Latest News
17/06/2026
Tap, Tap, Tap: John Size, 25 Years And Still Intrigued By Horses
It is Size's 25th season in Hong Kong and the Year of the Horse. Thirteen titles, no trophies on display, and a method nobody seems to be able to emulate. As five other trainers chase the championship, Size's focus remains on the animal central to the sport.
Michael Cox
17/06/2026
“Rode Like A Clown”: The Accidental Melbourne Cup Legend Yasunari Iwata
When trainer Katsuhiko Sumii and jockey Yasunari Iwata retell the story of Delta Blues and their trailblazing Melbourne Cup win 20 years ago, it plays more like a comedy. Michael Cox and Frank Chang caught up with them in Kyoto two decades after their famous win.
Michael Cox, Frank Chang
17/06/2026
Cherie DeVaux: Suddenly Famous
The first woman to win the Kentucky Derby speaks to Idol Horse about processing that historic achievement, the media whirlwind, pitching at Yankee stadium, and the determination that spurred her through a tough start.
David Morgan
17/06/2026
Rothfire And The Little Jar That Holds A Racing Miracle
Robert Heathcote keeps Rothfire’s shattered bones on his desk. Six years after injury almost ended his life, Queensland’s cult hero is still defying racing’s cruelest odds.
Adam Pengilly
17/06/2026
Daryz And JeuXdi For The Win As France-Galop Tackles “Survival Mode”
The Arc winner showed a young Parisian crowd what a champion looks like, while officials spoke candidly about their proactive moves to address a struggling business model.
David Morgan
Forget The Guineas, Sprinting Is Venetian Sun’s Forte
Venetian Sun was a brilliant two-year-old but when she tried the Classic route over a mile in the 1,000 Guineas this spring, she found that wasn’t for her. Instead, the speedy filly continues her development as a top-level sprinter in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot on Friday.
Her trainer Karl Burke told Idol Horse at Wetherby races earlier this week that last year’s top-class juvenile benefited for attempting a mile in the Guineas, even though she was beaten into 11th behind True Love.
“She improved just for the run in the Guineas, that race helped her, it really brought her on,” Burke said. “I thought she had a chance of getting the mile because she’s so relaxed, but she obviously didn’t, I think she would stay seven furlongs. But, you know, the drop back in trip to six furlongs, she’s a fast filly, she’s got a hell of a turn-of-foot.”
Venetian Sun showed that impressive change of gears at Haydock last month when she reverted to six furlongs for the G2 Sandy Lane Stakes and swept from the rear to win by three lengths. That maintained the filly’s 100 percent record at five and six furlongs, which includes a win last term in the G1 Prix Morny at Deauville. Her only other defeat besides the Guineas came at the Curragh over seven furlongs last summer when third in the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.
Clifford Lee has ridden Venetian Sun in all seven of her races and will be in the plate again, but Burke is wary of a couple of factors which might work against his burgeoning star.
“She definitely prefers a little bit of cut in the ground,” he said. “All last year Cliff was getting off her, even when he was winning on her, saying ‘the ground is quick enough for her’ and she showed at Haydock what she can do with a bit of juice in the ground, so the ground and the draw could go slightly against her but she has a lot of talent.”
Burke planned to give Venetian Sun “a last little spin” on the gallops on Tuesday morning to put her spot on.
“She’s in great shape, I’m looking forward to her,” he said. “I just hope she gets a reasonable draw in the middle somewhere, I just don’t want her to be drawn on the wing in such a big field.”
Burke got his wish, with Venetian Sun subsequently drawn 13 of the 21 runners.
Another filly aiming to bounce back in the Commonwealth Cup is Zanthos, the mount of Britain’s champion jockey Oisin Murphy.
Zanthos won the G2 Rockfel Stakes over seven furlongs last year, but in her only race so far this season she was well-beaten behind Diamond Necklace in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches.
“She didn’t like heavy ground going a mile in the French Guineas, she’s trained well for the Commonwealth Cup,” Murphy told Idol Horse. “It’s a lack of options for her: she’s won a Group 2 over seven furlongs on a fast track so it’s worth a try.
“Karl Burke’s filly looks a standout, but it’s a typically strong renewal and hopefully Zanthos will run well.”
Meanwhile, Murphy is looking forward to taking on a host of top-class international rivals in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on Saturday. He will partner Sajir for one of his retained owners, Prince Faisal.
Murphy has ridden the Andre Fabre-trained five-year-old in six of his last seven races, including a last start win in the G3 Prix du Gros-Chene over five furlongs.
“He’s had a good prep, he won very well over a short distance last time,” Murphy said. “Obviously this race is going to take a lot of winning, with the likes of Satono Reve and Joliestar and the best of the Brits, but I’m really looking forward to him, he goes there in the best shape possible.”
Ireland’s Mission Central won the big sprint at Ascot on Tuesday, the G1 King Charles III Stakes, for trainer Aidan O’Brien and jockey Ryan Moore, the three-year-old rolling home late to win, with Australian raider Overpass third.
Overpass holds an entry in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes as well, but the Australian focus for that race will be on the Chris Waller-trained Joliestar, winner of her last three, including the G1 Canterbury Stakes and G1 TJ Smith Stakes.
This Week In Horse Racing History
On June 16, 1977 Sagaro won the Gold Cup at Ascot for a third time in succession. He was described by his rider, Lester Piggott as “The greatest long-distance horse I ever rode.”
Piggott was himself one of the sport’s all-time greats and he had an incredible 116 winners at Royal Ascot between 1952 and 1993. The last of those was on June 17 1993 aboard College Chapel for his old ally and fellow legend of the sport Vincent O’Brien in the Cork & Orrery stakes, now known as the the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
Choisir made history on June 17 2003 when he became the first Australian trained horse to win at Royal Ascot. The gelding won the King’s Stand Stakes and four days later he followed up with victory in what was known at the time as the Golden Jubilee Stakes.
Choisir trained by Paul Perry @Newcastleraces_ was the first Australian horse to win the King's Stand Stakes at #RoyalAscot @ascot in 2003.
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 16, 2019
We look back at the colt's impressive win at big odds.
Houtzen represents Australia in the race on Day 1 of the Carnival this Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/3tSWHtBDoW
On June 18, 2009 Yeats broke Sagaro’s record of consecutive wins in the Gold Cup at Ascot, winning the race for the fourth year in a row.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the first Belmont Stakes was contested on June 19, 1867 at Jerome Park in the Bronx. The race was won by the filly Ruthless.
Idol Horse Reads Of The Week
Adam Pengilly speaks to Chris Waller about the time he met the late Queen Elizabeth II, the connection they made through their love of racing, and preparing Joliestar for her Royal Ascot date.
Umberto Rispoli is back in the saddle after a shattering fall back in January and in this frank feature, he tells David Morgan about the inspiration he found in a sporting hero as he fought through the pain and the doubts of his toughest comeback.
Luke Middlebrook’s new weekly column, Six Up, brings us the latest news and behind-the-scenes happenings around the Hong Kong racing scene.
James McDonald nailed a winner on day one at Royal Ascot as he builds up to Joliestar in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee on Saturday. In this profile feature from the Idol Horse archives, David Morgan looks at the path the ‘world’s best jockey’ has taken from a 20-year-old standing outside the Sha Tin weighing room to becoming one of the sport’s global superstars.
Racing Photo Of The Week
Hanshin was awash last Sunday when a freak rainstorm lashed the track. Shuhei Okada captured the rain-drenched moment Japan’s greatest jockey Yutaka Take saluted Meisho Tabaru’s second win in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen, one week after the veteran took the Yasuda Kinen and become the oldest Japanese jockey to win a Group 1 race.
Date
14 June, 2026
Photographer
Photo by Shuhei Okada
Location
Hanshin Racecourse
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Hanshin was awash last Sunday when a freak rainstorm lashed the track. Shuhei Okada captured the rain-drenched moment Japan’s greatest jockey Yutaka Take saluted Meisho Tabaru’s second win in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen, one week after the veteran took the Yasuda Kinen and become the oldest Japanese jockey to win a Group 1 race.
Global Blackbook
This week’s blackbooker is an unbeaten filly making up for lost time. Monroe Walk is her name and the manner of her two wins to date – spread 10 months apart – suggest she has a big future ahead of her.
Let’s rewind to August 2025 and a newcomer race at Niigata. Monroe Walk was a 1.2 chance to win the mile contest for trainer Tetsuya Kimura and jockey Keita Tosaki. The filly broke smartly from the inside gate, soon led and was a length clear into the home straight, her rider looking for non-existent dangers while keeping her under a hold. Tosaki let her go at the two-pole and she drew clear with little to no urging for a three-length score.
By the time she returned to the track, at Hakodate on June 14, she had sustained and recovered from a bone fracture, and the fillies’ classic races, the Oka Sho and the Yushun Himba were done and dusted. Not only that, she had a new trainer, Hiroyuki Uemura, and a new jockey, Kazuo Yokoyama.
Monroe Walk showed good early pace to settle one back, one off the fence, vying for third. Pressed by a rival to her outside on the final turn, the filly was taken three-wide into the home straight, shrugged off any challenge with ease and drew clear from the two pole for an easy two-length win.
Trainer Uemura said post-race that he will now send her for a summer break, after which the G1 Shuka Sho, the last leg of the Fillies’ Triple Tiara, is the main target.
【持ったままで完勝👀】
— JRA公式 (@JRA_Special) June 14, 2026
函館9レース #八雲特別 は #モンローウォーク が後続を全く寄せ付けず完勝。
昨年8月の新馬戦快勝後、約10カ月ぶり馬体重大幅増での一戦でしたが、久しぶりをものともせず断然の人気に応えました🏇✨… pic.twitter.com/yBHrRAY6cJ
World Horse Racing Calendar: What’s Coming Up
Gold Cup Day
Royal Ascot, England, June 18
Day three of Royal Ascot is Ladies Day and the feature race is the meeting’s most storied contest, the G1 Gold Cup over two and a half miles. This year’s race features the horse seen as Coolmore’s next top stayer, last year’s G1 Goodwood Cup and G1 St Leger hero Scandinavia, unbeaten in two this term. But he faces last year’s winner the veteran Godolphin gelding Trawlerman, as well as recent G1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier winner Caballo De Mar, and Rahiebb, a close second in last year’s St Leger and successful in the G2 Yorkshire Cup last time.
Commonwealth Cup Day
Royal Ascot, England, June 19
Friday’s action is headed by the G1 Commonwealth Cup over six furlings for three-year-olds and the G1 Coronation Stakes over a mile for three-year-old fillies. The exciting and top-class Venetian Sun is set to face a field of speedy colts and fillies, while the Coronation Stakes features a rematch between the G1 1,000 Guineas winner True Love and her G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas conqueror Precise.
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes Day
Royal Ascot, England, June 20
Saturday’s finale brings together an international field for the six-furlong Group 1, headed by the top-class Australian mare Joliestar and Japan’s champion sprinter Satono Reve. The latter was second in this last year and will face the horse that beat him that day, Lazzat, who showed he was in good form with a recent win at Chantilly. The line-up also features the British runner Night Raider, two from two this year, French raiders Sajir and Stolen Kiss, Japan’s Lugal, and another talented Australian speedster, Overpass.
Irish Derby Day
Curragh, Ireland, June 28
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Christmas Day, winner of the Derby at Epsom earlier this month, could attempt the Derby double first achieved by Orby in 1907. Christmas Day’s stablemate Lambourn achieved the feat last year and O’Brien has won the Irish Derby an incredible 17 times, the first being Desert King in 1997.
Durban July Day
Greyville, South Africa, July 4
Legal Counsel tops the weights with 62kg for the G1 Durban July, South Africa’s pinnacle mid-year contest. That horse’s trainer Justin Snaith has six others still in the list of 28 going forward to the final declaration stage on June 22. Stablemate and G1 Cape Derby winner Wish List, who completed a four-timer when she won the G2 Woolavington 2000 last time, has been allotted 54.5kg.
Eclipse Stakes Day
Sandown, England, July 4
The Eclipse Stakes gives the British and Irish middle-distance three-year-olds their first big opportunity to take on their elders. The 10-furlong contest has been won by some of the sport’s great champions. Last year’s second Ombudsman might face the recent G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner Constitution River, though the latter’s connections are also considering alternative options
