Europe

The catalogue for Goffs UK's Premier Yearling Sale is now online, and will see 487 yearlings offered for sale at Doncaster Aug. 23 and 24. The sale that has produced recent stars like Group 1-winning sprinters Limato (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) and Peniaphobia (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and G1 Investec Oaks-placed Architecture (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) will this year offer relations to numerous stakes winners including lot 66, an Invincible Spirit (Ire) colt out of a half-sister to champion 2-year-old filly Hooray (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}); lot 121, a Dark Angel (Ire)...

In an ongoing saga of the summer, The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was in front of Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) this time on Goodwood's Downs after a thrilling tussle for the G1 Qatar Sussex S. which also involved another 3-year-old in Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}). Second to the 2000 Guineas winner in Royal Ascot's G1 St James's Palace S. June 14 before filling that same position in the G1 Eclipse S. at Sandown July 2, The Gurkha was the subject of significant heavy support into 11-8 favouritism and...

Brian Kavanagh has been re-appointed by the board as chief executive of Horse Racing Ireland for a period of five years from September 2016. Kavanagh will continue to serve as vice chairman of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities and chairman of the European Mediterranean Horseracing Federation. He will also continue to chair the European Pattern Race Committee. HRI Chairman Joe Keeling, said, "I am delighted that we have secured Brian's services as CEO of Horse Racing Ireland for a further five years. Brian is one of the leading racing...

   Disappointing when only 12th in the June 4 G1 Epsom Derby, Ulysses bounced back to where connections have long hoped he would be on this quicker surface to provide trainer Sir Michael Stoute with a ninth renewal. Second to the smart subsequent London Gold Cup winner Imperial Aviator (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) over 10 furlongs at Leicester on his 3-year-old bow Apr. 23, the son of the 2007 Epsom Oaks heroine Light Shift was 4-11 when breaking his maiden by eight lengths over that trip at Newbury May 13...

7.00 Sandown, Mdn, £6,000, 2yo, 7f 16yT MONARCHS GLEN (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is the first Juddmonte homebred colt by the sire to race, with John Gosden charged with the son of the 2006 GIII Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile winner Mirabilis (Lear Fan), who in turn is a half to the 2003 G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp heroine Nebraska Tornado (Storm Cat). Among the other newcomers is the Niarchos Family's Elucidation (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a Sir Michael Stoute-trained colt whose dam is a...

Connections of Namhroodah (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was demoted from first to third for allegedly causing interference in the July 22 Listed Valiant S. at Ascot, have announced they will appeal that decision. The 4-year-old was deemed to have interfered with the third-past-the-post Irish Rookie (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}). Namhroodah's disqualification handed the win to second-home Red Box (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), with Irish Rookie moving up to second. Namhroodah is trained by James Tate for Saeed Manana, and the owner's racing manager Bruce Raymond said, "James is...

Horse Racing Ireland has launched its Industry Assistance Program, which has the aim of improving the well-being of the 14,500 staff working in the Thoroughbred industry. The programme, funded through HRI's Industry Education and Training Department, will offer round-the-clock support to industry staff including a 24/7 telephone support line and online resource centre to assist in a wide range of areas including legal, financial, health and parenting advice, promotion of mindfulness techniques and crisis management. The programme is available to all Thoroughbred industry employees including stud staff, stable staff, breeders,...

Last week, this space discussed and theorised about the potential impact of drugs that seek to enhance the peak performance levels of racehorses (click here). Unsurprisingly, the piece generated quite a bit of comment given just how hot a topic performance-enhancing drugs in sport is right now. However, while drugs such as anabolic steroids and cobalt chloride that bid to enhance peak performance levels are the ones that many people fear the most, horse racing arguably has far bigger problems with another medication-related issue, that of an over-reliance on and...

One of the hardest-campaigned of the juveniles lining up for Wednesday's G3 Molecomb S. at Glorious Goodwood, The Last Lion (GB) (Choisir {Aus}) will prove a tough nut to crack in this demanding speed test. Runner-up to Prince of Lir (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in Royal Ascot's G2 Norfolk S. over this trip June 16, John Brown and Megan Dennis's gritty performer came back reinvigorated from that tussle to register an authoritative win in the Listed Dragon S. also at this distance at Sandown July 1. "I think he is the...

Having looked an exciting prospect when winning his maiden with real verve at Newbury May 13, the subsequent flop of Ulysses (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Epsom Derby briefly tempered enthusiasm about the Niarchos homebred, but Wednesday's G3 Beringice Gordon S. at Goodwood offers the chance to get back on track. The son of the Oaks heroine Light Shift (Kingmambo) was only 12th in the June 4 blue riband, but Saturday's King George hints that the form of that race may be strong, and he races on faster ground...

On the whole, the 3-year-olds have dominated Goodwood's G1 Sussex S., with six of the last eight renewals going their way, and the betting for Wednesday's Qatar-sponsored edition only serves to enhance the impression that the latest one will follow that trend. The first three home in Royal Ascot's G1 St James's Palace S. June 14, Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}), The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) are all here alongside the G3 Jersey S. winner Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) to make up a...

Tributes have been paid to former leading amateur rider John Thomas 'JT' McNamara, who died on Monday night at his home in Co Limerick at the age of 41. Considered one of the best amateurs of his generation, the Irishman won major races at Aintree and the Cheltenham Festival, including the 2012 National Hunt Chase aboard Teaforthree (Ire). Twelve months later he suffered severe paralysis in a first-fence fall from Galaxy Rock (Ire) in the 2013 Fulke Walywn Kim Muir Challenge Cup at Cheltenham. Remembering his colleague in a broadcast...