Europe

Fearless pinhooker Philipp Stauffenberg broke his own record for the most money he has ever spent on a foal when going to €650,000 to secure a New Bay half-sister to Group 1 heroine Dreamloper (Lope De Vega) and Group 2 scorer Santorini Star (Golden Horn) at yet another memorable renewal of the Goffs November Foal Sale.  The sale-topping filly was consigned by Luke Lillingston of Mount Coote Stud and headlined trade that saw a 91% clearance rate. The €18,359,000 turnover was roughly the same as last year while the average...

Wednesday's session of the Arqana Autumn Sale consisted of 117 lots of National Hunt-bred yearlings. Of the 106 offered, 69 (65%) sold for a gross of €2,192,500. The average was up slightly to €31,775 (+1%) from €31,493. The median rose 10% to €22,000. A total of 208 National Hunt yearlings went under the hammer during the Autumn Sale this year, with 22 more lots than in 2024. The clearance rate increased five points at 68%. The average, at nearly €30,000, was slightly down by four points. The turnover increased by...

The Goffs UK Coral Gold Cup Sale will be staged immediately after the racing at Newbury ends on its flagship National Hunt meeting, the Coral Gold Cup, on Saturday, November 29. This year marks the third consecutive year of the sale. It will be held in the winner's enclosure at Newbury and is a select point-to-point sale. The 2023 edition featured the £320,000 sale of Kindly Prince (Mr Dinos). In 2024, 14 of the 16 horses offered sold for £1,510,500. An average price of £107,893 and median price of £85,000...

A New Bay filly (lot 644) caught the eye of Philipp Stauffenberg and he duly shelled out €650,000 to acquire the half-sister to Group 1 winner Dreamloper (Lope De Vega) during the third session of the Goffs November Foal Sale on Wednesday. Also a half-sister to G2 Park Hill Stakes heroine and G1 Prix de Royallieu second Santorini Star (Golden Horn), the April foal was bred by Y. Y. Fill. Ed Sackville was the underbidder. Said Stauffenberg, "If you look into it, there are very few foals of that quality...

Keen to make "a solid contribution to Britain's bloodstock breeding industry", Chloe Roddick and Philip Maloney have recruited Idaho (Galileo) from his previous base at Beeches Stud to stand at their new farm, Skuttles Barrough Stud, in Somerset.  Having stood under the Coolmore banner from his retirement to stud in 2019, the G2 Hardwicke and G2 Great Voltigeur Stakes winner Idaho - a brother to Highland Reel -  currently has first-crop five-year-olds to represent him. These include Idaho Sun, a three-time winner for Harry Fry who is current favourite for...

The Goffs November Foal Sale is considered by many to be the jewel in the crown for Goffs - certainly from an Irish perspective - and Tuesday's trade, which followed on from a strong curtain-raiser on Monday, went some way to confirming that opinion.  Despite some of the best foals not being due into the ring until Wednesday, trade at the Kildare venue this week has been robust at every level. It's not exactly a secret at this stage that the foal sales at Goffs are popular among buyers but,...

Nat Barnett Bloodstock bought three yearlings during the second session of the Arqana Autumn Sale on Tuesday, including the €160,000 top lot, a son of notable jumps stallion Doctor Dino. Sold as lot 540, the AQPS son of Diane De Grugy (Ballingarry) is a full-brother to dual Grade 1-winning hurdler Jade De Grugy. Aready named Oteuil De Grugy, the Windermere Stud-consigned colt is from the same family as top-notch AQPS chaser Sire De Grugy (My Risk). "For me, he was the horse of the sale," said Barnett. "I've bought him...

Courage Mon Ami, the winner of the 2023 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, has been retired from racing after failing to recover sufficiently from a tibia injury. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Courage Mon Ami sported the now-familiar silks of Wathnan Racing when defeating Coltrane and Subjectivist in the Gold Cup, having been bought privately by the Emir of Qatar's burgeoning operation after his victory in a Goodwood handicap the previous month, his third win from as many starts for owner-breeder Anthony Oppenheimer. As well as becoming Wathnan's first...

He did a lot of things wrong before and during Tuesday's G3 Prix Thomas Bryon, but ultimately Godolphin's Al Zanati (Dubawi) was able to impose himself on proceedings in the nick of time. Difficult to load and recalcitrant throughout the early stages as William Buick sought to tuck him in behind, the 3-5 favourite who had been runner-up in the G3 Autumn Stakes last month had to close wide in the straight. Knuckling down where it mattered, the homebred cut down compatriot Bourbon Blues (Space Blues) in the final stride for...

Fresh from sending out four winners at Cheltenham's November Meeting, Dan Skelton issued another statement of intent in his quest for a first British trainers' championship when revealed as the new trainer of the two most expensive lots sold during Monday's opening session of the Arqana Autumn Sale. In the space of three lots, the three-year-olds Mets Ta Ceinture (Hunter's Light) (lot 380) and Merci Mam (Karaktar) (lot 378) sold for an aggregate sum of €1,230,000. Both horses went through the ring following the decision to dissolve the partnership between...

Tuesday, Chantilly, France, post time: 12:35, PRIX THOMAS BRYON-G3, €73,200, 2yo, 9f (AWT) Field: Mirik (Fr) (Kameko), Space Waltz (American Pharoah), Al Zanati (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Pacifica Pier (Ire) (Palace Pier {GB}), Bourbon Blues (GB) (Space Blues {Ire}), El Vegas (Ire) (Almanzor {Fr}). TDN Analysis: Charlie Appleby is double-handed in this contest, formerly staged over a mile at Saint-Cloud, with Al Zanati the clear first-string and Pacifica Pier the probable pacemaker. Runner-up in the G3 Autumn Stakes last month, the former will probably have too much for the Graffard runner...

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. Tuesday's Observations features an exciting newcomer at Newcastle. 5.45 Newcastle, Novice, 2yo, f 8f 5y (AWT) BRILLIANT STAR (GB) (Cracksman {GB}) is the second foal out of Anthony Oppenheimer's Irish Oaks, Prix Vermeille and British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes heroine Star Catcher (Sea The Stars), who started her...