Europe

Andre Fabre reports Godolphin's Usherette (Ire) (Shamardal), a winner of the G2 Dahlia S. and G2 Duke of Cambridge S. this season, to have bled in last week's G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket. Sent off the 11-10 favourite for the Group 1 after impressing at Royal Ascot, she trailed home sixth behind Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the seven-runner Group 1. Fabre said,"She was scoped after the race and it showed up that she had bled. On a scale of five, she was a two. It's a bit indeterminate...

All roads lead to York and the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. for Profitable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) following his creditable fourth-place effort in the G1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket on Saturday. The sixth furlong proved the undoing of Clive Cox's star sprinter, who will return to the minimum trip over which he has a 100% record this season with victories in the G3 Palace House S., G2 Temple S. and G1 King's Stand S. "He's come back out of the race very well indeed," said Cox. "It was a...

Ed Walker is looking at the Aug. 14 G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville for his gallant G1 Prix Jean Prat runner-up Stormy Antarctic (GB) (Stormy Atlantic), but he is in no great rush to tackle the impressive winner Zelzal (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) again. Stormy Antarctic won the G3 Craven S. back in April, but pulled a muscle in his shoulder when running down the field in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. His problems are now behind him though, and Walker can plan the rest of...

At the risk of being accused of an acute lack of imagination, I'm afraid the topic once again has to be the extraordinary Galileo. How could it be anything else, when the Coolmore champion was responsible for four group/graded winners in the space of three days last week, including top-level winners on both sides of the Atlantic? It was also a week when Galileo's astonishing son Frankel improved his score to seven winners from nine first-crop runners, with his tally being boosted by Seven Heavens in England and Toulifaut in...

The Hong Kong racing season ended Sunday, with the 83 race meetings generating total turnover of HK$106.14 billion, the second-highest ever recorded behind the 2015 figure of HK$107.92 billion. A 45,783-strong crowd--a four-year high for the season finale--turned out to witness the final card of the 2015-2016 season, with eyes already focused on the next racing year, which will feature 88 race meetings. "A year ago, despite having just secured record turnover figures, we talked about the season ahead being one of resilience due to the slowing down of the...

Purely in terms of the demands made on his time and energy, you can see why training is said to be a young man's game. But the recurring dilemmas raised by the mental and physical frailties of the Thoroughbred surely redress the professional balance in favour of his elders. And the fact is that many of those fashionable young thrusters whose patrons favour them with yearlings far more expensive than have ever found their way to Kingston Warren were not even born when Henry Candy, learning the ropes in Chantilly,...

Last seen finishing fifth in the G2 Derby Italiano at the Capannelle May 22, Isfahan found something extra to prevail in a nail-biting finale to the premier domestic Classic. Already flagging his talent at two as the G3 Preis des Winterfavoriten title-holder, the chestnut was unable to follow his success in Cologne's mile feature when only sixth in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in November. Back with a clear-cut win in the 10-furlong G3 Bavarian Classic at Munich May 1, he had failed to land a blow as the favourite...

This season has been all Rouget, Rouget, Rouget and the story remained unchanged on Sunday as Zelzal provided the latest highlight for the Pau stable when gaining the top-level success his trainer had seen coming some time ago. Creating a lasting impression on his first two successful Polytrack starts over 7 1/2 furlongs at Deauville Mar. 4 and over this trip at this track Apr. 6, the bay flopped under positive tactics when 11th in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains back at Deauville May 15. Returning to be the...

Some time before Jean-Claude Rouget was a household name in Europe, Joseph Allen saw what others had yet to and it was War Flag's half-brother Battle Paint who brought the partnership to the forefront when second in the 2006 G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. He was followed by the eventual GII Strub S. runner-up Blue Exit and 2009 G2 Prix de Sandringham scorer Homebound, before the floodgates opened and the green-and-white checks were prominent in the better French races year upon year. War Flag has enjoyed the typical Rouget nursing early...

One horse that will probably target 'Glorious Goodwood' is Magical Memory (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) with a drop down to five furlongs on the cards following his disappointing effort in the G1 July Cup. The Charlie Hills-trained gelding was a well-supported second favourite for the race, but he never managed to land a blow under Frankie Dettori. "He's fine, but Frankie felt at no stage did he ever get a clear run," said Sam Hoskins, racing manager for owners Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds. "He would never have beaten Limato, but we're a...

In the immediate aftermath following the thrilling performance of Limato (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) in Saturday's G1 Darley July Cup, Henry Candy threw out the possibility of the 4-year-old lining up over a mile in the G1 Qatar Sussex S. at Goodwood later this month. However upon reflection that prospect now seems unlikely with Candy keen on giving Paul Jacobs' gelding more time to recover from his Newmarket exertions. "Limato was still very excitable when he returned to the yard and was very chuffed with himself," said Candy. "He was throwing...

The G2 Missile S. at Randwick Aug. 6 has been earmarked as the first major target of the new season for Capitalist (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}). The 'TDN Rising Star' and G1 Golden Slipper winner will first take in a barrier trial on Friday and co-trainer Peter Snowden is looking forward to getting him back on track. "He had five or six weeks off and he's been in work about two-and-a-half months. So far, touch wood, everything is going fine,” Snowden told racingandsports.com. "He trials this Friday and possibly has...