To purchase this photo, or any of the photographs in our galleries, please either email me at craig.smith@horseracinginfocus.co.uk or call the office on 01672 519276. For all Pricing, Payment & Delivery information please refer to the relevant pages on our site, or just contact us to discuss exactly what you want.

To purchase this photo, or any of the photographs in our galleries, please either email me at craig.smith@horseracinginfocus.co.uk or call the office on 01672 519276. For all Pricing, Payment & Delivery information please refer to the relevant pages on our site, or just contact us to discuss exactly what you want.

To purchase this photo, or any of the photographs in our galleries, please either email me at craig.smith@horseracinginfocus.co.uk or call the office on 01672 519276. For all Pricing, Payment & Delivery information please refer to the relevant pages on our site, or just contact us to discuss exactly what you want.

Homecoming Queen is obviously a filly who has come to herself at exactly the right time. Ryan Moore rode her as if she was a certainty, leading from the front and quickening away at the 3 pole, no one got with 2 lengths of her and she won pulling away.

If you caste your mind back just 12 months, we were left breathless having witnessed a truly awesome 2,000 Guineas performance from Frankel. Well as far as i can make out Homecoming Queen is the girls equivalent to Frankel.

Her performance on Sunday may have been totally unexpected but it was definitely extraordinary. It was almost like watching a re run of Frankel’s 2,000 Guineas demolition last May, but possibly even more impressive.

I’m not a breeding expert, but very much like Frankel, any horse with that sort of speed is unlikely to stay much further than a mile. I think that we can expect to see Homecoming Queen entered in all the top 1 mile races throughout the season. I personally can’t wait to see her next run.

The Guineas meeting cannot go without a mention for Camelot, who always looked to be travelling well, even on the rain soften ground. The underfoot conditions had been a concern for many of the runners, but if anything it played to Camelot’s strengths.

It was certainly a very stiff mile on Saturday and he needed all his stamina to get the better of the French colt French Fifteen. It all augurs well for the very unique test that Epsom Downs has to offer on Derby day. If everything goes to plan between now and then, and that’s a big if, he’ll take some beating in the Epsom Derby.

Photos from both 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas will follow very shortly, along with a few photos of Frankel’s gallop at Newmarket on Saturday. He seems to have come through the gallop absolutely fine, which is great news for everyone.

Until next time

Take Care

Obviously that will change very shortly and with the Guineas meeting this weekend things really start to get interesting . I’m a massive Camelot fan, but I’m worried that the Guineas may be just not the right race to put him spot on for the Derby. The ground looks to be on the testing side, to say the least, and for me it looks like a mistake. But what do i know, i’m just another mug punter.

Keeping the Aiden O’Brien theme going, if you haven’t seen the performance last weekend, at Sandown, of Joseph O’Brien on Imperial Monarch, I suggest you do. Some people out there are very critical of his abilities but i think a large slice of humble pie is in order. His performance on Imperial Monarch,the 11/8 favourite, took nerves of steel, coming wide and losing 10 plus length in the process, he powered up the Sandown hill for a clear cut success. Pure Genius.

The 11 year old Tidal Bay is a horse who has promised much, but despite a few high profile wins, has in the main dissappointed his owners and supporters. His performance on Saturday in the bet365 Gold Cup was just rewards for all those involved with the horse. He was always travelling nicely and the conditions were right up his street. Who would have thought, after he won the Arkle back in 2008, that he’d be at his best over 3 miles plus in bottomless conditions, not me that’s for sure.

Photos of the race will appear here very shortly.Until next time take care

Having watched AP unceremoniously dumped on his backside going down to the start, maybe Synchronised was trying to tell him, and everyone else, that he didn’t fancy it that afternoon.

I’m not trying to trivialise what happened on Saturday, far from it, but those were my thoughts as Synchronised happily galloped off in to the distance minus his jockey.

He was eventually caught by racecourse photographer Ed Byrne, and with the help of photographer Pat Healy, AP was eventually reunited with his mount.

Only 4 weeks earlier, Synchronised had thrilled the crowds at Cheltenham when he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was a gutsy, brave horse who would always give you 100%. I think we should always remember him for what he achieved that day in March, in the shadow of Cleeve Hill. That day he was the King of Cheltenham.

He will be sadly missed by everyone who looked after him at Jackdaws, by his owner JP, his trainer Jonjo and of course his jockey AP, plus everyone else who love horse racings.

Unfortunately Synchronised was not the only fatality of the race this year, Malcolm Jefferson’s According to Pete was involved in a freak racing accident and had to be put down by the racecourse vet.

My condolences go out to everyone involved with these two brave horses.

Despite these fatalities, it is also worth remembering what a fantastic race it was, the closest finish in living memory, with the Paul Nicholls trained Neptune Collonges and Daryl Jacobs just getting the upper hand, in a titanic battle with both Sunnyhillboy and Richie McLernon, and the eventual thrid placed Seabass ridden by Katie Walsh.

All three jockeys gave their mounts brilliant rides and it really made for a very exciting race. Massive congratulations to Daryl Jacobs, Paul Nicholls and John Hales, and everyone else involved with Neptune Collonges at Ditcheat.

Despite nearly winning, Richie McLernon has come in for some unfair critisim following his ride on Sunnyhillboy, especially uncalled for, as Sunnyhillboy had sustained a tendon injury sometime during the race, and Richie did everything he could to get his mount home in one piece. Fingers crossed that we all see Sunnyhillboy back some time very soon.

Horse racing is a high speed, high risk sport and the dangers are there for all to see, and accidents can happen at any time, as i write i have just heard that Great Endeavour, David Pipe’s Paddy Power Gold Cup winner, has been put down following an accident at Timmy Murphy’s home, where he was spending his summer holidays.

It only goes to show that these magnificent horses can be brave and tough, but they can also be very fragile. And as hard as it is to say, these accidents are a reality of racing.

Until next time

Take Care

To purchase this photo, or any of the photographs in our galleries, please either email me at craig.smith@horseracinginfocus.co.uk or call the office on 01672 519276. For all Pricing, Payment & Delivery information please refer to the relevant pages on our site, or just contact us to discuss exactly what you want.

To purchase this photo, or any of the photographs in our galleries, please either email me at craig.smith@horseracinginfocus.co.uk or call the office on 01672 519276. For all Pricing, Payment & Delivery information please refer to the relevant pages on our site, or just contact us to discuss exactly what you want.

To purchase this photo, or any of the photographs in our galleries, please either email me at craig.smith@horseracinginfocus.co.uk or call the office on 01672 519276. For all Pricing, Payment & Delivery information please refer to the relevant pages on our site, or just contact us to discuss exactly what you want.