George Baker is an infrequent visitor to Newcastle but the rider left Tyneside on Saturday with the two biggest races of the track’s year in the bag, including the final John Smith’s Northumberland Plate to be run on turf with Quest For More.

Joseph O’Brien feels Leading Light makes his job look easy as the colt attempts to maintain his unbeaten run this season in the Palmerstown House Estate Irish St Leger at the Curragh tomorrow.

Times Up will have to overcome the formidable presence of the Queen’s Estimate if he is to create a remarkable piece of history in today’s Socialites Electric Cigarettes Doncaster Cup.

Aidan O’Brien has two good reasons to give Tapestry her next start in the Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on September 13.

Pale Mimosa kept Estimate at bay to claim the Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance Lonsdale Cup at York yesterday.

Thistle Bird struck Group One gold at the age of six as she dispelled any stamina concerns with an emphatic victory in the Newbridge Silverware Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh yesterday.

Moonlight Cloud produced arguably the performance of the day as she came from last to first to land the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp.

Trainer-jockey Johnny Murtagh believes Royal Diamond is in even better form now than he was a year ago as the admirable stayer prepares to defend his crown in tomorrow's GAIN Irish St Leger at the Curragh.

Sheikh Mohammed is facing fresh embarrassment following the seizure of 124 medical products, none of which have been approved for use on horses in Britain, at part of his Dalham Hall Stud operation in Newmarket.

Retirement from football has allowed Michael Owen more time to concentrate on racing interests and his beloved Brown Panther offered up his greatest success as an owner to date in the Artemis Goodwood Cup yesterday.

John Oxx intends giving Saddler’s Rock one run on home soil ahead of the Ascot Gold Cup.

John Oxx will apply the finishing touches to Saddler’s Rock tomorrow ahead of this weekend’s Dubai Gold Cup.

Mystery surrounds the termination yesterday of Johnny Murtagh’s contract as retained jockey for the Aga Khan’s Irish-trained horses.

Johnny Murtagh’s contract as retained rider for the owner’s Irish-trained horses has been terminated, according to the Aga Khan’s Irish stud farm manager, Pat Downes.

Saddler’s Rock and Electrolyser could renew rivalries in next week’s Weatherbys Insurance Lonsdale Cup at York.

Marcus Tregoning believes Askar Tau can continue to pay his way in the major staying events this season following a superb effort in last week’s Goodwood Cup.

Luca Cumani is hoping a change of plan for Mount Athos pays dividends when the stayer lines up for the Coral Marathon at Sandown today.

WHILE Aidan O’Brien has opted to stay away, Dermot Weld has entered Sense Of Purpose, a four-year-old mare who has won her past two starts at Leopardstown, and Galileo’s Choice, who two starts ago won a maiden hurdle at Galway, in the Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 1, for which there have been 163 nominations.

Godolphin have entered both Lost In The Moment and Cavalryman in the Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 1, for which there have been 163 nominations.

Mark Johnston’s Fox Hunt has been allotted top weight for the Betfred Cesarewitch at Newmarket on October 8.

BRIAN Ellison is oozing with confidence ahead of Saptapadi’s run in the Betfred Ebor at York today.

YESTERDAY'S Nunthorpe success for Margot Did was a clear indicator that the rain had got into the ground at York and that makes the early moves for this afternoon's Betfred Ebor all the more puzzling.

ASCOT Gold Cup winner Fame And Glory will drop in both class and trip to have his next race in the Ballycullen Stakes at the Curragh on August 20.

David O’Meara is leaning towards the Lonsdale Cup, rather than the Betfred Ebor, with Goodwood Cup third Blue Bajan.

BRIAN ELLISON has booked Kieren Fallon to ride Saptapadi in the Betfred Ebor at York on August 20.

This afternoon’s running of the I-Shares Fillies’ Stakes at Goodwood looks a higher class renewal than last year and therefore it’s hard to reason why any of the three older fillies, Polly’s Mark (second), Motrice (third) and Ship’s Biscuit (fourth) ought to come out on top this time.

Godolphin’s Ascot Gold Cup runner-up Opinion Poll will bid to secure a deserved first victory of the campaign in the Artemis Goodwood Cup on Thursday.

JAMIE Osborne has ruled stable stalwart Geordieland out of Saturday’s Coral Marathon at Sandown following a dirty scope.

Illustrious Blue is highly unlikely to take up his engagement in the Melbourne Cup in November with connections favouring the shorter trip to France.

The Betchworth Kid is ready to roll in the totesport Ebor, according to trainer Alan King.

Illustrious Blue has been given an entry in the Melbourne Cup following his impressive success at Goodwood last week.

CONNECTIONS of Illustrious Blue will do a lot of soul-searching over the next few days about whether to enter the Goodwood Cup winner for the Melbourne Cup.

AGE Of Aquarius will still be able to have a career as a stallion after breaking down in the Artemis Goodwood Cup.

Connections of Illustrious Blue will do a lot of soul-searching over the next few days about whether to enter the Goodwood Cup winner for the Melbourne Cup.

AGE OF AQUARIUS’ racing career is in severe jeopardy after he suffered a bad leg injury at Goodwood yesterday.

YOUMZAIN continued his luckless run as he lost out to Plumania in a thrilling photo-finish to the Grand Prix De Saint-Cloud yesterday.

INTERNATIONAL campaigner Dermot Weld avenged the narrow defeats of Vinnie Roe and Vintage Crop in the Gold Cup as Rite Of Passage gallantly claimed the highlight on Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot yesterday.

Rite Of Passage sprung a 20-1 surprise as he made a triumphant return to the Flat in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Geordieland will be primed for a campaign later in the year after being ruled out of the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

QUEL Esprit was one of the favourites for Wednesday’s Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle but fell at the second flight.

Caracciola is set to concentrate largely on the Flat again this season after Nicky Henderson ruled the old stager out of the Cheltenham Festival.

Godolphin are prepared to have a crack at Yeats with Schiaparelli in Saturday's Irish Field St Leger at the Curragh.