Europe

The recent victory of Montataire (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) in the Listed EBF Stallions Stonehenge S. at Salisbury Aug. 19 was significant for the connections of Mark Johnston and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, but even more so for part breeder Cathal Beale. The colt is the first winner bred by the 33-year-old from County Wexford and a stakes win for the busy juvenile was even sweeter given Beale has a half-sister by Cape Cross's son Sea The Stars (Ire) catalogued as lot 431 in the Orby Sale in...

1st-DVL, €25,000, Mdn, 8-29, 2yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:47.68, gd. NEGUEV (IRE) (c, 2, So You Think {NZ}--Lady Bering {GB}, by Bering {GB}), who was demoted to second after passing the post first going 7 1/2 panels at this track last time Aug. 9, raced under a firm grip in fifth for most the most part here. Making smooth forward progress up the inner on the home turn, the 2-5 chalk gained a slender advantage at the top of the straight and kept on well, despite cocking his head to one...

Caravaggio (Scat Daddy)'s autumn campaign has been cast into doubt after trainer Aidan O'Brien revealed the star juvenile "tweaked a muscle" and could miss the G1 Middle Park S. Sept. 24. "Caravaggio had a little bit of a setback about 10 days ago--he tweaked a muscle in his ribcage," O'Brien explained. "He's fine now, but whether he'll make the Middle Park, we're not sure." O'Brien said a missed engagement in the Middle Park could mean the end of the season for the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. and G2 Coventry S....

Trainer Dermot Weld said he is watching ground conditions ahead of Harzand (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire})'s expected tilt at the G1 Irish Champion S. Sept. 10, hoping sufficient rain is in the forecast. Leopardstown is currently racing on the firm side and Weld admitted the dual Derby winner would prefer some cut. "Harzand is very well, but he likes a little ease in the ground and Pat Keogh [Leopardstown chief executive] says it is fairly quick at the moment," said Weld. "We'll see what conditions are like, but I'm very...

With his much-vaunted stable companion Caravaggio (Scat Daddy) potentially missing from the autumn action after meeting a setback, Intelligence Cross showed why he could prove a more than able deputy with an emphatic success here. Just a half-length behind Mehmas (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) when second in the G2 July S. at Newmarket July 7, he was third behind that rival and Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G2 Richmond S. again over this trip at Goodwood three weeks later before being ruled out of the G2 Gimcrack S. at York's...

Following the exploits of Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Seventh Heaven (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Best In the World (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Somehow became the latest group-winning 3-year-old filly to strengthen Aidan O'Brien's hand entering the autumn. After winning the Listed Cheshire Oaks over an extended 11 furlongs May 4, the bay was a distant fourth after carving out the early pace in the June 3 G1 Epsom Oaks and fifth in the Irish equivalent sporting cheekpieces at this venue July 16. That headgear came off and a visor went on...

Introduced in blinkers when winning by 6 1/2 lengths over 11 furlongs at Cologne Apr. 24, Savoir Vivre flopped when fourth as the odds-on favourite for a 10 1/2-furlong conditions race at Munich May 21 and managed only fifth in the G2 Oppenheim-Union-Rennen again over 11 furlongs at Cologne June 19. Chanced in the G1 Deutsches Derby nonetheless, the chestnut put up a much improved performance to finish a strong-closing head second to Isfahan (Ger) (Lord of England {Ger}) in that July 10 Hamburg Classic and built on that effort...

Sheikh Hamdan's Thikriyaat (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), last as the favourite in Saturday's G2 Celebration Mile, is suspected to have suffered a heart fibrillation and will undergo tests, according to racing manager Angus Gold. The 3-year-old was favoured for the Celebration Mile off a win in the G3 Thoroughbred S. at Glorious Goodwood four weeks ago for trainer Sir Michael Stoute. "Sir Michael said to me the vet thought he had a fibrillating heart," said Gold. "We will have to do tests. It's too early to say. "I hope he'll soon...

Third behind the smart Rehana (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and subsequent G2 Debutante S. winner Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) on debut over seven furlongs here June 24, Sea of Grace had gone on to beat Eziyra in a maiden over 100 yards further at Tipperary July 9 but started as only the joint-second favourite behind that market-leader for this rematch. Anchored in last early by Declan McDonogh, the chestnut was delivered with a smooth run down the outside stalking that Aga Khan homebred and jumped her to take the lead...

YUCATAN (IRE), c, 2, Galileo (Ire)--Six Perfections (Fr) (Ch. 2yo Filly-Eur, Hwt. 3yo Filly-Fr at 7-9.5f, MG1SW-Fr, GISW-US, G1SP-Eng & Ire, $1,811,179), by Celtic Swing (GB). O-Flaxman Stables, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Niarchos Family (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Donnacha O'Brien. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, €10,148. Yucatan was a first-up seventh, over this course and distance last time Aug. 8, and found a smooth rhythm in the second rank through the early strides of this return. Nudged closer after passing halfway, the 4-1 chance made continued headway into contention at...

Sunday's G3 Flame of Tara EBF S. at The Curragh should provide some early pointers to next year's middle-distance Classics, with His Highness The Aga Khan's Eziyra (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) taking centre stage. Having beaten the subsequent G2 Debutante S. runner-up Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) over seven furlongs at the Galway festival last time July 26, the homebred from the family of the G1 Gold Cup winner Enzeli (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}) and Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) will be expected to be in the thick of the action here. Aidan O'Brien...

In the frame only once in six subsequent starts since his success in last year's G1 Grand Prix de Paris, The Niarchos Family's Erupt (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) has an ideal opportunity for a much-needed injection of confidence in a beleaguered renewal of the G2 Grand Prix de Deauville on Sunday. There were definite signs of a return to form when he was a strong-closing second in the July 3 G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and he attracted significant support for the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at...