Richard Hannon’s horse romps home yet trainer remains coy Stablemate Rosallion labelled ‘a horse with an awful lot of speed’ There was a time in the not-so-distant past when a three-and-a-half length success in the Craven Stakes over the same course and distance as the 2,000 Guineas in 16 days’ time would have fast-tracked the winner to the top of the Classic betting. Haatem, by contrast, can be backed at 20-1 for the Guineas on 4 May, despite powering well clear of his field in Newmarket’s traditional Classic trial on Thursday. This was still a race that offered some clues ahead of the Clas ..read more

Trainer optimistic about improved crop of three-year-olds Nell Gwyn Stakes runner-up still on course for 1,000 Guineas He had just seen his filly Dance Sequence, the third-favourite for the 1,000 Guineas, beaten in her Classic trial by the 18-1 outsider Pretty Crystal, but Charlie Appleby was still in a highly positive frame of mind after the Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket on Wednesday, about Dance Sequence and life in general. The 2023 campaign was, by any measure, a disappointing one for Appleby, the Godolphin operation’s principal trainer, and especially so in the UK. He registered just tw ..read more

The race’s ability to adapt to changing attitudes over the course of nearly 200 years has been one of the secrets of its survival For the first time in a while – since April 2018, in fact – Grand National day at Aintree on Saturday was, for this spectator at least, an almost entirely positive experience. It was a race with all the drama and spectacle that got many of us hooked on racing in the first place, but no fallers, no serious injuries and a winner, I Am Maximus, whose breathtaking turn of foot on the run-in will live long in the memory. The contrast to the frenetic scenes over the first ..read more

Auctioneer targets social media-obsessed youngsters with prospect of entering the parade ring at Royal Ascot Henry Beeby has an enticing pitch for young super-rich tiktokkers and instagrammers. “Come to Kensington Gardens on the Monday, buy a racehorse and by the Tuesday you will be in the parade ring at one of the world’s most famous racecourses [Royal Ascot] alongside members of the British royal family and other royal families, with your own racehorse in your colours.” Beeby, the chief executive of the thoroughbred racehorse auctioneers Goffs, said: “That is the dream we are selling,” as he ..read more

Trainer adds I Am Maximus’s success at Aintree to his Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle wins at Cheltenham this season lA gentlemanly nod of the head. An appreciative tip of the cap. That is the way Willie Mullins likes to celebrate his major triumphs. Such is his preternatural calmness, you half‑suspect the arrival of the Four Horseman of Apocalypse would be greeted with a simple shrug of the shoulders. Yet on a raucous afternoon, the 67-year‑old Irishman was bellowing every bit as loudly as anyone else in the 70,000 crowd. It came as the 7-1 joint favourite, I Am Maximus, soared over th ..read more

Joint-favourite streaks clear after the last fence Last year’s winner Corach Rambler unseats rider at the first A Grand National that was in the ­balance until after the final fence was decided by an irresistible burst of finishing speed. I Am Maximus, who takes his name from a fictional gladiator, landed the decisive blow with half a furlong to run under an impeccable, ground-saving ride by Paul Townend. The 7-1 joint-favourite did not hit the front until just past the Elbow, but finished to such effect that he was seven and a half lengths clear of Delta Work at the line, with Minella Indo ..read more

Favourite won an incredible race at Aintree for Willie Mullins Race reportTom Jenkins’s best images from Aintree And they’re off … Johnson’s Blue leads in the early stages with two laps to go! … Classic Concorde is now challenging the early leader … Johnnywho is in a good position … Landrake has badly lost his place and Ramo is already in trouble at the back … Storm Nelson is being pushed along … favourite West Balboa is in midfield … Bold Endeavour is in third behind the leaders … West Balboa is making ground … turning towards home and Classic Concorde leads … Gwennie May Boy leads at the l ..read more

Winners, losers, racegoers and horses are all in evidence as Guardian and Observer photographer Tom Jenkins captures the essence of Aintree ..read more

Sport’s leaders fighting back on welfare and prize money fronts after falls in crowds put squeeze on before racing’s biggest day If anyone at Aintree needed a reminder of the oscillating exhilarations and perils of jump racing, it came within a few tragic seconds on Ladies’ Day. In one breath, the favourite for the opening race, Inothewayurthinkin, surged over the last fence, to a roar that could have been heard back in Liverpool. In the next, Giovinco crashed to the floor to gasps, the green screens came up, and he became the first fatality of this year’s meeting. But, ahead of the Grand ..read more

Selection has a near-perfect profile for the biggest betting race of the year in terms of his age, talent, stamina and form to date The more pessimistic forecasts for rainfall at Aintree this week failed to materialise but the going for Saturday’s race will still be the most gruelling for 23 years and only thorough stayers should be considered for inclusion on backers’ shortlists. In that respect, the betting market has already done a lot of the legwork, as all but a couple of the runners priced up at 33-1 or below have stamina as one of their strongest suits. Narrowing them down to three or f ..read more