Europe

Aidan O'Brien's pattern-race resume at Royal Ascot had yet to include the G1 King Charles III Stakes and the Ballydoyle maestro completed the set when Ryan Moore produced the gelded three-year-old Mission Central (No Nay Never) fast and late to follow up Great Barrier Reef's Coventry success and secure a quickfire double for his sire in the five-furlong charge. The race is a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland in the autumn. "They went hard, which suited him, and Ryan [Moore] gave him...

Juryoku Pierrot, who carried Seina Imamura to victory in the Japanese Oaks in May, will not take up her entry in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe this autumn, according to trainer Ryo Terashima. The daughter of Happy Value (Zenno Rob Roy) will instead target the third leg of the Japanese Fillies' Triple Tiara, the G1 Shuka Sho at Kyoto on October 18 prior to a run in the November 15 G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup. Imamura is expected to retain the ride. Terashima told Net Keiba, "We've decided...

After taking up the rare position of bystander for the Queen Anne, Aidan O'Brien was back in business two races into Royal Ascot 2026 as Great Barrier Reef (No Nay Never) conquered the G2 Coventry Stakes. Partnered by Wayne Lordan with Ryan Moore on the sire's Confucius, the 6-1 shot who had taken the Marble Hill last month navigated his path from stall three far away from the stands' side to bring up a 12th renewal of the race that launched the trainer at the meeting in 1997. "Confucius is...

Continuing the recent trend of big-priced winners in Royal Ascot's G1 Queen Anne Stakes, TBT Racing's Ten Bob Tony swooped to prevail at 50-1 from More Thunder and lead a notable one-two for Night Of Thunder. Anchored in rear early by Kieran Shoemark, the Ed Walker-trained gelding was the last to make his move into the strong pace set by Billy Loughnane on Opera Ballo (Ghaiyyath) but his closing run proved the strongest as he overhauled that rival and More Thunder in the final yards. At the line, there was...

The Jersey Stakes-bound Green Sense (Starman) topped the Goffs London Sale in Kensington Palace Gardens on Monday evening at £700,000. That was despite the fact the Joseph O'Brien-trained Group 2 winner was led out of the ring unsold at £675,000 initially.  However, a private deal was brokered during the sale, with Brittany Linton, chief executive of US outfit Boyd Racing, signing the docket.  "David Redvers is a good friend and he gave us some advice and connected us to the owners," said Boyd Racing's Randy Boyd. "We're very excited about...

Whatever the week ahead at Royal Ascot brings, there is one certainty and that is Aidan O'Brien stretching what's possible even further from the centre. Let's get this out of the way first; the current master of Ballydoyle will undeniably form his own one-man club at some point over the next five days with his 100th Royal winner. It is a club so exclusive that it will likely see no other member for decades, with the County Wexford-born nonpareil still a relative youth in the training ranks. Ironically, his shortest-priced...

From Royal runners, to formidable teams and top-notch stallions bidding to break their Royal Ascot hoodoo, here are five things to watch out for on the opening day of the eagerly-anticipated meeting. It promises to be a week to savour.  Things Are Looking Rosy For Shapoor Mistry Bidding to continue a glorious summer for Oaks-winning owner-breeder Shapoor Mistry is Rosy Affair (Havana Grey), who lines up for the G1 King Charles III Stakes. The five-year-old mare, who won the Listed Cecil Frail Stakes over six furlongs at Haydock on her...

It has been a while since Jim Bolger had a real top-flight prospect and so it was welcome sight that greeted Cork's faithful on Sunday when his unbeaten filly Sparan Nua (Dawn Approach) took the G3 Darley Munster Oaks. After Newtown Anner Stud's recent acquisition had mastered her elders in the mile-and-a-half contest, her breeder and trainer was looking at next month's Curragh Classic. "She is still learning on the job and was green enough there today," Bolger said of the 11-4 favourite, who was stepping up after winning over...

MEP Hilde Vautmans and MEP Benoit Cassart visited Coolmore with Des Leadon MA MVB MSC and Joe Hernon, chairman of the European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders' Associations (EFTBA) on June 9. Vautmans is the chairperson of the Horse Group in the EU Parliament and Cassart, also a member, is in charge of the Animal Transport dossier. Leadon and Hernon highlighted the problems facing the Irish industry if new transport rules are not modified to include Irish animals alongside the high health animals in the racing and sporting disciplines. Said Hernon...

It seems a mere blink of an eye ago, but the inaugural Goffs London Sale took place in June 2014 in groundbreaking fashion. War Horse made an appearance, and was for a few brief moments ridden by Johnny Murtagh, while the first foal by Frankel to appear in any sale ring was, understandably, a show-stopper which made the national and television news. The auction has evolved over that time when it comes to the business of horse-trading but what has not changed is that its cocktail party feel offers, for...

French 2000 Guineas hero Rayif (Sea The Moon) will not take part in the G1 St James's Palace Stakes as he is not 100%, according to Aga Khan Studs' racing manager Nemone Routh. A winner of the G3 Prix Francois Boutin and third in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at two, the Francis-Henri Graffard trainee was a smart winner of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains in May. He will not take on the English and Irish 2000 Guineas winners Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder) and Gstaad (Starspangledbanner), respectively, on...

Legendary jockey Yutaka Take bettered his own record when winning his sixth G1 Takarazuka Kinen and second aboard Meisho Tabaru (Gold Ship) at Hanshin on Sunday. The 57-year-old previously claimed the race with Inari One (1989), Meijiro McQueen (1993), Marvelous Sunday (1997), and Deep Impact (2006). The "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland in October featured a full field of 18, and, shortly before the bell, a deluge turned the course from good to firm to yielding. Second in the betting at 29-10 behind...