Europe

Moore Back In The Saddle

Leading rider Ryan Moore, sidelined since the end of last month due to an unspecified injury, has returned to riding out but no timeline has been set out for his return to race riding, according to his father, Gary Moore. "He is riding out," the elder Moore confirmed. "I think it has only been for a few days. When he is feeling well enough and when it is worth coming back, he will come back." Moore was last seen in competitive action aboard Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the...

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British Yearling Season Underway At Goffs UK

The British yearling sales season begins today at the newly branded Goffs UK sales house at Doncaster where, for the last few days, trainers and agents have been combing the yards in search of the next star juvenile. The poster boy for this year's catalogue is Limato (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) – a £41,000 purchase three years ago by Peter and Ross Doyle – who very much lived up to the sale's billing as a source of precocious speed by scorching through his 2-year-old-season unbeaten in four runs, including two Listed...

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One-Sided Affair

Deauville's Tuesday card features the return of the unbeaten G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix de Diane heroine La Cressonniere (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) along with three other members of the Jean-Claude Rouget stable in the G2 Prix de la Nonette Beachcomber Hotels le Royal Palm Ile Maurice. Whether or not Antonio Caro and Gerard Augustin-Normand's star performer is capable of making an impact in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is not yet known, and it is unlikely that this 10-furlong contest will offer any firm...

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Frankel's Flying Start Impressive, But Not Matchless
Frankel's Flying Start Impressive, But Not Matchless

Notwithstanding the first-season Royal Ascot hat-tricks of New Approach (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Zoffany (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), it is hard to name a horse in recent years who has made as impressive a start to his stud career as Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). He was, of course, an outstanding champion on the track, but that guarantees nothing as the score-board goes back to zero when a stallion starts out at stud. Frankel's early figures, however, are already excellent: 10 individual winners from 16 individual runners including two stakes winners: G2...

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Irish Date For Skiffle

Godolphin's Skiffle (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), last seen finishing fifth in the G1 Investec Oaks June 3, will make her return to the races in Sunday's G3 Snow Fairy S. at The Curragh over nine furlongs. Trainer Charlie Appleby said the 3-year-old had originally been pencilled in for Tuesday's G2 Prix de la Nonette in Deauville, but he wasn't keen to take on G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G1 Prix de Diane victress La Cressonniere (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}). "She's going to go to Ireland for the Snow Fairy," Appleby...

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Fallon Riding Out In Newmarket

Champion jockey Kieren Fallon, who announced his retirement and battle with depression last month, is riding out in Newmarket for trainer William Haggas after completing the first phase of his depression treatment. Irish Turf Club chief medical officer Dr Adrian McGoldrick said, "Kieren is riding out for William Haggas in Newmarket a couple of mornings a week, but he still attends his aftercare appointments on a Tuesday. Those appointments are in Ireland and he flies back to attend." "He's doing great," McGoldrick added. "I spoke to him last week and...

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Debutante Success For Galileo Daughter Of Halfway To Heaven
Debutante Success For Galileo Daughter Of Halfway To Heaven

Seamie Heffernan enjoyed one of his three G1 Irish 1000 Guineas successes on Halfway To Heaven in 2008 and it was no hardship for him to get the leg up on the unproven Rhododendron on the advice of Aidan O'Brien. The Ballydoyle trainer should know what it takes to win this, having done so on a record 10 occasions before this one with his last four Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Maybe (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Tapestry (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) all going on to win...

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Jeremy's Success Days Pillar-to-Post In the Royal Whip

With US Army Ranger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Fascinating Rock perhaps both ring-rusty on their comeback, it was left to the bold front-runner Success Days who was emerging from his own holiday to reap the benefit and register a clear-cut career-best. One of the main talking-horses of last spring, the grey captured the imagination with his dynamic displays making all in Leopardstown's G3 Ballysax S. and G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial over 10 furlongs before finishing last of the dozen who contested the G1 Epsom Derby and being forced onto...

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Shamardal's Speedy Boarding Takes the Jean Romanet

Giving a further boost to the already formidable credentials of Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who she had trailed in the G1 Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh last time June 25, Speedy Boarding was able to land a second major contest from two trips to France this season. Successful in the 10 1/2-furlong G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud May 29, the homebred who had been fifth in the G1 Irish Oaks at The Curragh last July took a regressive step when last of five in the Pretty Polly but was...

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Lady Aurelia Stays Perfect in the Prix Morny

Having earned 'TDN Rising Star' status when lowering Keeneland's 4 1/2-furlong track record in an Apr. 21 maiden special weight, Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy) posted a scintillating seven-length tally to stay perfect in June's G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot and claimed a career high going three-for-three by wiring the field upped to six furlongs in Sunday's G1 Darley Prix Morny at Deauville. Leading from the outset and allowed a breather on the front end at halfway, the sharply breaking 3-10 favourite gave out few distress signals and established...

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Observations On Sunday's European Racing Scene
Observations On Sunday's European Racing Scene

3.15 The Curragh, Debutantes, €16,500, 2yo, 7fT SAN REMO (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) is the first progeny of the great Cecil standard-setter to race for Ballydoyle, with Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Susan Magnier's bay being a significant member of the cast as a half-brother to last year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix de la Foret hero Make Believe (GB) (Makfi {GB}) and the 2011 GI Gamely S. and GI Yellow Ribbon S. winner Dubawi Heights (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Donnacha O'Brien is booked, with Seamie Heffernan on another...

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Ranger Patrol
Ranger Patrol

It may have lost its Group 2 status, but the G3 Kilfrush Stud Royal Whip S. at The Curragh is as interesting an encounter anywhere around on Sunday as Aidan O'Brien relaunches US Army Ranger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) against Fascinating Rock (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). After just three starts, Susan Magnier's representative is the winner of the May 5 G3 Chester Vase and has finished an excellent second in an above-average renewal of the June 4 G1 Epsom Derby, but Aidan O'Brien is issuing his usual warning with regards to...

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