Europe

Having done the right thing on debut, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's Promise to Be True (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) bids to emulate the G3 Jockey Club of Turkey Silver Flash S. success of her full-sister Maybe (Ire) at Leopardstown on Thursday. Showing a serious change of gear to win over 7 1/2 furlongs at Tipperary June 30, Ballydoyle's bay is taken on by a potentially smart rival in the Joseph O'Brien-trained Intricately (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who beat some useful colts on debut over this trip at Gowran...

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), heavily favoured to defend his title in Saturday's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot, has been ruled out of the mile-and-a-half contest after trainer Roger Varian revealed he is suffering from a respiratory infection. The condition was discovered after the 5-year-old was scoped on Wednesday. "Up until this point, Postponed had not given us any worry during his training regime," Varian said. "However, we felt Postponed did not work with his usual zest this morning and a subsequent scope...

7.05 Sandown, Mdn, £6,000, 2yo, 7f 16yT LEADER'S LEGACY (War Front), who cost $900,000 at Keeneland September, debuts for Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor. Out of the 2012 GII Robert J Frankel S. winner Bauble Queen (Arch), he meets a notable Richard Hannon-trained newcomer in Procurator (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}), a full-brother to last year's G2 Railway S. winner Painted Cliffs (Ire). 9.00 Naas, Cond, €15,000, 3yo/up, 8fT ENDLESS DRAMA (IRE) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) takes a huge class drop in search of that all-important boost to his confidence after...

Flaxman Stables's Bocca Baciata (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) made the most of a class drop to return to the winner's enclosure in Sunday's G2 Kilboy Estate S. and Alan Cooper, the owner's racing manager, reported the 4-year-old filly will now step back up to Group 1 company. Bocca Baciata was second to Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Pretty Polly S. two starts back at The Curragh June 26. "We were all delighted with her the other day and she's a good, improving filly," Cooper said. "We'd obviously...

Last month's G1 Diamond Jubilee S. runner-up Gold-Fun (Ire) (Le Vie Dei Colori {GB}) will line up next in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville Aug. 7 and will not contest the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup Sept. 3, according to trainer Richard Gibson. "Gold-Fun is very well and came home from Ascot in good shape," Gibson said of the Hong Kong-based shipper. "The plan is now the Prix Maurice de Gheest, and he's very much an intended runner at Deauville on Aug. 7. It's an ideal race for...

The catalogue for Goffs UK's August Sale–which will offer 362 horses at Doncaster Aug. 3–is now online. The catalogue includes stores and flat and National Hunt horses in training, including a special dispersal from Potensis Bloodstock. There are also big drafts to be presented from Godolphin, the Aga Khan, Juddmonte and Shadwell, as well as leading trainers like Alan King, Alan Swinbank, David O'Meara, John Gosden, Kevin Ryan, Nicky Henderson, Paul Nicholls, Richard Hannon, Stuart Crawford and Venetia Williams. Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said, "We welcome back the...

Francesca Cumani has been confirmed as co-host to Ed Chamberlin when Britain's flat racing coverage switches to ITV next year. Cumani, who has done television work for the likes of CNN and Australia's Channel Seven, will cover up to 50 days of flat racing when ITV's four-year contract begins next year. "I'm hugely excited to be part of ITV's new racing team and looking forward to working with Ed Chamberlin covering the flat season from next year," Cumani said. "To be involved in bringing viewers coverage of some of the...

Coolmore's Galileo, who must now rank as one of the all-time great sires, now has his 11th crop of 3-year-olds racing. At a time when many sires of his age are commencing to fade, Galileo might be stronger than ever; at least that's what the new run of the Midyear 2016 APEX figures suggest. Covering 6 1/2 years of racing in North America, 'Europe' (Britain [for now], Ireland, France, and Germany), and Japan, from the beginning of 2010 through July 11, Galileo has surged clear of even Claiborne's War Front...

The European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation agreed arrangements at its executive council meeting in Slovakia on Monday to assist the racing authorities of its member countries in the training and development of their racecourse officials. As part of the initiative, racing authorities from France, Germany, Britain and Ireland offer officials from other member countries the opportunity to spend time with and learn from them. EMHF Chairman Brian Kavanagh said, "education is a central focus of the EMHF. This exciting new initiative will complement our established programme of seminars in providing...

Adrian Keatley has identified the G3 Fairy Bridge S. at Tipperary as a likely comeback target for his G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}). Bought for just 12,000 guineas out of Richard Hannon's stable last autumn, the 3-year-old claimed a shock victory over the brilliant Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) at The Curragh in May and went under the hammer for a cool £1.3million on the eve of Royal Ascot. She made her debut in the colours of the China Horse Club just four days later...

The much respected British national hunt stallion Midnight Legend (GB) (Night Shift--Myth I {GB}, by Troy {GB}) has died at the age of 25. Originally trained by Luca Cumani for whom he won the Listed March S. at Goodwood, he then embarked on a jumping career under the care of the late David 'Duke' Nicholson where he amassed important wins at both the Aintree and Punchestown festivals. He was bought by David and Kathleen Holmes of Pitchall Farm in 2001 and when his stock began to reach the racecourse it...

No owner-breeder can be totally happy when a mare or filly culled from their broodmare band goes on to shine for her new owner. The practicalities, though, are that quite a few fillies and mares have to be sold simply to keep an operation's numbers manageable--especially so if the breeder is keen to keep adding new blood to the genetic pool. In reality, occasionally letting something worthwhile slip through the net is the best way of ensuring that demand stays high and that the surplus mares and fillies achieve maximum...