Europe

Having shown freakish ability on debut at Newcastle in December, Extremely Zain (Hello Youmzain) didn't need to overly extend himself on Friday to become a TDN Rising Star, Presented by Hagyard. Sent off the 8-11 favourite for Newbury's seven-furlong novice, Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum's relative of Lush Lashes (Galileo) was under hard restraint from Cieren Fallon and was openly resentful of that. Allowed to use his considerable stride in time to take control of the contest inside the final furlong, he was pushed out to score by a neck...

Friday's Listed Michael Seely Memorial Fillies' Stakes at York was a Coronation Stakes trial in all but name and there was a clear-cut winner in James Wigan's Lilt (Lope De Vega) with Royal Ascot looming. Coming into the deep mile contest off a Doncaster maiden in October, the 13-2 shot was delivered with a telling surge by Tom Marquand to overwhelm Cheveley Park Stud's upwardly-mobile So Regal (Kingman) and score by 1 1/2 lengths. There was another two lengths back to Nurlan Bizakov's unbeaten Botagoz (Mehmas) in third. "She was a...

For a jockey, any day you ride a winner is a good day, but Wednesday proved to be even sweeter for Kieran O'Neill, who is also the breeder of his winning mount Naana's Sparkle. It's not the first time he has won aboard the Twilight Son gelding either, as O'Neill guided him to his first win back in 2024. The four-year-old has also won twice in the interim for O'Neill's weighing-room colleagues Rowan Scott and Charlie Bishop "It is extra special," O'Neill admits. "Because from day one, I broke him...

5.15 York, Novice, 3yo/up, 7f 192yT PORTCULLIS (GB) (Frankel {GB}) earned TDN Rising Star status in Newmarket's Wood Ditton last month and goes steady for now with Royal Ascot looming. John and Thady Gosden have opted to send The King and The Queen's homebred son of the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Castle Lady (Shamardal) to the race they used for their eventual Lockinge hero Lead Artist and have won on the last three occasions, including with two colts they subsequently pitched into Group 1 company.   1.22 Newmarket, Novice,...

Friday, York, post time: 16:05, THE BOODLES YORKSHIRE CUP-G2, £180,000, 4yo/up, 13f 188yT Field: Al Nayyir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Amiloc (GB) (Postponed {Ire}), Deira Mile (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Epic Poet (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Further (Ire) (Waldgeist {GB}), Fahiebb (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Tarriance (GB) (Frankel {GB}). TDN Analysis: Last year's King Edward VII winner and Irish St Leger runner-up Amiloc and St Leger runner-up Rahiebb set the standard here, with very little to concern them if they run up to that level on their seasonal bows. Both have a touch...

The National Hunt Breeders' Summer Party was launched by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) on Thursday. The event, incorporating the TBA's NH Breeders' Awards, will take place at Pulton Hill Vineyard near Cirencester on Tuesday, July 21. Sponsored by Gallagher, the party will bring the British National Hunt breeding community together. It will be hosted by Alice Plunkett. Tickets are priced at £50 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the TBA website. Naomi Mellor, chief executive of the TBA, said, "We are delighted to be...

Hong Kong's Horse of the Year Ka Ying Rising has raised his mark to 130, as the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings were released on Thursday. The son of Shamexpress won the G2 Sprint Cup and the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize recently and has won 20 consecutive races. He broke his own course record in the Chairman's Sprint Prize, prompting the increase of his mark from 128 to 130. Second on rankings is G1 Betfred 2000 Guineas hero Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder) at 126, the equal of Daryz (Sea...

One of the least-exposed in the line-up for Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York, Juddmonte's unbeaten Item (Frankel) flagged up his Epsom prospects when powering to success in the time-honoured Derby trial. Held up early by Colin Keane, the keen-going son of the Natalma Stakes winner Capla Temptress (Lope De Vega) moved smoothly to the long-time leader Action (Frankel) a furlong out and forged on for an authoritative 2 3/4-length success. There was another 1 3/4 lengths back to the other Ballydoyle runner Christmas Day (Camelot) in...

Making history on York's Knavesmire on Thursday, Jeff Smith's See The Fire (Sea The Stars) became the first to win the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' Stakes for a second time. Always travelling with menace stalking the multiple Group 1 winner Fallen Angel (Too Darn Hot), the Andrew Balding-trained homebred was let loose by Oisin Murphy approaching two out and held Red Letter (Frankel) at bay to score by 3/4 of a length. Diamond Rain (Shamardal) was a further 1 1/4 lengths away in third. "It was so tactical, we went really,...

Thursday, York, post time: 16:05, THE AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI DANTE STAKES-G2, £180,000, 3yo, 10f 56yT Field: Action (Ire) Frankel (GB), Al Zanati (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Christmas Day (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Guildmaster (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Item (GB) (Frankel {GB}), King's Trail (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Morshdi (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Wise Prince (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}). TDN Analysis: There is a sense that we've already seen the Derby winner this year and so this time-honoured trial will have to produce something extra special to change the picture. Christmas Day sports the...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Victorious Dream at Santa Anita. Ghaiyyath Filly Crowned In Arcadia The three-year-old filly Victorious Dream ran out a 1 1/2-length winner at Santa Anita for Michael McCarthy on May 10 (video). Bred by Paul Croke and raced by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Sabby Racing and Michael House, the daughter of Ghaiyyath and the Oasis Dream mare Perfect Dream carries some black type, after placing...

Former G1 Betfred Oaks favourite I'm The One (Sea The Stars) will not compete in the Epsom Classic, according to John and Thady Gosden. The Cayton Park Stud colourbearer won her Newbury debut and was second in the Listed Cheshire Oaks to the Coolmore partners' Amelia Earhart (Camelot) earlier this month. John Gosden said of the 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', "I spoke to the owner this morning. We're a little bit unhappy, just a little bit concerned about her since the race and it just hasn't come right....