Europe

An invitation to visit Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard has always been a memorable experience for a bloodstock enthusiast, considering few nurseries worldwide can claim to have produced as many champions, both on the track and in the breeding shed. French champion sires Asterus (Teddy), Tourbillon (Ksar), Pharis (Pharos), Goya II (Tourbillon) and Djebel (Tourbillon) under the Boussac era, then Arc winner Bago (Nashwan) and Breeders' Cup winners Miesque (Nureyev), Spinning World (Nureyev), Domedriver (Indian Ridge), Six Perfections (Celtic Swing), Karakontie (Bernstein) to name only a few of the Niarchos family's best....

Classic winners tend to beget Classic winners, and with record-breaking G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) hero Lovcen, that adage certainly applies. If Lovcen delivers a Classic double in Sunday's G1 Tokyo Yushun, the colt would be the first to win the first two legs of the Japanese Triple Crown since Contrail six years ago. His sire, the Deep Impact stallion World Premiere, captured the 2019 G1 Japanese St Leger (Kikuka Sho). Said jockey Kohei Matsuyama of the ante-post market favourite, "He was calm on the day of the Satsuki...

America Queen will aim to put a nightmare Irish Guineas trip behind her with compensation in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot next month. Richard Hughes was left fuming after his Nell Gwyn runner-up was denied a run in the Curragh Classic on Sunday, with racecourse veterinary officials unhappy with her action at the start. This was despite Hughes providing X-ray evidence to show the Havana Grey filly was sound, obtained after similar concerns were raised by vets at Newmarket on her reappearance. Hughes threatened to boycott Irish racing in...

His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen will attend Betfred Derby Day at Epsom Downs, the Jockey Club has revealed.   Their Majesties are joint Patrons of The Jockey Club, which owns and runs Epsom Downs Racecourse. Both Their Majesties are Honorary Members of The Jockey Club and became the organisation's joint Patrons in May 2024, succeeding Queen Elizabeth II who was Patron for 68 years, from 1954 until her death in September 2022.  Jim Allen, General Manager of Epsom Downs Racecourse, said, "We are honoured and thrilled that...

Saturday, Carlisle, post time: 15:10, THE BETWAY LESTER PIGGOTT FILLIES' STAKES-G3, £125,000, 4yo/up, f/m, 11f 39yT Field: Azaniya (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Coedana (Ire) (King Of Change {GB}), Crepe Suzette (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Estrange (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Naga (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), Patagonia Girl (GB) (Australia {GB}), Sharpen (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), Waardah (Ire) (Postponed {Ire}). TDN Analysis: Moved from Haydock due to the well-documented ground concerns there, this represents a different test on a stiff track than it would have been at its traditional Merseyside home...

Dan De Champ (Old Persian) (lot 15) was sold for a record price of €210,000 to top Thursday's Tattersalls Ireland May Point-to-Point and Horses-in-Training Sale. Offered by Redbridge Stables, the four-year-old won on debut at Ballindenisk on May 17. He caught the eye of Tom Morgan for Damian Tiernan's CDL Racing. "I have bought a few from Redbridge before and I always tell Michael [Murphy] that if he has a nice one to let me know," said Morgan. "I respect his judgement because he always buys a nice foal and...

A savings plan created by France Galop's Task Force and approved by the board of directors, is expected to save the organisation approximately €29.8 million, according to Jour de Galop. France Galop's president Guillaume de Saint-Seine gave members of the committee the first look at the plan on Thursday morning after its approval on Tuesday. The savings is largely borne by France Galop itself, and, unlike the 2025 plan, it does not rely on reductions in prize-money or incentives. No closures of France Galop sites are being considered at this...

Coming back from a break under a penalty, Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) would have been forgiven an honourable defeat in Thursday's G3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes but duly showed his class to land the spoils ahead of his big test at Royal Ascot. Runner-up in this to Almaqam 12 months ago, the John and Thady Gosden-trained triple Group 1 winner was 2-5 to deliver and after a tussle with the progressive Gethin (Ghaiyyath) had a neck to spare at the line. There was another three-length margin back to Almeric (Study Of Man)...

If it weren't for messrs Bow Echo and Gstaad, Talk Of New York may have been the talk of Royal Ascot if the way the son of Wootton Bassett went through Sandown's Listed Heron Stakes is a guide. So impressive was Godolphin's much-vaunted son of the high-class Usherette (Shamardal) on Thursday evening, he may even be able to upset the big two or at least get in the argument in the St James's Palace Stakes for which this race is always a key guide. Produced to storm clear of his Horris Hill-winning...

Fitzdares bookmakers say they are more than happy to take on Derby favourite Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel) at odds of 2-1 and nominated 11-1 chance James J Braddock (Zarak) as being the most likely danger to the Aidan O'Brien-trained market leader. Benvenuto Cellini shot to the head of the Derby betting after winning the Chester Vase by over four lengths earlier this month. His odds hardened further on Wednesday when O'Brien confirmed that stablemate and impressive Dee Stakes winner Constitution River (Wootton Bassett), who had been a general 4-1 chance for...

The catalogue for the Tattersalls Online June Sale on June 3-4 is now online. Featuring 90 lots divided between 20 breeze-up horses, 59 horses in- and out-of-training, six broodmares, three stores, and one yearling, the sale begins 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 3. It begins to end at 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 4. The breeze-up session took place on the all-weather track at Dundalk on May 27. Lots of note include an Ardad half-brother (lot 5) to Grade III-placed Iriseach (Ubettabelieveit); a Cotai Glory filly (lot 14) out of...

Aga Khan Studs' Calandagan (Gleneagles) and Daryz (Sea The Stars) are both on course for British raids, according to trainer Francis-Henri Graffard. Runner-up in the G1 Coronation Cup in 2025, the former has rattled off five Group 1 wins in a row since that defeat and is primed for another attempt at the Epsom contest. Graffard said, "They are both in very good shape and I could not be happier with them. "Calandagan has been trained for Epsom and hopefully the ground will not get too soft. He looks well...