Europe

4.25 Naas, Mdn, €15,500, 2yo, 7fT WHITECLIFFSOFDOVER (War Front) bids to build on a debut fourth behind stablemate and subsequent G2 July S. runner-up Intelligence Cross (War Front) over six furlongs at The Curragh in June. Michael Tabor's $1.15million KEESEP half-brother to the 2014 GI Beldame S. third Endless Chatter (First Samurai) from the immediate family of Pulpit is joined by the fellow Aidan O'Brien-trained North Carolina (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), an unraced full-brother to Sword Fighter (Ire) as they encounter Qatar Racing's Lightening Fast (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the son of...

It is still not four months since The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) finished third in a maiden at Leopardstown. Yet he has now won two Group 1 races and arguably looked the classiest horse in two others, just outstayed in deep ground over 10f up the Sandown hill and given the slip while caught in traffic at Royal Ascot. Yet if his blend of quality and toughness somewhat evokes a previous Ballydoyle champion in Giant's Causeway (Storm Cat), then the resemblance is arguably stronger still in his biggest rival. The...

Dancing Star (GB) took the quickstep to success in Saturday's Qatar Stewards' Cup to become the top-rated runner for her ill-fated sire Aqlaam (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the first filly to win the competitive sprint prize since her relation Lochsong (GB) (Song {GB}) in 1992. Her trainer Andrew Balding is considering a trip north for the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup on Sept. 17, ahead of a longer-term aim of a likely seasonal swansong in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint at Ascot a month later. He said, "It's...

Shalaa (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), the leading juvenile in England in 2015 for Al Shaqab Racing, has been out of action since fracturing his pelvis in the spring, but has now resumed cantering with John Gosden's string in Newmarket. The trainer is aiming to have the dual Group 1 winner, who was last seen winning the G1 Middle Park S. in September, back in time for the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint on Oct. 15. "If he has a completely uninterrupted preparation, then there is a possibility that he might...

The late Darley sire Street Cry (Ire) (Machiavellian) has been crowned champion sire in Australia as the 2015-16 season drew to a close yesterday. The winner of the G1 Dubai World Cup and GI Stephen Foster H. in the blue of Godolphin, Street Cry retired to Jonabell Farm in Kentucky in 2003. Initial shuttle stints to Darley Australia's Northwood Park Farm in Seymour produced some notable runners, including the 2009 G1 Emirates Melbourne Cup hero Shocking (Aus) and G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Whobegotyou (Aus). Following a two-year hiatus from travelling,...

A new chapter was written in the extraordinary success story of the first crop of Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) on Sunday when the Juddmonte stallion posted his first winner in Japan. Making her debut at Sapporo, his regally-bred daughter Soul Stirring (Jpn), out of the six-time Group/Grade 1 winner Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}), made a late thrust for glory to win by a neck in the 1800-metre newcomers' race. Bred by Teruya Yoshida's Shadai Farm, Soul Stirring is the second foal of Stacelita. Her half-sister Southern Stars (GB) (Smart Strike...

Coming to the fore when winning the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 17, Qemah returned home to confirm her lofty status among the miling fillies and continue the formidable streak of trainer Jean-Claude Rouget into the Deauville festival. Looking far from the filly she has become when introduced here in August, the bay quickly left behind the form of that debut sixth behind the TDN Rising Star Antonoe (First Defence) over 7 1/2 furlongs when dispatching the subsequent multiple listed winner Doha Dream (Fr) (Shamardal) over an extra...

Breaking her maiden at the first attempt over 5 1/2 furlongs on testing ground at Chantilly at the start of June, Alrahma was able to step up and beat the colts in this first pattern-race test of the Deauville festival. Settled just off the pace early by Aurelien Lemaitre, the dark bay grabbed the lead with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and stayed on best to secure the win from another filly in Fixette, with the favourite North Thunder only staying on at the one pace in third. "She is a...

Following an impressive 4 1/2-length success on debut over six furlongs at Maisons-Laffitte June 29, North Thunder (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) heads to post attempting to provide trainer Andre Fabre with an eighth renewal of Deauville's G3 Prix de Cabourg on Sunday. Al Shaqab Racing's exciting prospect encounters another unexposed type in Alrahma (GB) (Shamardal), Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's once-raced filly who scored narrowly over 5 1/2 furlongs on testing ground at Chantilly at the start of June. Mark Johnston's 2-year-olds continue to thrive, and Sheikh Hamdan bin...

Bragging rights among Germany's middle-distance runners are up for grabs at present, and Sunday's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis at Munich offers the opportunity for a clear leader to emerge. Ito (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) would have enjoyed such a position on last year's form, when he captured the 12-furlong G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern by four lengths here in November, but he has questions to answer now following a latest third in the G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft over 11 furlongs May 29. On that occasion the Gestut Schlenderhan homebred was...

Deauville is back with a vengeance on Sunday, when the G1 Prix Rothschild presents another fascinating stand-off between the generations. France, Britain and Ireland are all represented by some choice 3-year-olds, with the home nation boasting the G1 Coronation S. heroine Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who is met once more by Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Jean-Claude Rouget has carried all before him so far this season and the former sports the Al Shaqab Racing silks, whose racing manager Harry Herbert said, "She ran a great race at Ascot...

SIX OF THE BEST Few expected any kind of turn-up in Saturday's G1 Qatar Nassau S. at Goodwood and the race ultimately went to script, with Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) garnering a sixth top-level success without too much stress. Emulating Ballydoyle's Peeping Fawn (Danehill) and Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) in adding this prize to an already impressive tally, Derrick Smith's all-conquering G1 1000 Guineas, G1 Epsom Oaks and G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine was not given an especially hard time despite the respectable effort of TDN Rising Star...