Racing week: Ouija Board ready for Breeders

Ouija Board is set to play a leading role in tomorrow’s Breeders’ Cup at Belmont Park, according to trainer Ed Dunlop. Record rainfall in New York has led to soft going, but Dunlop is convinced that the filly is ready to bid for a second victory in the $1 million Filly and Mare Turf.

Ouija Board was injured in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot at York and did not reappear until September when she won the Group 3 Princess Royal Stakes at Newmarket with Frankie Dettori. Dunlop confesses he does not yet know whether will be as good as she was last season, but claims the filly is better mentally and very fresh.

European challengers at this year’s Breeders’ Cup will join their US counterparts in special security barns at Belmont Park to comply with new strict rules designed to curb the activities of drug cheats. Runners will be placed in one of three areas at least six hours before post time and kept under close surveillance. The measures were put in force in May by the New York Racing Association to limit the opportunity for horses to be administered with illegal performance enhancing substances.

Derby winner Motivator has been retired to stud after pulling a muscle during his final piece of training at Newmarket before heading out to America for Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup in New York. The Michael Bell-trained three-year-old had been classed a 5-1 third favourite for the race by William Hill. The son of Montjeu will now be retired to the Royal Stud at Sandringham. His Derby victory at Epsom in June was the last of his four wins.

Sir Alex Ferguson has bought a yearling son of Rock of Gibraltar at the recent Newmarket Sales. Rock of Gibraltar won eight of his 10 races in Ferguson’s colours, including both the English and Irish 2,000 guineas. But when the colt retired to stud, rows broke out between Ferguson and the Coolmore bloodstock empire over ownership and stud fees. Ferguson received an estimated £3 million pay out in 2004. The colt, as yet unnamed, will be trained by Ed Dunlop.

Following two years of detailed discussions with the Charity Commission, Levy Board and DCMS, the National Stud has been granted charitable status in respect of its non-commercial activities. These include the training and education programme, general public access and the planned visitor centre. The charity will be known as the Wavertree Charitable Trust in memory of Lord Wavertree, who presented his stud and bloodstock to the nation in 1916.

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