Newgate daily racing briefSaturday 3 October 2026
The Arc draw dominates the international news ahead of Longchamp, with Ryan Moore settling on Benvenuto Cellini and Diamond Necklace drifting after a wide gate. Closer to home, it's Epsom Handicap day at Royal Randwick, while in the United States a Pegasus winner has found a stud home and Gulfstream trainers have raised serious integrity concerns.
Mickael Barzalona is "pretty confident" after defending Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Daryz was allotted stall five at Longchamp. Diamond Necklace drifted in the market following an outside draw. Ryan Moore has taken the ride on Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini, Aidan O'Brien's number one for the showpiece.
Pedigrees: Daryz, Diamond Necklace, Benvenuto Cellini
Daniel Alonso's Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational winner Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator–Twinkling, by War Chant) will retire to Amsterdam Two Farm at Middleburgh, New York, for 2027 at a fee of $3,500, pending his run in the Breeders' Cup Classic on 31 October. The deal was brokered by Michael Slezak and Matt Bowling of Bowling Bloodstock. The earner of more than $6 million has 12 stakes wins, all on dirt against graded company, including two runnings of the GII Charles Town Classic and the GII Oaklawn Handicap with a career-high 107 Beyer. Farm manager Ken Williams described the near 17-hand horse as "about as imposing as a stallion prospect can be", with a public showing set for 11 October near Saratoga.
Pedigrees: Skippylongstocking, Exaggerator, Twinkling, War Chant
Several Gulfstream Park trainers allege that earlier this year horses sent off at low odds had been illegally administered Lasix the night before racing without their knowledge, leading to flat performances or scratchings. Bill Badgett of The Stronach Group said HISA investigators blood-tested a horse trained by Bruno Tessore and all results came back negative; the TDN confirmed the horse was Holy Cow (Catholic Boy), scratched from a 18 July engagement. A ten-second nighttime video dated 17 July, purporting to show an individual entering a stall in Tessore's barn, circulated on X in July. The trainers stressed their view that Lasix was used is conjecture at this stage, and all asked for anonymity.
Pedigrees: Holy Cow, Catholic Boy
James McDonald has an elite book of rides on Epsom Handicap day at Royal Randwick. In his weekly Racenet column he explains why one of them stands above the rest, describing it as "hands down, my best ride on Saturday".
Apprentices Mollie Fitzgerald and Siena Grima, who grew up competing against each other in pony club, will both ride in the Epsom Handicap at Royal Randwick on Saturday. The Group 1 engagement caps a rapid rise for the pair.
The first episode of Racenet's High Stakes series details the 27-person team supporting champion jockey Craig Williams. Williams notes the economics of the job, saying: "Some days ... I've got one ride and it costs me to go to the races." The story is by Gilbert Gardiner.
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