Ngong Yearling Sales more popular than up country due to traffic snarl-ups
Jockey Lesley Sercombe aboard Free Dawn (right) crosses the finishing line ahead of Rainbow Mist ridden by Josphat Kultiang to win The Westonian maiden race at Ngong race course, on January 24, 2021.
It is the right time to be a racing fanatic. Now we can all look forward to Annual Yearling Sales at Ngong Racecourse, July 9 at noon. There are more candidates than 2021, 20 sired by Westonian - leader of everything, actually an endless list, including Westwind who won two Classics in a row.
Westonian was champion in all departments as an athlete. Soon his load should be lifted when Silverastone Air gets cracking. King of the Breeder's, Bruce Nightingale, is naturally the Landlord of these staggering beauties. Please assemble your thoughts for purchasing, even in syndications. Luckily, our lovely Right Honourable Tom Tom Fraser, will be the presiding Judge/Auctioneer Extraordinaire, guiding you to the best.
Tom Tom is currently commentating at every meeting, similar voice overs to Mark Johnson from abroad. Sales are usually quite breezy, so spectators and prospective buyers should bring a blanket, Refreshments always plentiful. A must date for your diaries.
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The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby is the feature race on Saturday. It has developed into something quite engrossing now that Cazoo Oaks starlette, Tuesday has been supplemented at a cost of €75,000. Tuesday (Ryan Moore 7-4), has tested ground at the Curragh. If an owner is willing to pay this large sum, then there is something cooking. Staying power is not an issue. She has also grown stronger since Epsom.
Westover (Colin Keane 6-4), has not been outside Britain yet, but is happily working well. Regular rider, Rob Hornby has been jocked off, so he is definitely disappointed. 7 Stone Age, 8 Hannibal Barca, 10 Changingoftheguard, Lionel, Piz Badile, 16 Buckaroo, 25 bar, are what you can mull over.
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Prince of Wales's Stakes cruncher, State of Rest, surged upwards for the Cartier Horse of the Year standings following Royal Ascot. His points have reached 88. Baeed, Corroebus, Native Crown, and, Kyprios, each have a huge chance.
The four-year-old took his tally to four with a terrific front-running win under Shane Crosse in the 1m2f Group 1, defeating Bay Bridge, top-class Japanese horse Shahryar and Lord North.
He becomes the new leader in the Horse Of The Year category with 88 points, while he also leaped to the summit of the Older Horse rankings ahead of the unbeaten Baaeed, who has gone up to second in both categories with 80 points following his easy Queen Anne Stakes success.
Coroebus rose to the top of the Three-Year-Old Colt category on 80 points after his narrow win in the St James's Palace Stakes, in which he defeated Lusail in a thrilling bunched finish to follow up his 2,000 Guineas success.
In the Sprint division, Nature Strip, Perfect Power and Naval Crown are in a three-way tussle for top honours following their respective success at the royal meeting last week.
