Category: News

The Doncaster Cup brings a confirmed field of eight to Doncaster on Friday, September 11, with Caballo De Mar and Queenstown among the leading names in the £165,000 Group 2 staying contest.

The race is run over about two miles and two furlongs and is one of the historic anchors of St Leger Festival week.

Caballo De Mar brings Group 1 form

Caballo De Mar enters as a dual Group 1 winner. He won the Prix du Cadran in France last year and added the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier earlier this season. Oisin Murphy is booked to ride.

That proven staying record gives him one of the strongest established profiles in the field.

Queenstown returns after Curragh win

Queenstown represents Aidan O’Brien and comes into the race after winning on his seasonal return at the Curragh last month. The trainer has not won the Doncaster Cup since 2008, making this a notable opportunity to add another major staying prize.

The confirmed field

The eight declared runners are Caballo De Mar, Queenstown, Winday, Epic Poet, Beylerbeyi, Ascending, Berkshire Sundance and Peace Belle.

Winday arrives for trainer Emmet Mullins after recording a first career victory in his latest start. Epic Poet steps up to the race distance for the first time, while Beylerbeyi and Ascending both bring recent Ebor Handicap form.

A race with deep history

The Doncaster Cup was first run in 1766, making it older than the St Leger itself. Doncaster identifies the race as the final leg of the traditional stayers’ triple crown and part of the British Champions Series.

Its place on Friday’s card gives the festival a major staying feature before attention turns to Saturday’s St Leger Stakes.

Follow St Leger Festival

For the full four day schedule and the wider significance of the meeting, read OTB Bet’s St Leger Festival guide. Readers can also explore Major Races and the latest horse racing news.

Sources

The field, purse, jockey information and recent form notes were verified with Doncaster Racecourse’s official declaration release dated September 9, 2026. Race history was verified with Doncaster Racecourse.

The St Leger Festival is underway at Doncaster, where four days of racing from September 10 through 13 lead into the 250th anniversary of the St Leger Stakes.

The meeting opened Thursday with Ladies Day and continues Friday with the Doncaster Cup before Saturday’s St Leger card. Sunday closes the festival.

Friday: Doncaster Cup

The Group 2 Doncaster Cup is the feature on September 11. Eight horses have been declared for the £165,000 race, led by dual Group 1 winner Caballo De Mar and Queenstown. Winday, Epic Poet, Beylerbeyi, Ascending, Berkshire Sundance and Peace Belle complete the field.

The Doncaster Cup was first run in 1766, ten years before the inaugural St Leger. It remains one of the major staying races on the British calendar.

Read OTB Bet’s Doncaster Cup preview for the confirmed field and race context.

Saturday: the 250th St Leger

The festival centerpiece comes on September 12. Doncaster is celebrating 250 years since the first St Leger was run in 1776.

At the five day stage, 12 horses remained in contention for the £700,000 Group 1. Derby winner Christmas Day headed the group, while unbeaten Enceladus and Pierre Bonnard were also prominent. OTB Bet is treating those names as entries, not final starters, until declarations are confirmed.

The 2026 running will also be included in World Pool for the first time.

For permanent race history and continuing updates, visit the St Leger Stakes guide.

Why this festival matters

Doncaster’s September meeting closes one of the most important chapters of the British Classic season. The St Leger is the final British Classic, while the Doncaster Cup provides a major test for established stayers one day earlier.

The timing also makes the festival relevant to the wider international autumn calendar. Racing fans can follow the Irish Champions Festival, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Breeders’ Cup and the Melbourne Cup through OTB Bet’s major race coverage.

Sources

Festival dates, race schedule, St Leger anniversary information, purse details, five day entries and World Pool status were verified with Doncaster Racecourse. Doncaster Cup declarations were verified with the official Doncaster Racecourse release dated September 9, 2026.

The Princess Rooney Stakes returns to Gulfstream Park on Saturday, September 12, as one of the most important sprint races of the Sunshine Meet. The Grade 3 event is worth $225,000 and is contested over seven furlongs on dirt for fillies and mares three years old and upward.

The race also carries direct championship importance. Gulfstream Park lists the Princess Rooney as a Breeders’ Cup Challenge event, giving the winner a path to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. That makes this more than a local fall feature, especially with the World Championships approaching at Keeneland.

A deep Saffie Joseph group

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has three horses among the seven entries, Anakarina, Kerry’s Kiss and Indy Bay. Joseph has controlled recent editions of the Princess Rooney, and his depth gives the barn several possible race shapes to work with.

Anakarina enters after a victory in the Love Sign Stakes. Kerry’s Kiss has won three consecutive races. Indy Bay brings the strongest earnings profile in the group and has been consistently competitive during her current campaign.

Simply Joking adds another major question

Simply Joking is also entered in the Princess Rooney and would bring significant quality if she starts at Gulfstream. She is additionally entered in the Locust Grove Stakes at Churchill Downs on the same day, so her final destination should be confirmed before treating her as a definite Princess Rooney starter.

That distinction matters. OTB Bet will update coverage when the final participation picture is clear rather than assuming which race her connections will choose.

The rest of the field

Just a Philly, Bombacha Veloz and No Bad Beats complete the seven horse entry list. The variety of running styles and current form makes the Princess Rooney one of the more interesting dirt sprint races on the September 12 calendar.

The Sunshine Meet runs from September 4 through November 22 at Gulfstream Park. The Princess Rooney headlines a Saturday program that also includes the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint and the Ginger Punch Stakes.

Why the Princess Rooney matters

The immediate prize is a graded stakes victory and a $225,000 purse. The larger value is the Breeders’ Cup opportunity. A strong performance here can move a mare from regional stakes competition directly into the national championship conversation.

For broader championship coverage, visit the OTB Bet Breeders’ Cup hub. You can also follow the latest race previews and results in Horse Racing News.

Sources: Gulfstream Park official stakes schedule and Sunshine Meet information, plus official Equibase entries and race coverage. Entry status should always be checked again close to race time because scratches and changes can alter the final field.

Sultana will try to earn her first Grade 1 victory when she faces seven rivals in the E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine on September 12.

The $750,000 race is run over 1 1/4 miles on the E.P. Taylor turf course and is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series. The winner earns an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland on October 31.

Sultana seeks a first Grade 1 win

Trained by Kevin Attard, Sultana enters the race as a multiple graded stakes winner. Her recent campaign includes a third in the Nassau Stakes and a fourth in the Niagara at Woodbine.

The E.P. Taylor gives her a chance to step forward against a deeper international group over a longer turf distance.

International depth shapes the field

Woodbine lists Gimme a Nother, Diamond Rain and Jancis among the seven rivals facing Sultana. Their presence gives the race the international profile that has long defined one of Canada’s most important events for fillies and mares.

The combination of local form and overseas form also makes the race relevant beyond the immediate result. A strong performance can influence the North American turf picture heading toward the Breeders’ Cup.

Part of a major Woodbine Saturday

The E.P. Taylor is one of four Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Challenge races on Turf Champions Day. The program also includes the Woodbine Mile, Natalma Stakes and Summer Stakes.

The Woodbine Mile preview covers defending champion Notable Speech and six race winner Deterministic, who headline another major turf test on the same card.

What to watch

The key question is whether Sultana can turn consistent graded stakes form into a Grade 1 breakthrough against rivals with different racing backgrounds. The 1 1/4 mile distance should also help clarify which runners are best positioned for longer championship turf races later in the season.

OTB Bet will wait for official results before publishing a recap. For broader championship coverage, visit the Major Races hub and the Horse Racing News page.

Featured image: Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, photographed by Alan Spencer. Source image available through Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0.

Notable Speech returns to Woodbine on September 12 with a chance to defend his Woodbine Mile title, but the Godolphin runner faces a field that includes one of the hottest turf horses in North America.

Woodbine confirmed eight starters for the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile, a $1 million contest over one mile on the E.P. Taylor turf course. The winner earns an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland on October 31.

Notable Speech returns as defending champion

Notable Speech won the 2025 Woodbine Mile by 1 3/4 lengths with William Buick aboard. Charlie Appleby sends the multiple Group and graded stakes winner back to Toronto with Buick again named to ride.

The defending champion drew post 3 in the official field.

Deterministic brings a six race winning streak

Deterministic arrives with six consecutive victories, including four Grade 1 wins. His latest success came in the Fourstardave at Saratoga on August 8, where he won by 1 1/2 lengths.

Kendrick Carmouche has ridden Deterministic throughout the streak and retains the mount from post 1 for trainer Miguel Clement.

Official Woodbine Mile field

The confirmed field is Deterministic, Gas Me Up, Notable Speech, Archivist, Irish Aces, Silius, Itsastormymonday and Pierre.

Archivist adds another international element for trainer Hamad Al Jehani, while Silius represents trainer Christophe Ferland. The depth gives the race a broader international shape than a simple rematch between the two headline runners.

Why the Woodbine Mile matters

The Woodbine Mile is part of Woodbine’s Turf Champions Day, which features four Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Challenge races on the same program. The card also includes the E.P. Taylor Stakes, Natalma Stakes and Summer Stakes.

That makes Saturday one of the most important turf cards in North America before the Breeders’ Cup. OTB Bet will follow confirmed results from the program and update the relevant race coverage after the races are official.

For more championship coverage, visit the Major Races hub and the Horse Racing News page.

Featured image: Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, photographed by Alan Spencer. Source image available through Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0.

Irish Champions Festival brings two of Ireland’s biggest Flat racing days together on September 12 and 13, with Leopardstown hosting the opening card and the Curragh staging the second day.

The official festival program lists seven Group 1 races across the weekend and more than €5 million in total prize money. The structure gives racing fans a concentrated look at leading middle distance horses, fillies, sprinters, stayers and juveniles before the European season moves deeper into its autumn championship phase.

Saturday at Leopardstown

Leopardstown opens the festival on September 12. The centerpiece is the Irish Champion Stakes, scheduled for 5:00 p.m. local time. The Group 1 contest is run over 2,000 metres and carries €1.25 million in prize money.

The Saturday card also features the Group 1 Matron Stakes and the Golden Fleece Stakes. The Golden Fleece has been promoted to Group 1 status for 2026, adding another top level juvenile race to the festival program.

Sunday at the Curragh

Final field update: The latest racecards confirm the main Sunday fields, giving OTB Bet a clearer picture of the four consecutive Group 1 races.

Moyglare Stud Stakes

Seven fillies are declared for the €400,000 Moyglare Stud Stakes over seven furlongs. Sun Goddess arrives with three consecutive wins, including a six length success at York in August. Green Empress won the Debutante Stakes at the Curragh, while Alpha and Dancing Destiny return after finishing close behind her in that race.

Flying Five Stakes

The €400,000 Flying Five is the pure speed test of the afternoon, staged over five furlongs. The current racecard lists 18 runners, creating one of the deepest fields on the Sunday program.

Vincent O’Brien National Stakes

Eight juveniles are declared for the €400,000 National Stakes over seven furlongs. Unbeaten Dr Rascal brings three wins from three starts. Giant Sequoia arrives after winning the Futurity Stakes over this course and distance, while Monogram steps directly into Group 1 company after an impressive Curragh debut victory.

Irish St Leger

Seven runners are declared for the €500,000 Irish St Leger over one mile and six furlongs. Scandinavia enters after wins in the Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup. Jan Brueghel and Curragh Cup winner Trustyourinstinct give the race additional proven staying depth.

The second day moves to the Curragh on September 13 and includes four consecutive Group 1 races. The official running order lists the Moyglare Stud Stakes at 2:50 p.m., the Flying Five Stakes at 3:25 p.m., the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at 4:00 p.m. and the Irish St Leger at 4:35 p.m. local time.

The Irish St Leger is the fifth and final Irish Classic of the season. It closes a major sequence of championship races on a card that the festival says carries nearly €2.5 million in prize money.

Why the weekend matters internationally

Irish Champions Festival sits at a useful point in the global calendar. Leading horses can use the weekend as a major objective or as a bridge toward later targets such as the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Breeders’ Cup and other autumn championship races.

The international relevance is also visible in the entry stage. Horse Racing Ireland reported strong overseas representation among the initial entries for the seven Group 1 races. Those early entries should not be treated as final starters, however. OTB Bet will wait for official declarations before publishing horse by horse race previews.

What OTB Bet will cover next

Once final declarations are published, OTB Bet will prioritize previews where the confirmed field creates a meaningful story. After the races, confirmed results will be covered with recaps that link back to permanent race guides rather than creating duplicate evergreen pages.

For broader international coverage, visit the Major Races hub and the Horse Racing News page.

Featured image: The Curragh Racecourse in County Kildare, photographed by Sarah777. The source image was released into the public domain through Wikimedia Commons.

Churchill Downs has two additional sprint stakes on its September 12 program beyond the already covered Iroquois, Pocahontas and Locust Grove. The $300,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes brings together eight older sprinters at 6 1/2 furlongs, while the $300,000 Open Mind Stakes matches seven fillies and mares over six furlongs.

Both races add depth to an 11 race Saturday card that begins at 12:45 p.m. Eastern.

Built returns after Vanderbilt victory

Built enters the Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes after winning the A.G. Vanderbilt at Saratoga by 2 1/2 lengths on July 25. The four year old son of Hard Spun has six wins from 14 starts and earnings of $699,696.

Wayne Catalano trains Built. Flavien Prat rides from post 5.

Harrodsburg is another major contender. He defeated Built by a half length in the Bango Stakes at Churchill Downs and owns five victories over the Louisville track. Luis Saez rides from post 1.

Louisville Thoroughbred Society field

The official field is Harrodsburg, Here Mi Song, Jack’s Promise, Cat On Time, Built, Echo Again, Dreaminblue and Keep It Easy.

The race is scheduled as Race 7 with a listed post time of 3:54 p.m. Eastern.

Usha and Cash Call give Baffert two chances in Open Mind

Bob Baffert sends out Grade 1 winner Usha and Grade 3 winner Cash Call in the Open Mind Stakes. Usha won the La Brea last season by 5 1/4 lengths and has a 2026 victory in the Winning Colors. She also finished third in the Derby City Distaff.

Cash Call most recently finished second in both the Groupie Doll and Twin Bridges at Ellis Park.

Look Forward adds another accomplished runner to the field. The Michael McCarthy trainee won the Eight Belles in 2025 and returns after a 13 month absence.

Open Mind field

The official field is Usha, Cash Call, Look Forward, Flat Out Time, Benedetta, Asternia and Modo.

The six furlong Open Mind is scheduled as Race 6 with a listed post time of 3:21 p.m. Eastern.

Why these races matter

The Saturday program gives older dirt sprinters and female sprinters a meaningful late season test as the calendar moves toward the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland.

For the other major races on the card, see OTB Bet’s Iroquois Stakes preview, Pocahontas Stakes preview and Locust Grove Stakes preview. More permanent coverage is available in the Major Races center.

Source: Churchill Downs, official September 8 stakes advances and September Meet schedule.

Flemington has a major Group 1 on Saturday, September 12, and the field is deep enough to matter well beyond one afternoon. The Crown Makybe Diva Stakes brings together 13 starters over 1600 metres, including 12 individual Group 1 winners.

Mr Brightside returns seeking a fourth consecutive victory in the race, while reigning Melbourne Cup winner Half Yours makes his first Flemington appearance since winning the Cup last November.

Mr Brightside chases rare history

Mr Brightside has won the Makybe Diva Stakes three years in a row. He enters from barrier 2 with Blake Shinn and comes off a second place finish in the Memsie Stakes.

A fourth victory would add another major achievement to a career that already includes 20 wins from 49 starts and more than $19 million in earnings, according to Victoria Racing Club.

Half Yours starts the road back to the Melbourne Cup

Half Yours returns to Flemington for the first time since his 2025 Melbourne Cup victory. Jamie Melham rides from barrier 12.

The 1600 metre assignment is the starting point of a spring campaign expected to lead toward longer races. Half Yours is also among the 101 initial nominations for the 2026 Melbourne Cup on November 3.

For the permanent race picture, including qualifying dates and field updates, visit the new Melbourne Cup hub.

A field packed with Group 1 form

The race also includes Light Infantry Man, Sir Delius, Buckaroo, Birdman, Another Wil, Autumn Boy, Aeliana, Treasurethe Moment, She’s A Hustler, Sheza Alibi and Ohope Wins.

Victoria Racing Club reports that the 13 starters have combined for 34 Group 1 victories. Sir Delius returns after winning the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, while Sheza Alibi comes into the race after finishing second to Autumn Glow in the Winx Stakes.

Why this race matters

The Makybe Diva Stakes sits early in the Australian spring, but several runners are using it as a foundation for major races later in the season. That makes Saturday useful for more than the result itself. It offers an early test of form for horses targeting the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and other major spring races.

OTB Bet will follow the confirmed results and update the Melbourne Cup path as the spring develops. More international championship coverage is available in the Major Races center and the Breeders’ Cup hub.

Source: Victoria Racing Club, official Makybe Diva Stakes contenders, September 9, 2026.

Churchill Downs has a deeper Saturday stakes card than the Derby and Oaks points races alone. The $400,000 Locust Grove Stakes brings together a compact field of six fillies and mares on September 12, led by champion Splendora and three time Grade 1 winner Immersive.

The Grade 2 Locust Grove is scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on dirt as Race 9, with a listed post time of 4:58 p.m. Eastern. It is one of five stakes on an 11 race program that also includes the Iroquois, Pocahontas, Louisville Thoroughbred Society and Open Mind.

Splendora brings championship form

Splendora enters with nine wins from 15 starts and more than $1.6 million in earnings. Her resume includes Grade 1 victories in the Beholder Mile and Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. She has also won her last two starts, the Shawnee Stakes at Churchill Downs and the Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park.

Bob Baffert trains Splendora, and Flavien Prat has the mount from post 1.

Immersive offers a major challenge

Immersive gives the race another proven champion level runner. The Brad Cox trainee was the champion 2 year old filly of 2024 after victories in the Spinaway, Alcibiades and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. She comes into the Locust Grove after a gate to wire victory in the Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs.

Luis Saez rides Immersive from post 4.

Locust Grove field

The official field, from the rail outward, is Splendora, Simply Joking, Yes It Tiz, Immersive, Miss Authentic and Chilled.

Nitrogen was not entered. Churchill Downs reported that trainer Mark Casse plans to wait for a later opportunity at either Belmont Park or Keeneland.

Why the race matters

The Locust Grove gives Churchill Downs a high quality older female dirt race on the same program that launches the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks. The presence of two accomplished Grade 1 winners also gives the race relevance as the season moves toward the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland.

For the juvenile races on the same card, see OTB Bet’s Iroquois Stakes preview and Pocahontas Stakes preview. More permanent race coverage is available in the Major Races center.

Source: Churchill Downs, official September 8 stakes advances and September Meet schedule.