Today’s racing
Newcastle’s first all-weather meeting of 2020 will see Charlie Fellowes saddle the Anthony Oppenheimer-owned Blow Your Horn in the seven-furlong novice stakes at the north east venue today.
The colt, who is by Oppenheimer’s homebred Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Golden Horn, is from the family of outstanding broodmare Urban Sea, the dam who has gone on to forge an incredible legacy through her sons Galileo and Sea The Stars.
Unsighted as a two-year-old, Blow Your Horn is one of two debutants, the other being the Jason Ward-trained Tamoshanter Kid.
The opposition includes Tomorrow’s Dream, who justified favouritism to win at Wolverhampton on her second start last month.
Kempton also race on the all-weather today while Ludlow hosts a seven-race jumps card.
Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff finalists revealed
The British Horseracing Authority revealed on Tuesday the finalists for this year’s edition of the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards.
A total of 203 nominations were whittled down to a shortlist of ten in each category last month, with the three finalists now revealed for each of the six awards.
The finalists will head to London on February 24 when they will be interviewed face-to-face by the judges, who will then decide the winners and runners-up. The results will be revealed later that evening at The Underglobe on London’s South Bank.
Nominees and their employers listed by category are as follows:
David Nicholson Newcomer
Charlotte Cotgrave – Mark Johnston
Bradley Harris – Andrew Balding
Kevin Skelton – Bryan Smart
Leadership
Leanne Kershaw – Jedd O’Keeffe
Mat Nicholls – Kim Bailey
James Savage – Michael Stoute
Rider/Groom
Hayley Ashcroft – Tom Dascombe
Shoab Patel – Stuart Williams
Kate McCormack – Paul Nicholls
Stud Staff
James Frank – Hascombe and Valiant
Patrick Meehan – The National Stud
Keith Warbuton – Shade Oak
Dedication
Seanie Mulcaire – Philip Hobbs
Andrew Stringer – John Gosden
Philip Wright – Harry Dunlop
Rory MacDonald
Eleanor Boden – Scottish Racing
Rachel (Chicky) Oaksey – Injured Jockeys Fund
Simone Sear – Racing Welfare
First foal for US Navy Flag
July Cup hero US Navy Flag sired his first foal on January 2 when Aidan and Annemarie O’Brien’s mare Far Fetched produced a filly by the son of War front.
Aidan O’Brien said: “[She’s] a smashing filly with a lovely head and she is very much in the mould of her sire. It’s great to have such a good foal out of a maiden mare.”
A Fastnet Rock half-sister to stakes winner Arya Tara, Far Fetched is from the family of Group 1 winners Azamour, Astarabad and The Autumn Sun.