Europe

3.20 Curragh, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, f, 6fT HOW (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) bids to improve on a debut ninth in the Naas maiden won by her Listed Marble Hill S.-bound stablemate Roly Poly (War Front) and is one of a quartet to renew rivalries from that hot-looking contest. Derrick Smith's daughter of Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and full-sister to the G1 1000 Guineas heroine Minding (Ire) is joined by fellow Aidan O'Brien trainee Brave Anna (War Front), Evie Stockwell's full-sister to last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner...

After a 10-year battle, the Court of Appeals in Nantes, France has revoked the authorization for the global conglomerate Guy Dauphin Environnement (GDE) to operate a waste dump in Nonant-le-Pin. The decision, handed down Friday, effectively puts an end to the long standoff between GDE and the Sauvegarde des Terres d'Elevage, a group of breeders and farmers who opposed the giant auto parts dump in the middle of some of the world's most beautiful Thoroughbred breeding grounds. The dump operated for two days in 2013 before protestors blocked the entrance...

Aidan O'Brien has confirmed Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh, with the stable's Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) ruled out on Friday morning due to an unsatisfactory blood test. As a result, Derrick Smith's impressive G1 1000 Guineas heroine will bid to become only the third filly to complete the Classic double after Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}) in 2004 and Finsceal Beo (Ire) (Mr. Greeley) three years later. "Obviously it was a change of heart when Ballydoyle's blood came in wrong this morning,"...

Off the track for 10 months, last year's G1 1000 Guineas runner-up Lucida (Ire) (Shamardal) returns for the Jim Bolger stable in Saturday's G2 Lanwades Stud S. at The Curragh. Sixth of seven, but beaten less than two lengths, in Newmarket's G1 Falmouth in July, the homebred had previously finished third in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot after her effort in the Newmarket Classic. "Lucida is just having her first run back and we are obviously working towards Royal Ascot with her," Godolphin's John Ferguson said. "Jim wasn't...

With an unbeaten record still intact after six starts, Nicholas Wrigley and Kevin Hart's upwardly-mobile Don't Touch (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) takes to The Curragh on Saturday to try his hand at pattern company in the G2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands S. at The Curragh. Extending his sequence on his first proper test in the Ayr Gold Cup H. over this six-furlong trip in September, the bay returned in the same heart to capture a potentially tricky conditions race at that distance at Haydock May 7, and will be a warm...

As so often in 2015, trainer Michael Dods is having to look to the skies as he prepares to unleash Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in Saturday's G2 Temple S. at Haydock. Much protected last term, the grey paid back the patience of connections by overcoming Acapulco (Scat Daddy) in the G1 Nunthorpe S. over this five-furlong trip at York in August. That was the third and final start of her campaign, hindered by unsuitably quick ground, and Dods will pull her again if the forecast wet weather fails...

Not so long ago just one of a number of trainers looking to scale the ladder, Hugo Palmer now finds himself in the cherished position of saddling Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) in an attempt to become the ninth colt to complete the G1 English-Irish 2000 Guineas double in the Tattersalls-sponsored Classic at The Curragh on Saturday. There was a definite air of authority in his 1 1/2-length defeat of Massaat (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) at Newmarket three weeks ago, and Al Shaqab's chestnut has barely looked back since, but...

G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas winner Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}), who looks for a Classic double in Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, was removed from the G1 Investec Derby at Friday's forfeit stage. There had been much speculation in recent weeks surrounding the Al Shaqab colourbearer's Derby participation. Trainer Hugo Palmer initially ruled him out after a gene test revealed a sprinter/miler profile, with racing advisor Harry Herbert later revealing the door was still open for the chestnut to participate in the blue riband. That door has now been...

Godolphin's Holler (Aus) (Commands {Aus}) is headed for Royal Ascot's G1 Diamond Jubilee S. after pleasing connections with a second-place finish in a Randwick barrier trial Friday. "That was all I wanted him to do, have a nice hit-out and stay out of trouble," said trainer John O'Shea. "He's got a lot of residual fitness. He'll have another gallop in about a week which will leave us a bit to work with when we get to England." Holler won the 1300-metre G1 Canterbury S. at Randwick Mar. 5 and was...

   Zghorta Dance bettered a Sept. 22 debut third at Bordeaux-le-Bouscat by closing her juvenile campaign with a brace of wins at Deauville Oct. 21 and Dec. 2, and returned this term to run second in a Mar. 10 conditions heat on the artificial surface here. Fresh from earning black type when third in the Apr. 24 Listed Prix Finlande over this course and distance, she dictated for most of this pattern-race bow to claim a career high in this trial for the June 19 G1 Prix de Diane. The...

The picturesque Co. Kilkenny racecourse Gowran Park is again the scene where 238 horses galloped on Thursday in advance of Friday's Goresbridge Breeze Up Sale. The track was riding on the easy side of good following some overnight rain that lingered on well into the morning. That didn't stop a large turnout of prospective buyers arriving in their quest to find the next Fiesolana (Ire) (Aussie Rules) or Music Show (Ire) (Noverre), two subsequent Group 1 winners sourced from the sale for a combined total of just over €50,000. The...

Goffs staged the second and final session of its Spring Horses-in-Training Sale on Thursday, with cumulative statistics up on last year's sale. The average was up 16% to £19,012, while the median rose 18% to £10,000. The turnover was up 25% with 17 fewer horses catalogued. Thursday's prices didn't reach the heights of Wednesday, but trade was solid nonetheless. The top price of the day was the £70,000 paid by Oliver Murphy and Gordon Elliott for lot 516, the Grade 2-winning chaser Ned Stark (Ire) (Wolfe Tone {Ire}). Godolphin's triple...