PartialLogo
News

Epic weekend with the Derby and Oaks at Epsom and Enable's return at Sandown

Epsom: Anthony Van Dyck winning the Investec Derby last year
Epsom: Anthony Van Dyck winning the Investec Derby last yearCredit: Edward Whitaker

Monday

Five meetings in Britain and Ireland start a truly sensational week, with Flat fixtures at Yarmouth, Limerick, Windsor and Thirsk and a jumps card at Kilbeggan.

The pick of the action comes at Windsor, where there are two top handicaps featuring horses who ran at Royal Ascot.

Tuesday

Doncaster provides the main attraction on the day, with a ten-race Flat card on Town Moor.

There are four Flat fixtures in Britain in total, with Musselburgh also in the afternoon before evening meetings at Leicester and Chepstow.

Wednesday

The long wait is over for the jumping fraternity as jump racing returns in Britain with eight races at Southwell.

On the jumps track at Southwell where racing takes place this evening
Southwell will stage the return of jump racing on WednesdayCredit: Alex Livesey (Getty Images)

It will be a day of celebration as the Nottinghamshire course stages the first jumps fixture since March 17 following racing's shutdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.

There is high-quality Flat racing at Leopardstown in the evening with a pair of Group 3 contests, the Derrinstown Stud Fillies' Stakes (4.55) and Amethyst Stakes (5.25), topping the bill.

Thursday

Another busy day with five Flat meetings in Britain and Ireland. Catterick, Bellewstown and Bath stage afternoon fixtures with Sligo and Wolverhampton racing in the evening.

Friday

The quality ramps up a notch before a weekend to savour with another five meetings.

Haydock stages the first of three days of fixtures, with the maiden and novice races likely to be particularly informative, before Navan takes over in the evening with the valuable "Nasrullah" Handicap (7.45) the main event.

Saturday

It's Investec Derby day but not as we know it. British Flat racing's most prestigious race has been pushed back a month and unfortunately there will be no crowds on the Epsom Downs.

The Oaks will be run on the same day as the Derby this year
The Oaks will be run on the same day as the Derby this yearCredit: Mark Cranham

However on the plus side, there is the tantalising prospect of two Classics on the same day as the Oaks (3.40) is set to be run an hour and 15 minutes before the Derby (4.55).

Throw in the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes and the Woodcote Stakes, a race won last year by champion juvenile Pinatubo, and it promises to be a day to remember.

Sunday

Surely there has never been a better Sunday in racing than this. The return of Enable is always going to be an occasion to savour and she has serious competition in the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse in the shape of Ghaiyyath.

Enable landed the 13th and most recent success of her incredible career in the Juddmonte International at York in August for Frankie Dettori and she tops Rod Street's hopes for the season ahead
Enable: brilliant mare set to make her comeback in the Coral-EclipseCredit: Edward Whitaker

Sandown has a cracking support card with two Group 3s and two Listed races, while Haydock's meeting also oozes quality with the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks and historic Old Newton Cup.

If that's not enough, there is another double dose of Classic action in France with the Prix du Jockey Club and Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly.

Completing a spectacular day, the Group 3 Ballycorus Stakes will be run at Leopardstown and the Group 3 Munster Oaks at Cork.


New subscribers can get 3 months of Members' Club Ultimate subscription for just £10 with promo code 3FOR10. Get exclusive tipping, unlimited video replays, exclusive interviews and much more. For more information click here


Reporter

Published on inNews

Last updated

iconCopy