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St Markâs Basilica swoops for impressive French Classic glory
Sun 16 May 2021
St Markâs Basilica provided Aidan OâBrien with his fifth victory in the Emirates Poule dâEssai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp.
It is 19 years since the Ballydoyle handler first landed the French 2000 Guineas with Landseer in 2002, subsequently adding to his tally with Aussie Rules (2006), Astronomer Royal (2007) and The Gurkha (2016).
Making his first appearance since winning the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October under Frankie Dettori, St Markâs Basilica was a 9-4 chance in the hands of Ioritz Mendizabal, who initially settled his mount in midfield.
Some early scrimmaging meant he got shuffled back in the back, but he began to make inroads on the pacesetters rounding the home turn and was switched wide to deliver his challenge.
Saturday ITV racing tips and Nap from Newsboy for cards from Newbury and Newmarket Mirror 15/05/2021 David Yates
LOPE Y FERNANDEZ is the value alternative to hot favourite Palace Pier in the Group 1 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes (3.35) at Newbury today.
The market leader has won five of his six career starts and will be hard to beat after a runaway comeback victory at Sandown Park last month - but Lope Y Fernandez also impressed on his return to the fray.
Sent off at 4-6 for the Listed Heritage Stakes over a mile at Leopardstown 31 days ago, Aidan O’Brien s son of Lope De Vega hardly came out of second gear in strolling home by five and a half lengths.
The Lockinge lowdown: A guide to the big race and suggested bet
By Andy Stephens@StevoGG
Thu 13 May 2021
John Gosden versus Aidan OâBrien. It has become a familiar theme in recent years and the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday will be no different, when the two titans of the training ranks will be represented by colts with the potential to be champion milers.
Gosden, now in tandem with his son, Thady, relies on the exciting
Palace Pier in the first Group One race of the year in Britain open to older horses, while OâBrien will unleash
Lockinge Stakes Ante-Post Tips: Tilsit the value option against hotpot Palace
David Cleary takes a look at next weekend s big race, and suggests a 20-1 chance against the hot favourite. An imposing, attractive colt at three, there s plenty to suggest Tilsit has more to offer and a well-run race could suit him down to the ground.
An odds-on favourite in a Group 1 that has as many as 15 other entries standing their ground at the latest declaration stage ought to offer something for the ante-post punter.
Palace Pier, who holds that position in Saturday s
Lockinge market, is obviously very hard to find fault with, but every horse has a right price. Is that the case with him?