Dubai: It’s a busy weekend on the flat in Europe with Classics and several showpiece races being staged in England, Ireland, France and Germany.
Ireland plays host to a high-class meeting that features the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Group One) tomorrow and the Pretty Polly Stakes (Group One) today, while Newcastle stages the prestigious Northumberland Plate.
Newmarket’s July course will be the setting for today’s £150,000 (Dh882,865) Tattersalls Millions 3-Y-O Cup while the UK’s racing headquarters will also welcome back the Group Three Criterion Stakes, and Listed events in the shape of the Fred Archer Stakes and Empress Stakes.
Meanwhile, the Hippodrome de Saint-Cloud near Paris will throw open its doors to the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Group One) tomorrow as Hamburg welcomes the Grosser Preis von Lotto Hamburg (Deutschland-Preis) (Group One).
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A big field of 20 have been declared to run in the Northumberland Stakes (Heritage Handicap), the North East’s premier horse race, which has attracted a horse owned by the Queen — Tactician — and Chock A Block, who represents the mighty Godolphin stable from Dubai.
Tactician is trained by Michael Bell who won this race in 2007 with Juniper Girl and also saddles second favourite Activate.
Last year’s winner
Among the field is last year’s winner Overturn. trained by Donald McCain. However, history is against McCain was the last time a horse scored back-to-back wins in the marathon was 33 years ago.
The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby looks like being a re-match between Treasure Beach and the Queen’s Carlton House who were second and third in the English version at Epsom earlier this month.
Sir Michael Stoute is reportedly ‘thrilled’ with Carlton House’s build-up according to John Warren, the Queen’s racing advisory. “We’re quietly very pleased. Sir Michael is happy with the horse — he’s really, really thrilled with the way he has come out of Epsom,” he said.
Native Khan, fifth at Epsom, also starts. Trainer Ed Dunlop said: “We’re pretty confident he stays, but we’re under no illusions it’s going to be very tough again.”
Aidan O’Brien will be bidding for a ninth win in the race and sixth in a row.
Earlier today, two top-class fillies Midday and Snow Fairy feature among a quality field of eight declared for the Pretty Polly Stakes.
Midday is a five-time winner at Group One level while the Dunlop-trained Snow Fairy makes her first start since December, having won the English and Irish Oaks last season.
Dunlop said: “It’s unlikely she’s grown much, but she’s grown stronger from three to four. She had an injury in Dubai.
“We’ve got that sorted thankfully and we are looking forward to seeing her back on the track.”