Europe

Roger Varian is full of confidence ahead of Saturday's G1 QIPCO King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot for which his Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is a warm favourite. The Sheikh Mohammed Obaid-owned 5-year-old is a perfect three from three for Varian and following his four-length defeat of 'TDN Rising Star' Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom in June, Saturday's mid-summer middle-distance showpiece has been the main target. "I'm very confident he's training as well as he was going into Epsom," Varian...

The Marco Botti trained Knife Edge (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) is somewhat of a forgotten horse this year, but his trainer reports him back on course for a racecourse date sometime in August. The Coolmore-owned colt was last seen winning the G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas) at Cologne in May having previously been denied by Tasleet (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) by a short head in the G3 Greenham S. at Chelmsford in April. "Knife Edge had a little bit of a setback when he came back from Germany," explained Botti. "It's nothing...

2.00 Curragh, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, f, 6fT KEY TO MY HEART (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) debuts for Ballydoyle in the contest in which the stable's two subsequent group 1-winning Galileo fillies Tapestry (Ire) and Misty For Me (Ire) broke their maiden. Ryan Moore is on the 1.3million gns TATOCT daughter of the 2010 GI Frizette S. winner A Z Warrior (Bernardini), with the same yard responsible for Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a full-sister to this year's G1 Ranvet S. hero The United States (Ire). They encounter a third Coolmore representative in...

Battered by the Japanese raider A Shin Hikari (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan, Dariyan (Fr) (Shamardal) and Vadamos (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) come out of brief hibernation in Sunday's G3 Prix Messidor at Maisons-Laffitte. While no match for that dynamic performer in the nine-furlong feature at Chantilly May 24, they still managed respectable placings in second and fourth in a race full of talent including the subsequent winners of the G1 Prince of Wales's S. and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. Dariyan had previously won the G1...

Maisons-Laffitte's G2 Prix Eugene Adam has played host to some future headline-makers in its time, with Arcangues, Carnegie (Ire), Dubai Millennium (GB) and Twice Over (GB) the most notable and Sunday's edition looks up to scratch with the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}) at last getting his season started. While the bare form of his success in that mile Longchamp feature has been both boosted and let down by subsequent events, the fact that Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) was back in third suggests it...

The only one to seriously put it up to Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Pretty Polly S. three weeks ago, Bocca Baciata (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) bids for compensation in Sunday's G2 Kilboy Estate S. at The Curragh. Beaten 4 1/2 lengths by Ballydoyle's 1000 Guineas and Oaks heroine, the Niarchos Family's talented bay had some smart rivals well adrift in that June 26 10-furlong contest and peaked over this course and distance last August when the impressive winner of the G3 Dance Design S. “She's in...

It would have been laughable to suggest that Seventh Heaven (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) could win an Irish Oaks immediately after witnessing her demise at Epsom where she was beaten over 30 lengths, but if any stable can turn around a deficit like that it is Ballydoyle and she duly moved some earth to ultimately prevail with a degree of authority in the Darley-sponsored Curragh Classic on Saturday. Apparently unable to deal with the Surrey track's unique contours and camber when a far-off sixth in the Oaks, the half-sister to the...

In the way of the tough and hardy juveniles of the recent past from the Ballydoyle stable, Peace Envoy was out early over five furlongs and duly beat King Electric (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) on his introduction on Dundalk's Polytrack Apr. 8 before failing by a half length to give that Ger Lyons runner five pounds when they met again in a conditions race over the same trip here May 2. Upped to six for the Listed Rochestown S. at Naas May 29, the bay made all there despite giving a...

Flopping when beating only one rival in the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot June 14, last year's G1 Nunthorpe S. heroine Mecca's Angel put that aberration firmly behind her when returning to her previous pomp with this clear-cut victory. Runner-up to Stepper Point (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) in this race 12 months ago prior to upstaging Acapulco (Scat Daddy) when everything aligned for her in York's premier sprint the following month, the grey had returned with what appeared an ideal warm-up for the King's Stand when second to Profitable...

Disappointing when eighth of nine in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot June 18, The Tin Man was able to re-establish his reputation here with a smooth success under an ice-cool ride from Tom Queally. Brought along with panache by James Fanshawe last term, the bay registered an impressive success in the six-furlong Bristol H. at Ascot in early October 13 days before running a highly creditable fourth to Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. on that track's feature Day. Back...

Though it came as a surprise to many Mont Ormel's (Fr) (Air Chief Marshall {Ire}) win in Thursday's G1 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris was far from a shock for his trainer Pia Brandt. The Swedish native who has been based in France for the last ten years was registering her first Group 1 success and she had been confident Mont Ormel had the required talent to make an impact at the top level. "I was not shocked, he is progressing all the time and we knew we had a...

In its centenary year, San Sebastian racecourse is set to welcome bumper fields for its quartet of big races judging by entries released on Friday. Recent listed Gran Premio de Madrid winner Madrileño (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}), from the stable of Spain's champion trainer Guillermo Arizkorreta, will attempt to add another major title to his record in the €68,000 Copa de Oro, one of two listed contests in the San Sebastian programme which is run on Aug. 15. A record 28 entries have been received, 14 of which are from...