Denis Coakley's latest news...

• A tricky route and tacky Sandown ground do for Wonder Starelazaam

  27 May 2022

  On the first race of last night's Sandown card George Bass reported that James Kerr's gelding, Wonder Starelzaam, found the good to soft ground was too tacky for him, and so he was not able to prevail in his second bid at ten furlongs. Also going for an inside run up the rail - notoriously difficult at the Surrey track - he was squeezed for room and checked in his run not once but twice. This all meant that he was only able to get past one rival in the stiff uphill finish and he was only able to claim sixth place on this occasion. With a return to faster ground and a better run of the race, connections will be hoping for a much better outcome next time out.

• Gallops action pictured by Sue Huntingdon last Saturday

  

  

  23 May 2022

  My Ambition was in gallops action at the weekend, with two year olds Gentle Whinny (green) and Golden Phase (blue) pictured here. In the Gallery a full selection of pictures can be viewed.

• Two runners yesterday at Lingfield Park

  22 May 2022

  A runner on the all weather and on the turf track at Lingfield yesterday, with Tony Killoran's Party Island switching back to flat action over 12 furlongs on the all weather circuit and Juanita making her seasonal debut up to seven and a half furlongs on turf. Denis was very pleased indeed with Party Island's run under jockey Harry Burns, he ran a very good race and is well back on track with this run. Harry Burns felt that, had the race leader not stopped abruptly in front of him, he would have been able to get out from behind the field earlier in the straight and he might well have won the race instead of having to settle for second place. Aoife Dunphy's Juanita pulled far too hard throughout the first quarter mile for Charlie Bishop, so Denis will now find a race back in trip for her, and hopefully she will have a more settled run and show that she is good enough to win a race next time.

More news...