Europe

It should never be underestimated the magical journey that just one horse can bring a person on and owner-breeder John Farrell is a good example of exactly that. Taking the advice of his wife - which is always a wise thing to do - , Farrell purchased an unraced filly by Derby winner Alamshar before putting her into training with Joanna Morgan back in 2008.  That was 16 years ago now and the filly in question, Snap Alam, won five races before  producing a host of winners that carried the...

We are very good at depressing ourselves in the racing industry, aren't we? Threats of the betting tax going up and the foal crop going down are currently on the doom loop of news, and they are of course reasons to be concerned. But my daily coping strategy has always been to look for reasons to be cheerful and I am, therefore, naturally happy to say that there are still plenty of those to be found in this sport, or business, or whatever we want to call it. Let's go...

Racing begins at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on October 16, the first of 50 meetings before the February 14, 2026 $20-million G1 Saudi Cup concludes the season, the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday. The schedule change was made to accommodate the Holy Month of Ramadan, which falls around February 28. The seventh running of the Saudi Cup coincides with the 41st Asian Racing Conference, titled 'Honouring Tradition - Shaping The Future', which takes place in the country from February 9 and closes at The Saudi Cup....

Monday, Fairyhouse, post time: 17:45, BALLYHANE BLENHEIM STAKES-Listed, €27,000, 2yo, 6fT Field: Charles Fort (GB) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}), Chicago Call (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Fresh Fade (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), Howd'yadoit (Ire) (Nando Parrado {GB}), Morehampton (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), Nuevo Slovo (Ire) (James Garfield {Ire}), Sir Alfie (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Slaudeen (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Tertre Rouge (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Alibah (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}), Dawn Romance (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Treasured Royal (Ire) (Nando Parrado {GB}), Yaupon De Replay (Yaupon). TDN Analysis: Ballydoyle's Charles Fort was off...

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 daughter of a G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine. 2.43 Leicester, Mdn, 2yo, f, 7fT PALACE ARTOIS (GB) (Palace Pier {GB}) debuts for Mike and Michelle Morris and is the fifth foal out of their 1.7million gns purchase Intricately (Fastnet Rock), the Moyglare Stud Stakes winner....

FAIRYHOUSE, IRELAND - Believe it or not, there are some people out there who think the yearling sales are just one big fugazi and that, had you adopted a method of throwing darts at the catalogue, you may well enjoy the same amount of luck - or despair - on the racetrack.  Sheila Lavery, Tom Mullins, Paul Flynn, Danny Murphy and Sean Davis operate at the coalface of the industry in Ireland and can pour cold water on the idea of the yearling sales being one big game of chance...

Mark Johnston was appointed as a new trustee of the Alborada Trust, after a trustees' meeting last week. The Alborada Trust was established in 2001 by philanthropist and distinguished owner/breeder Kirsten Rausing. Since inception the Alborada Trust has supported a broad range of domestic and international charities proving grants to those that evidence a solid track record of impact in their particular fields. It supports a number of global, domestic and local charities raging from medical research, international aid, equine veterinary research, higher education, racing charities and smaller charities operating...

A colt and a filly by Sioux Nation and Gleneagles, respectively, each brought €70,000 on Saturday to share topper duties during the SGA Yearling Sale in Milan. Sold as lot 15, the Gleneagles filly was snapped up by John Kalmanson from the Razza del Velino consignment. A half-sister to two stakes horses anchored by G2 Derby Italiano hero Keep On Fly (Rip Van Winkle), the chestnut is a full-sister to G2 Oaks d'Italia heroine Shavasana, who also prevailed in the G3 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1000 Guineas). The trio are...

Sunday, Dortmund, Germany, post time: 16:20, WETTSTAR.DE - 141ST DEUTSCHES ST LEGER-G3, €55,000, 3yo/up, 14fT Field: Caballo De Mar (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}), Kampfer (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger}), Lordano (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), Padre Palou (Ger) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Tex Lot (Ger) (Camelot {GB}), Waldnebel (Ger) (Reliable Man {GB}), Asmira (Ger) (Isfahan {Ger}). TDN Analysis: Gestut Ittlingen's homebred Lordano, the winner here in 2023, will head postward as a warm order for this stamina test coming back off a narrow victory in June's G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft at Baden-Baden. His...

William Buick had missed out on a future Classic prospect at Newmarket on Saturday, but his Newbury visit ultimately paid off as Words Of Truth (Lope De Vega) captured Saturday's feature G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes run in honour of Geoff Lewis. Coming off wins at Ascot and Newmarket, Godolphin's 7-2 shot looked well-beaten heading to the final furlong as the impressive debut winner Into The Sky (Starman) cut loose but stayed on best to collar that rival close home and prevail by a length. "He's gone from...

Becoming the latest Pattern-race winner in the silks of Richard and Roisin Henry on Saturday, Catching The Moon (No Nay Never) came out on top in Ayr's G3 Firth of Clyde Stakes. Like the owners' 2022 Oh So Sharp winner Midnight Mile trained by Richard Fahey, the 15-2 shot who had opened her account at Beverley, travelled smoothly for Oisin Orr throughout the six-furlong feature and outstayed Lam Yai (Lucky Vega) to prevail by a neck. "I travelled well and she probably didn't really enjoy the ground, but she got...

Aga Khan Studs representative Samangan shed maiden status with an impressive wide-margin triumph at Deauville towards the end of last month and continued on the upgrade with a black-type breakthrough in Saturday's G3 Prix Eclipse Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage at Chantilly. "He broke slowly and therefore put himself in trouble from the start," reflected trainer Francis Graffard. "He was never really travelling smoothly and didn't look like a winner at halfway. Maybe the [soft] ground is the reason, but I don't know. When he started finding his best stride, the...