Europe

Dual Group 1-winning miler Field Of Gold will continue his racing career in 2026 after owner-breeder Juddmonte confirmed plans to keep him in training as a four-year-old. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Field Of Gold was one of the stars of early summer when his victories included the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh and G1 St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, confirming his standing as the leading three-year-old miler in Europe after a near-miss in the G1 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. However, after suffering a setback...

A quartet of top-level winners headline the catalogue for the Tattersalls December Mares Sale, which takes place from Monday, December 1 to Wednesday, December 3. A total of 885 lots will be offered across the three days, with the cream of the crop set to go under the hammer during the fourth edition of the Sceptre Sessions scheduled for Monday, December 1 and Tuesday, December 2. Heading the stellar cast in 2025 are the four-time Group 1 winner Porta Fortuna (Caravaggio) (lot 1734), the first Cartier Champion Three-Year-Old Filly ever...

Soft ground at Doncaster on Friday meant that times were distinctly unimpressive, but a filly with a future shone through in Lilt (Lope De Vega). A daughter of James Wigan's star mare Dank (Dansili), the William Haggas-trained newcomer was allowed to saunter along on the front end by Cieren Fallon and when threatened by Hollywell Stream (Lope De Vega) gave more to seal a cosy neck success. "She had given me a nice feel at home and had a freebie there," the rider said of the daughter of the Breeders' Cup Filly...

Juddmonte's Shipbourne (Frankel) arrived at Newbury on Friday with a buzz surrounding him and duly went through his maiden as connections would have hoped. Sent off the 10-11 favourite for the 6 1/2-furlong test, the son of Special Duty (Hennessy) followed the pace with ease under Colin Keane and took command inside the two. Sent clear from there, the homebred registered a 4 1/4-length success from Not That Guy (Cotai Glory). "He's a lovely big horse with the size and scope to match his pedigree, but he doesn't realise he's a...

Part 2 of the Arqana October Sale kicked off on Thursday with another 154 yearlings going under the hammer, the pick of which was a De Treville colt from the Haras des Capucines draft who fetched €95,000. Bought by trainer Christophe Escuder, lot 428 was making his second appearance on the Deauville sales ground, having fetched €26,000 when Sumbe offered him as a foal at the December Breeding Stock Sale. He is a sibling to three winners out of the winning Galileo mare Gagarina, including a full-sister in Gregarina whose...

Friday, Dundalk, post time: 19:15, BAR ONE RACING MERCURY STAKES-G3, €36,000, 2yo/up, 5f (AWT) Field: West Acre (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Black Forza (Complexiity), Fandom (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), Powerful Nation (Ire) (Sioux Nation), Spartan Arrow (Ire) (Sioux Nation), The Highway Rat (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), Grande Marques (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Gutsy Girl (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}), Lady With The Lamp (Ire) (King Of Change {GB}), Queen Of Mougins (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}), Songhai (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}), Star Of Lady M (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Town And Country (Ire) (Earthlight...

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. Friday's Observations features an exciting newcomer from the Karl Burke stable. 2.43 Doncaster, Mdn, 2yo, f, 7f 6yT HARPER VIOLET (IRE) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is an exciting debutante for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum and the Karl Burke stable, being the fourth foal out of the Prix Jean...

The dual winner Arctic Grey (lot 2) took top billing at the Tattersalls Online October Sale when going the way of Richard Frisby Bloodstock for 66,000gns. Consigned by Richard Hannon's East Everleigh Stables, the son of Dark Angel has a Timeform rating of 93 and was last seen finishing third in a seven-furlong handicap at Chelmsford. He is out of a winning half-sister to the multiple Group 2 scorer Penitent (Kyllachy) and G2 Mill Reef Stakes hero Supplicant (Kyllachy). "Arctic Grey will continue his racing career in Bahrain where he...

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 victory of Tales Of The Heart at Keeneland. Resolute To The Heart Resolute Racing's Tales Of The Heart (Mehmas) flashed her class with a 1 1/4-length victory at Keeneland on October 15 (video). Trained by Michael Maker, the three-year-old filly was bred by Tally-Ho Stud, where her sire stands. The daughter of the stakes-placed Shoshoni Wind (Sleeping Indian) brought 400,000gns out of Book 1 of the...

Henri Matisse (Wootton Bassett), a top-level winner at both two and three, has been retired from racing and will take up stallion duties at Coolmore Stud in Fethard, Ireland for the 2026 breeding season. A stud fee will be announced in due course. Bred by the Immortal Verse Syndicate, Henri Matisse won his first three starts as a two-year-old at the Curragh, including the G2 Railway Stakes and G2 Futurity Stakes, before filling the runner-up spot behind Scorthy Champ (Mehmas) in the G1 National Stakes at the same venue. After...

DEAUVILLE, France -- Trade may have slightly shifted down a gear, as is to be expected of a graded sale, but right from the word go on Wednesday there was a noted surge in demand, along with a new wave of faces on the ground for this second session, which saw a rise in the clearance rate to 82.5 per cent, up by five per cent on the equivalent day last year. That in turn led to an increase in both average and median as well as the session's aggregate,...

The announcement that Joe Osborne is to step down from his role as managing director after more than three decades with Godolphin Ireland brings to a close a significant chapter, both for that operation and in Irish bloodstock more generally.  "This is my 32nd year with the firm, whether as Darley or Godolphin. I'm 62 now and I suppose I have got to a point in my career where I feel I've got more to give but I'd like to just pivot to do something different," he says.  "I just...