Europe

Flaxman Stables homebred Ulysses (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is under consideration for the G1 Investec Derby June 4 after breaking his maiden impressively at Newbury on Friday. The Sir Michael Stoute charge, who holds the distinction of being by a Derby winner and out of an Oaks winner, his dam being the G1 Investec Oaks victress Light Shift (Kingmambo), exited his third start in good order, according to Flaxman Racing Manager Alan Cooper. "He won very nicely and has taken the race very well," said Cooper. "As for plans, we will...

PUT TO THE SWORD Aidan O'Brien may say that he got it wrong with Air Force Blue (War Front) at Newmarket, but the Ballydoyle stable was where it is used to being on Sunday as The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) tore up the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Deauville. Having strung out the opposition by upwards of nine lengths over this trip in a Navan maiden Apr. 17, he traded at 15-2 on the PMU with the focus on Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}). As it turned out, Derrick Smith's...

The early results of this term's bunch of European first-season sires are providing the usual interest. Several young sires have already made smart starts, while the most celebrated of the freshmen, Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), currently has statistics of one winner from one runner, courtesy of the victory at Newbury which ensured that Cunco (Ire) has the distinction of being Frankel's first foal, Frankel's first runner and Frankel's first winner. Another extremely distinguished horse among Europe's current freshmen is a stallion who is proven sire and first-season sire simultaneously: Redoute's...

DEJA VU Two years after the Haras de la Cauviniere-based sire Le Havre (Ire) was responsible for the unbeaten G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Avenir Certain (Fr) for Gerard-Augustin Normand and Antonio Caro, it was a case of more of the same at Deauville on Sunday as the same silks were carried to glory by his latest flag-bearing daughter La Cressonniere (Fr). Last seen extending her flawless sequence in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix la Camargo over a mile Mar. 20, the 15-2 shot enjoyed a straightforward trip after showing speed...

After a highly promising start when successful over this trip at Saint-Cloud Mar. 12, Mekhtaal was upset when second as the 2-5 favourite for a conditions race at the same distance at Maisons-Laffitte last time Apr. 13. Showing his true colours with a command performance in this G1 Prix du Jockey Club trial, the chestnut was sent to the lead after the initial strides by Gregory Benoist and surged away from overmatched rivals in the straight to hit the line strong with daylight to spare over Thewayyouwish. “It is best...

By Emma Berry Frankel (GB) was matchless on the racecourse and, with a first winner from his very first runner on Friday, he made headlines again the following day in Deauville when one of his daughters set a new sale record at the Arqana Breeze-up at €800,000. Described by purchaser Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International Agency as “a Queen”, the May-born filly (lot 70) out of dual listed winner Rose Bonheur (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) led the most vibrant breeze-up sale of the European season so far. Held for...

With a record seven wins in the G2 Prix Hocquart, Andre Fabre is the man to watch as Deauville plays host to the usually Longchamp-based Classic trial on Sunday and his representative in a race he used for the education of the likes of Hurricane Run (Ire) is Barwod (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). Beaten on his two starts over a mile so far this term, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani's bay was a short-neck second to the subsequent G3 Prix de Fontainebleau winner Dicton (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) in...

Unlike her much better and slightly better stablemates Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) respectively, Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has yet to enjoy a top-flight victory but gets the chance to put that straight in Sunday's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at Deauville. On the first three occasions that Susan Magnier's chestnut tackled group 1 company, she was not more than 1 1/2 lengths away from succeeding when third in the Moyglare Stud S., fourth in the Cheveley Park S. and second in the GI Breeders'...

Since the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains was staged at Maisons-Laffitte in 1945, the regular pre-race concentration has been as much on the draw as on the quality of the main contenders due to the vagaries of Longchamp's circuit but with its home temporarily unavailable due to renovation the mile Classic takes place in radically differing circumstances on Deauville's straight course on Sunday. For once, the race takes on the feel of Newmarket's 2000 Guineas, the feature it was inaugurated to copy and there should be no need for connections...

Brendan Holland's county Cork based Grove Stud has topped the last two editions of Arqana's Breeze Up Sale and he made an early play to do the same again when a Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) filly he consigned lit up the sales ring when selling to Nicolas De Watrigant of Mandore International for €800,000. The filly, lot 70, out of dual Irish stakes winner Rose Bonheur (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) is bred on the same cross as Frankel's first runner and winner Cunco (Ire).

BEL VIEW Disappointing when only fourth in the Apr. 22 G2 Sandown Mile, Belardo (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) shot back into the limelight for the first time since winning the 2014 G1 Dewhurst S. with a replication of the telling burst of acceleration he had shown in that Newmarket feature in Newbury's G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. on Saturday. Slowly away for Andrea Atzeni, the 8-1 shot waited in rear for the action to unfold and as the strong pace collapsed inside the final quarter mile made his move...

1st-NBY, £50,000, Cond, 5-14, 2yo, 6fT, 1:14.16, g/s. MEHMAS (IRE) (c, 2, Acclamation {GB}--Lucina {GB}, by Machiavellian), who bagged a five-furlong Chester maiden on debut last time May 5, was steadied in a handy sixth after a smart break upped one panel in this return. Nudged closer at the quarter-mile marker, the 3-1 chance was pushed along to challenge entering the final eighth and surged clear impressively to score by 3 1/4 lengths from Global Applause (GB) (Mayson {GB}). "He was very impressive and, if ours win first time out,...