Europe

5.55 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, f, 7fT BUTTERFLIES (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is a half-sister to the "Iron Horse" Giant's Causeway, as well as the G2 Cherry Hinton S. scorer You'resothrilling (Storm Cat), later the dam of Galileo's G1 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S. hero Gleneagles (Ire) and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Marvellous (Ire). Aidan O'Brien introduces Michael Tabor's representative against Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Mujaazy (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), a Dermot Weld-trained granddaughter of the 2007 GII New York S. winner Makderah (Ire) (Danehill)....

Choungaya (Fr) (Walk In The Park {Ire}), became the highest-priced lot thus far at the Goffs Land Rover Sale when selling to Harold Kirk and trainer Willie Mullins for €165,000 on Wednesday. Wednesday's session marked the second of three days of trade. A total of 158 were sold on the day from 182 offered, at a buyback rate of 13.2%. The average was up slightly on the opening day figure, finishing at €34,674, while the median dipped slightly from opening day at €27,500. The aggregate for the day was €5,478,500....

There has been an addition to the structure for registering stallions to the European Breeders Fund, the EBF announced Wednesday. In an attempt to reduce the burden for those standing stallions covering small books, the minimum fee for registering will now encompass stallions covering 10 mares or less and for an average nomination of €2,500/£2000. The minimum fee to register a stallion has also been increased to €500/£350 from €450. "Previously, there has been no distinction between a stallion covering around eight mares or those covering up to 64 mares,"...

Godolphin's Skiffle (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), fifth in last Friday's G1 Investec Oaks in her third start, will now get a summer break, according to trainer Charlie Appleby. Skiffle had been supplemented to the Oaks at a cost of £30,000 after winning Goodwood's Listed Height Of Fashion S. May 19, but was beaten 24 lengths by Minding at Epsom. Trainer Charlie Appleby said the filly's lack of seasoning saw her out. "Basically, the filly showed her inexperience round there," said Appleby. "[Jockey] William [Buick]'s first reaction was the ground, as it...

2nd-HAY, £5,000, Cond, 6-8, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:13.11, g/f. +FAIR EVA (GB) (f, 2, Frankel {GB}--African Rose {GB} {Hwt. 3yo-Fr at 5-7f, G1SW-Eng, SW & G1SP-Fr, $401,755}, by Observatory), sent off the even-money favourite to provide her incomparable sire with a third winner out of his first four starters, was green initially after a tardy break and allowed time to creep to the back of the leading group by Ryan Moore. Taken to the far side to gain the advantage without being asked a serious question approaching the final two...

Ed Chamberlin, a longtime member of the Sky Sports team and current presenter of its football coverage, will present ITV's racing coverage when it takes over from current broadcaster, Channel 4, in 2017. Chamberlin has a background in racing, having previously worked for Ladbrokes. "I am absolutely thrilled to be joining ITV and to be given this great opportunity," Chamberlin said. "These are exciting times with ITV returning as the home of British racing from Jan. 1, 2017." ITV has signed an exclusive four-year deal to cover British racing on...

Confirmation stages for the three opening-day Group 1s at Royal Ascot June 14 took place on Wednesday. A total of 17 stood their ground for the festival's opening contest, the G1 Queen Anne S., headed by American raider and champion grass mare Tepin (Bernstein). Other big names lined up to oppose the 5-year-old mare include last year's G1 Coronation S. winner at this meeting, French Classic winner Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}); recent G1 Lockinge S. winner Belardo (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}); and Group 1-winning French mare Esoterique (Ire) (Danehill...

Khalid Abdullah's Exosphere (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}), an upset but eye-catching winner of the G2 Jockey Club S. at Newmarket Apr. 30, is set to take in the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot next week, and has also been given an entry in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. over the same course July 23. Exosphere was trying group company for the first time in the Jockey Club and got the measure of last year's G1 St Leger winner Simple Verse (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire})...

2.40 Haydock, Cond, £5,000, 2yo, f, 6fT FAIR EVA (GB) (Frankel {GB}) becomes the first Juddmonte homebred runner by Frankel, and fourth overall, to hit the track and debuts for the in-form Roger Charlton yard. She is out of the G1 Sprint Cup victress African Rose (GB) (Observatory), herself a full-sister to G1 Prix Marcel Boussac runner-up Helleborine (GB), and faces a cast of eight which includes fellow debutantes Hazy Manor (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}), a Tom Dascombe-trained full-sister to the stakes-winning G1 Epsom Derby fifth Humphrey Bogart (Ire); and Miss...

Ascot Racecourse has released details of its enhanced facilities and benefits for horsemen a week ahead of the kickoff of Royal Ascot. The upgrades include a new unsaddling enclosure and new owners' and trainers' dining facilities on the upstairs first floor of the Pre-Parade Ring building. The Grundy Bar on the lawn level has been designated exclusively for owners' and trainers', and this year owners will be allocated 10 parade ring passes per horse, up from six last year. Racehorse Owners Association Chief Executive Charlie Liverton said, "The ROA wholeheartedly...

At the Races has once again secured all UK and Irish broadcasting and betting rights, as well as international online streaming and betting rights to several further territories, to the 2016 Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 5 and 6 at Santa Anita. At The Races, which last year recorded a total audience of 457,000 for Breeders' Cup Saturday, will acquire licensed betting shop rights for the Breeders' Cup for the first time as part of the agreement. Matthew Imi, chief executive of At The Races, said, "The Breeders' Cup continues...

The catalogue for the Tattersalls July Sale is now available online and, at 873 lots, is the largest collection of horses for the midsummer mixed auction since 2008. A sizeable draft from Godolphin, which comprises almost a tenth of the catalogue, contains two Group/Grade 1-winning mares in foal to speedy young Darley stallions. The 16-year-old Favourable Terms (GB) (Selkirk) (lot 163), winner of the G1 Nassau S., is carrying to Slade Power (Ire) on an Apr. 3 covering, while the treble Argentinean Grade 1 winner Emotion Parade (Arg) (Parade Marshal)...