Europe

Untried even at home until March, Lady Bamford's homebred Wings of Desire (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) bids to advance his rapid upward trajectory from zero to hero in Saturday's G1 Investec Derby at Epsom. Already a winner of the esteemed G2 Dante S. after debuting less than a month previously, the close relative of the 2009 Oaks winner Sariska (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) has been described by John Gosden as "slightly freakish," and that description could prove apt if he can provide his trainer with a third Derby after the wins of...

GAIN Horse Feeds has renewed its sponsorship of The Curragh's G2 Railway S. for 2016. The 2-year-old contest takes place June 25, G1 Irish Derby day. "The Curragh has enjoyed a very positive partnership with GAIN since 2012, and we are delighted that they have agreed to extend their sponsorship of the Railway S. again this year," said Evan Arkwright, Commercial Manager of The Curragh Racecourse. "The race has consistently attracted some of the best 2-year-olds in Europe, many who have gone on to Group 1 success."

Following the winning performances of the Dermot Weld-trained Footbridge (GB) (Zamindar) and Adool (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) at Fairyhouse on Thursday, all 26 Plus 10 bonuses available to 3-year-old maidens at Irish tracks have been won. Footbridge and Adool each earned €12,500 bonuses. The total bonus pool reached its cap of €325,000, which was shared between 17 owners and 21 breeders.

The catalogue for Arqana's Summer Sale June 29 to July 1 is online. The sale is comprised of 375 lots, including unraced 2-year-olds bred for the flat; 2- and 3-year-old store horses; broodmares and fillies; horses-in-training; and two stallions. Fifteen wildcard spaces are still available for horses in training, broodmares and fillies coming out of training.

Legendary Lunch, who became the second winner for Dragon Pulse (Ire) (Kyllachy {GB}) going a shade over five panels at Windsor on debut Apr. 25, was turned over as the 1-5 chalk when falling a half length short of Sea of Snow over the same Berkshire strip in his only other go last time May 16, and claimed a first stakes win for his freshman sire by a diminishing margin in this black-type bow. The chestnut was a shade keen under attempted restraint and scraped paint along the fence in...

1.45 Saint-Cloud, Debutantes, €25,000, 3yo, c/g, 10fT QATARI GOLD (Lemon Drop Kid) makes a belated start to his career for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani, who paid $500,000 for him at Keeneland September. Out of a full-sister to the 2009 GII Vagrancy H. winner Carolyn's Cat (Forestry), the bay, who had also sold for $325,000 as a foal, is introduced by Mikel Delzangles and meets Fair Salinia and Whitehaven Investments's Remember the Man (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}, an Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained son of the 2005 G3 Prix Penelope winner and...

Order of St George returns under a seven-pound penalty as a result of his powerhouse performance in the G1 Irish St Leger at The Curragh in September. Donnacha O'Brien takes the ride on the G1 Gold Cup contender, who was part-purchased by Nick Williams for his father Lloyd last year, and he should make light work of his rivals if he is anywhere near his best. Aidan O'Brien used this race as a springboard for his Royal Ascot heroes Fame and Glory (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Yeats (Ire), and with...

Australian champion 2-year-old Vancouver (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro–Skates {Aus}, by Danehill), who capped his unbeaten juvenile campaign last year with a win in the G1 Golden Slipper, has been retired and will enter stud at Coolmore Australia later this year. Vancouver was targeting the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot for trainer Aidan O'Brien, but missed his intended European debut in The Curragh's G3 Greenlands S. at The Curragh two weeks ago after returning an unsatisfactory blood picture. O'Brien noted that the 3-year-old's condition failed to sufficiently improve. "Vancouver's unsatisfactory...

Ryan Moore will be on US Army Ranger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) of the quintet of Ballydoyle runners in Saturday's 237th renewal of the G1 Investec Derby at Epsom. Drawn 15 of the 16 colts who go to post, Susan Magnier's May 5 G3 Chester Vase winner will be joined by stablemates Deauville (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}); 'TDN Rising Star' Idaho (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}); Port Douglas (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}); and Shogun (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Jamie Spencer is on Fitri Hay's May 12 G2 Dante S. runner-up Deauville; Seamie Heffernan will partner...

Officially rated upwards of nine pounds above all rivals in Friday's G1 Investec Oaks at Epsom, Derrick Smith's Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is set to get back on the Classic track after a brief derailment in the May 22 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh. As authoritative as the form book said she was in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket three weeks prior to that contest, last year's G1 Moyglare Stud S. and G1 Fillies' Mile heroine was surprisingly beaten a head by the spirited front-runner Jet Setting...

Following a highly successful start to the season and with the 2000 Guineas already in the bag, TDN columnist, Hugo Palmer, considers the merits of international campaigns for his horses. Hugo enjoyed a Group 1 victory on Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe day last year when G1 Irish Oaks heroine, Covert Love (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) landed the Prix de l´Opera, and is seeking further success on foreign soil this year. There are some very strong race programmes in Europe, particularly in France and Germany. My first-ever stakes winner was...

MOORE SIDES WITH RANGER Ryan Moore will be on US Army Ranger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) of the quintet of Ballydoyle runners in Saturday's 237th renewal of the G1 Investec Derby at Epsom. Drawn 15 of the 16 colts who go to post, Susan Magnier's May 5 G3 Chester Vase winner will be joined by stablemates Deauville (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), TDN Rising Star Idaho (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Port Douglas (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Shogun (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Jamie Spencer is on Fitri Hay's May 12 G2 Dante S. runner-up Deauville,...