Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features the well-bred Hawk Mountain.
1.45 Curragh, Mdn, 2yo, 7fT
HAWK MOUNTAIN (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) debuts for Ballydoyle in a maiden which has been won in recent times by Delacroix, Diego Velazquez, Al Riffa and Thunder Moon and is a key player as a son of Galileo's Matron and British Champions Fillies & Mares heroine Hydrangea. A half-brother to Dubawi's Fillies & Mares-placed Wingspan and Tetrarch winner Officer, he is the pick of Ryan Moore over a pair by St Mark's Basilica (Fr) in the Fairyhouse runner-up Charles Fort (GB) and newcomer Port Of Spain (Ire), with the latter being a half-brother to Free Wind (Galileo). On the form of his debut third in the course-and-distance Barronstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden, Alwasmiyah, Ballylinch and Umm Al Shukhout's Al Haarith (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), a full-brother to the G3 Princess Royal Stakes winner Antonia De Vega from the Joseph O'Brien stable is a worthy favourite.
2.32 Newmarket, Mdn, 2yo, f, 7fT
ZANTHOS (FR) (Sioux Nation) debuts for KHK Racing and the Crisfords, having cost €1 million when the top-priced filly at the Arqana May Breeze Up. A granddaughter of the smart Bahia Breeze, she encounters Wathnan Racing's 360,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase Proposal (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the William Haggas-trained daughter of the G3 Blue Wind Stakes winner and Nassau runner-up One Voice (Poet's Voice) who missed her intended debut at Goodwood's Qatar Festival last month.
2.50 Curragh, Cond, 2yo, f, 7fT
DIAMOND NECKLACE (IRE) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}) is an intriguing newcomer for Ballydoyle in this Grand Hotel Malahide Irish EBF Fillies Juvenile Race won in 2016 by Hydrangea and in which A Lilac Rolla beat Opera Singer two years ago. Out of Prudenzia (Dansili), she is a half-sister to the former stable stalwart Magic Wand (Galileo) and the Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita (Montjeu) from one of the best pedigrees anywhere. Jockey arrangements suggest strongly that the €1.7-million Arqana Deauville August topper will need this introduction, as Ryan Moore sticks with the 1.5 million gns Tattersalls October Book 1 sensation Minerva (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) despite the daughter of Prize Exhibit (Showcasing) being winless in three starts. Donnacha O'Brien saddled Falling Snow to win on debut last year and puts forward Lookingforarainbow (Justify), a daughter of the Phoenix heroine Damson (Entrepreneur) and half-sister to Dansili's Group-winning sprinter sire Requinto, while the form filly is probably Newtown Anner Stud Farm's homebred Justiciar (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), one of Ger Lyons's smart team of juvenile fillies who was third behind the subsequent Silver Flash winner Composing here in June.
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