Europe

By Kit Gow Pin Oak Stud's Director of Farm Operations and Property, Michael Hardy, says that he is hoping to make his return to Australia a winning one with Parchment Party (Constitution) representing the farm in the Melbourne Cup.  Hardy last set foot in Melbourne during a six-month stint as part of the Godolphin Flying Start and his return Down Under is a significant one given Parchment Party will bid to become the first American-trained winner of the race.  "It's my first time in Australia since the Flying Start," Hardy...

Race favourite Masquerade Ball, making his first appearance on a racecourse since chasing home Croix Du Nord (Kitasan Black) in June's G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), made the breakthrough at the top level with a comfortable success in Sunday's Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo Racecourse. Trained by Takahisa Tezuka, Masquerade Ball was allowed to settle in mid-division for much of the 2,000-metre contest. The Duramente colt was caught behind horses as the field closed in on the leader approaching the final turn, having to wait for horses on his outside...

She's Quality (Acclamation), who was pulled up in the early stages of Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, has been euthanised, according to an announcement from her connections. The four-year-old was the first runner at the meeting for trainer Jack Davison, who said in a post on social media, "I am devastated to report that our stable star She's Quality has passed away, having suffered a pelvic fracture during the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. After the race, she was transported to San Luis Rey Equine Hospital where she received the...

Thriving on a busy campaign, the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Charlotte's Web gained a first Group-race success on her 10th start of 2025 when digging deep to win Sunday's G2 Premio Lydia Tesio at Capannelle Racecourse. Never far away as fellow Newmarket raider Ambiente Amigo (Postponed) took the field along in this early stages of this 10-furlong event, Charlotte's Web moved up to challenge the long-time leader entering the final two furlongs. From there the daughter of Night Of Thunder responded generously to Jack Mitchell's urgings to hit the line...

By Kit Gow/TTRAusNZ Swettenham Stud has announced that Frankel's exceptional Group 1-winning son Diego Velazquez will shuttle to their Nagambie operation, commencing in the 2026 breeding season. Winner of the 1600-metre G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois, just like sensational sires Dubawi and Kingman, Swettenham Stud are confident that Diego Velazquez will be a welcome addition to the Victorian stallion ranks, where he will provide breeders with unique access to the only Group 1-winning son of global super sire Frankel standing in Australia. Diego Velazquez will spend the first half of...

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. Monday's Observations features a newcomer from the Charlie Appleby yard. 13.30 Kempton, £20,000, Mdn, 2yo, 8f (AWT) Godolphin's hitherto untested NATION'S HOPE (IRE) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) is a half-brother to GI Saratoga Derby, G1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis, GI Canadian International and GI Arlington Million hero Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire})....

DEL MAR, Calif -- "I drank too much." Ever the professional, even when feeling a little worse for wear, Yoshito Yahagi was at a 7.30 a.m. press call with his Breeders' Cup Classic winner Forever Young (Jpn). The latter was looking sparkier than his trainer, but then he hadn't been out late in a Mexican restaurant celebrating the LA Dodgers sealing back-to-back wins in the World Series. "I'm a bit hungover. The horse is in much better condition than me," Yahagi admitted. An avowed fan of baseball, he unzipped his...

Fully 10,000 miles from their birthplace at Tweenhills Farm and Stud, Qatar Racing homebreds Buckaroo, Middle Earth and Valiant King now face the most important two-mile test of their lives on Tuesday, with a place in history assured should one of them reach its end as a Melbourne Cup winner. From the lush paddocks of Tweenhills to the manicured turf of Flemington, it's been quite the journey, both literally and figuratively. Between them the trio amassed 27 starts in Europe - Buckaroo and Valiant King with Joseph O'Brien, Middle Earth...

This year's G1 Prix de la Foret winner Maranoa Charlie has been retired from racing and will stand at Tally-Ho Stud in 2026. Trained by Christopher Head, Maranoa Charlie was beaten just once in four starts as a two-year-old, notably winning the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud by eight lengths. "I don't think I've ever trained a horse like Maranoa Charlie, one with his desire to run and who can take the others on like that," said Head in the aftermath of that impressive victory. "He gets better with...

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the Breeders' Cup meeting. Ethical Diamond Hands Mullins The Turf Training maestro Willie Mullins landed the biggest Flat victory of his career with Ethical Diamond (Awtaad) in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf on Saturday (video). A winner of a brace of valuable handicaps across the pond, the five-year-old gelding has also run seven of his lifetime starts over hurdles. Bred by W. Kennedy, Ethical Diamond is owned...

DEL MAR, USA -- "I'm just glad Willie Mullins doesn't train too many Flat horses," said Charlie Appleby after his dual Breeders' Cup winner Rebel's Romance was relegated to the sidings by the runaway train that is Ethical Diamond. The five-year-old's jaw-dropping performance in the Turf, in partnership with Ireland's new champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle, had even Mullins stunned as he attempted to take in the magnitude of this latest landmark in his extraordinary career.  Plenty of trainers will agree with Appleby - and the latter did at least...

Already a winner of the G1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) in June, Gezora (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) unleashed a devastating late kick to down stretch leader She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}) in the dying strides and claim the $2-million GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf by half-length. The final time for the 1 3/8 miles was 2:12.54. The bay gave her trainer Francis-Henri Graffard his first Breeders' Cup victory. He is champion trainer elect in France this year. Bred by Haras d'Etreham where her sire used to...