader Jack Callan over the final two months of the race to be champion apprentice.

The 18-year-old rider, who started out with Gary and Josh Moore last year and now rides for Ed Walker’s powerful Lambourn yard, has 11 to make up on Callan between now and the curtain falling on Champions Day on October 17.

Yet with Callan having ridden out his claim and with the resolute backing of Walker, who is keen to get his rider over the line, Lewis believes he could come with late rattle to emulate both Loughnane (2023) and Moore (2003) and become champion.

“Jack has just lost his claim which may slow him down a touch and because of that you never know,” said Lewis. “My boss Mr Walker has got a lot of power left to use and we are both trying to win it, but I have still got my 3lb claim.

“My main aim is to ride as many winners and have as many rides as possible in the best races and on the biggest days – that’s when you can really get noticed. If we can chase it (the title) down that would be amazing.”

Callan, who recently racked up his 100th career success, currently leads the standings on 40 wins for the championship period from Lewis who has 29 this term and 65 overall, but the latter will continue to claim 3lb until he has ridden 95 winners which could tilt the back end of the campaign in his favour.

Given Lewis’ first professional ride came only at the start of last season his experience has been building. Following a first season with the Moores, he spent a short spell Stateside with John Ennis at Keeneland in December and January and was snapped up by Walker on his return.

The stint in America delivered what Lewis says was an invaluable method with regard to pace judgement, an essential tool in any decent jockey’s armoury.

He explained: “They may say I want you to build (this piece of work) from 13 seconds a furlong to 12 then to 11 and at first you’re always just counting in your head and trying to work out how you were doing. But the more you do trackwork over there the more you start getting used to it.

“Coming back that has really helped me everywhere, but generally to have the confidence to know you are in a race where they are going hard up front and you know they should be stopping or in a slowly-run race where you know it’s going to be a sprint.”

Ballydoyle number one Moore is not only one of the greatest to ever grace the saddle, but also a useful sounding board for Lewis, particularly in his first year when he was with the three-time champion jockey’s father Gary and brother Josh in west Sussex.

“With Ryan I would ask as much as I could without annoying him,” said Lewis. “Best part of the track and how to ride it. He helped me the day I won on Small Fry at Epsom and he helped me previously at smaller tracks like Chelmsford. Is he a good teacher? He’s the best.”

Small Fry was Lewis’ breakthrough moment, coming 45 minutes after Lambourn had won the Derby on Epsom’s biggest day. A second major step came when Lewis steered Walker’s Northern Champion to win a Listed race at Chester.

He continued: “That was a very good day to get my first stakes winner. I had ridden for my boss on Ten Bob Tony in a Listed race at Haydock but to get it done as a 5lb claimer and obviously do it without my claim was good.”

Lewis knows Loughnane well having come up a couple of years behind him on the pony racing circuit and cites the rider as an inspiration as they chase the apprentice and champion jockey titles respectively through the final two months.

“I’ve known Billy a long time as we used to do pony racing together, but he has seemed to go up the ranks very quickly and keep on going when he turned professional,” said Lewis. “He is obviously winning all the big races now and you look forward to doing that as well one day.

“With two and a bit months still left who knows what will happen? What I do know is you can get on a run.”

Sunday 23rd August, 2026 Secret Of Life in line for hot renewal of Atalanta Stakes

By Chris Phillips, Press Association

Ralph Beckett’s unbeaten filly Secret Of Life is set to take her chance in what might prove a highly informative renewal of the Betmgm Atalanta Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.

The four-year-old daughter of Pinatubo won nicely at the Esher track last time out when stepped up in trip and into Listed company for the first time, running out a two-and-three-quarter-length victor over Silenciosa in the Coral Distaff.

That followed equally impressive victories at a lower grade at Wolverhampton and Haydock over seven furlongs.

The Group Two Celebration Mile at Goodwood was one option considered but connections have opted for a return to Sandown and the Atalanta.

David Hilton, racing manager to owner John Deer, said: “She won’t be going to the Celebration now, she’ll be going to the Atalanta Stakes at Sandown on the same day.

“She likes it at Sandown and we’ll be hoping for some rain, but she’s not as ground dependent as we initially thought she might be and if it’s good you more than likely still will see her run.

“We will stick to a mile with her and we think she might get 10 furlongs in time, she’s a big filly and she can run at three, four, five.

“The Sun Chariot is the target now after we’ve seen her in her Group Three but you won’t be going overseas for the winter after her last race of the summer she’ll be having a break and come back next year.”

Like Secret Of Life, others poised for the Atalanta before the Sun Chariot include Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Valiant Stakes winner Kon Tiki and the Sir Mark Prescott-trained Moon Target, who was most recently third to Blue Bolt in the Prix Rothschild.