Europe

Friday, Doncaster, post time: 15:00, THE BETFRED HOWARD WRIGHT DONCASTER CUP-G2, £150,000, 3yo/up, 17f 197yT Field: Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Hipop De Loire (Fr) (American Post {GB}), Kyle Of Lochalsh (GB) (Highland Reel {Ire}), Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}), Sweet William (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Tashkhan (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}), Oxford Comma (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Pendragon (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). TDN Verdict: Last year's winner Sweet William remains in good heart and is the obvious choice, but there is a chance that proper Group 1 horse Sunway could enjoy this...

Fresh from Thursday's Group-race breakthrough with G2 May Hill Stakes heroine Aylin, the St Mark's Basilica bandwagon looks set to roll on through this weekend, with the first-season sire set to be represented by big-race runners everywhere from Doncaster to Woodbine. Thesecretadversary, the first black-type winner for his sire in last month's Listed Churchill Stakes at Tipperary, is set to line up in Saturday's GI Summer Stakes over in Canada for Fozzy Stack. There he'll have the assistance of one Frankie Dettori, the man who rode St Mark's Basilica to...

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 a Wootton Bassett daughter of Qemah. 4.10 Doncaster, Mdn, 2yo, f, 7f 6yT WID (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) debuts for Al Shaqab Racing in this race won 12 months ago by the sire's Whirl and is a homebred daughter of the Coronation Stakes and Prix Rothschild...

Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's hitherto undefeated Green Spirit (Kingman) made a black-type breakthrough in last month's G3 Prix Six Perfections and provided her owner-breeders, trainer Christopher Head and jockey Maxime Guyon with a quickfire pattern-race double when dominating the closing stages of Thursday's G2 Prix d'Aumale at ParisLongchamp. "She is all class and always does the minimum," reflected Head. "I wasn't worried seeing her race in last as I think, ultimately, she will have to be ridden like that. It was really, or at least it looked like, a perfect...

Howden and Ascot have renewed their partnership for another five years until 2030, the racecourse announced on Thursday. The partnership, which began in 2021, underscores both organisations' commitment to excellence in horse racing and the broader equine industry and ensures continued collaboration across all Ascot racedays, with Howden's branding prominently featured around Ascot Racecourse, including throughout Royal Ascot. The Howden Christmas Racing Weekend has also become a highlight of the festive season, featuring prominent races such as the G1 Howden Long Walk Hurdle and the G2 Howden Noel Novices' Chase....

Not seen since snagging July's Listed Prix Roland de Chambure, Alain and Gerard Wertheimer homebred Nighttime (Wootton Bassett) continued on the upgrade with a first pattern-race triumph in Thursday's G3 Prix La Rochette at ParisLongchamp. "Nighttime confirmed today everything he had shown in his previous starts--quality and class," said Christopher Head. "He has the speed to do well over that distance and Wootton Bassett is an amazing sire. Beforehand, it was the intention to go for the [G1] Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and now, more than ever, we want to go....

The signs are that the end of summer is bringing a new force into the reckoning in St Mark's Basilica and Coolmore's first-crop sire was at the forefront again on Thursday as his daughter Aylin captured Doncaster's G2 May Hill Stakes. Third last time in Goodwood's seven-furlong G3 Prestige Stakes, Al Shaqab and Amo Racing's 5-1 second favourite relished this stamina-sapping mile test and stayed on for David Egan to overhaul Pacific Mission (Lope De Vega) late on and score by 3/4 of a length. "I thought she was going...

Tom Marquand has been confirmed as the partner of Goodwood Cup hero and ante-post favourite Scandinavia (Justify), who is set to head a field of seven in Saturday's G1 Betfred St Leger. With Ryan Moore on the sidelines and Wayne Lordan suspended, Sean Levey will partner dual Derby hero Lambourn (Australia) and Mickael Barzalona picks up the ride aboard Great Voltigeur fourth Stay True (Galileo). In addition to the Ballydoyle trio, Ireland is represented by Queen's Vase victor and Great Voltigeur runner-up Carmers (Wootton Bassett), who will be partnered by...

Thursday, Doncaster, post time: 15:00, THE BETFRED PARK HILL FILLIES' STAKES-G2, £150,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 14f 115yT Field: Chorus (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Danielle (GB) (Cracksman {GB}), Elana Osario (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Queens Fort (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Santorini Star (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}), Strassia (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), Zilfee (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Consent (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Crepe Suzette (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Floresta (Ire) (Waldgeist {GB}), Secret Of Love (GB) (Sea The Monn {Ger}). TDN Verdict: Connections of Danielle will be hoping it gets softer for the...

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. Thursday's Observations features the return of a Wootton Bassett 'TDN Rising Star'. 1.50 Doncaster, Cond, 2yo, 6f 111yT BRUSSELS (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) takes a class drop for this Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes in which stablemate Camille Pissarro managed to get beaten 12 months ago before going to...

Next April will bring with it the 30-year anniversary of a notable birth at Iverk House Stud, that of the bay colt by Fairy King who would later deliver the holy grail for a breeder by winning the Derby at Epsom under the name of Oath. To pull it off from a small farm in Piltown, County Kilkenny, which has rarely been home to more than eight active mares at any one time, was quite the feat by Max Morris and his late wife Isabel. Certainly, Max has never been...

Vinnie Roe, who won the G1 Irish St Leger from 2001-2004, has died. The pensioned son of Definite Article was 27. Bred by Virginia Moeran, the bay was out of Kayu (Tap On Wood) and sold for 48,000gns as a foal. In 1999, he made IR£50,000 to subsequent trainer Dermot Weld at Goffs. Vinnie Roe carried the silks of Irish film director Jim Sheridan and Antonio Balzarini, and was partnered by the legendary late Irish jockey Pat Smullen in all bar one of his 29 starts. A stakes winner and...