Europe

A trio of wildcards, anchored by Isaac Of York (Ivanhowe) (lot 13), have been added to the Arqana Grand Steeple Sale. Grade 2-placed over hurdles, the four-year-old won the Listed Grande Course de Haies des 4 Ans on his seasonal debut. Other late additions include Here Be Dragons (Doctor Dino) (lot 12), second on his hurdling debut. His dam has already foaled multiple Grade 1 winners Mighty Potter (Martaline), Caldwell Potter (Martaline) and Brighterdaysahead (Kapgarde), as well as graded winners French Dynamite (Kentucky Dynamite) and Indiana Jones (Blue Bresil). Rounding...

Bow Echo has been given a rating of 131 for his brilliant performance in the G1 Betfred 2000 Guineas by Timeform. The son of Night Of Thunder won by 2 3/4 lengths over Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) (123). Only five horses have earned a higher rating in winning the 2000 Guineas since 1970. Ranked by rating, they are Brigadier Gerard 141 (1971), El Gran Senor 136 (1984), Nijinsky II 135 (1970), Frankel 135 (2011) and Dancing Brave 134 (1986). Bow Echo is not entered in the G1 Betfred Derby for George Boughey,...

Daryz confirmed his wellbeing with a dazzling turn-of-foot in last week's G1 Prix Ganay and his year-younger half-brother Daryzan (Zarak) was the focus in Tuesday's Prix Mendez, a one-mile newcomers' event, at Saint-Cloud. The Francis Graffard-trained G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Grand Prix de Paris entry did not disappoint and delivered a scintillating performance of his own to earn a TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard, rosette on debut, becoming the second Rising Star for his Haras de Bonneval-based sire. "He's an immature horse, we've done a lot...

After months of longing for the turf season to get underway, it is now that time of year when you have to have your wits about you just to keep up with the results from around the world. With many owners and trainers now beginning the countdown to Royal Ascot, an area that is quickly taking shape - and changing shape - is that of the first-season sires' table, and there is no better advertisement for a young sire than to have a first-crop winner at the royal meeting. When...

France Galop president Guillaume de Saint-Seine has issued a call to arms to the French racing and breeding industry, asking for its backing to "build a new model, simpler, more efficient, more sustainable". The changes are expected to be implemented by January 2027. Delivered in a personal letter to stakeholders under the title 'Change. Now. Together.', Saint-Seine said, "There comes a time when we must speak plainly: we can no longer continue on the trajectory of the last twenty years. Our historical resources are shrinking, calling for the creation of...

Al Shaqab Racing's homebred three-year-old colt Alam (Zelzal) entered Tuesday's G3 Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud as a three-race maiden and justified a G1 Prix du Jockey Club entry with a snug 1 1/4-length triumph in the 10 1/2-furlong contest. The honour roll features Darshaan, Peintre Celebre, Montjeu, et al, and Alam becomes the second winner of the race for Mikel Delzangles, who had previously struck with subsequent Jockey Club fourth Kesampour in 2012. "He ran very well at the same track [and trip] last time, he has improved since and...

3.40 Saint-Cloud, Debutantes, 3yo, 8fT DARYZAN (FR) (Zarak {Fr}) is the latest progeny out of the Hong Kong Vase heroine Daryakana (Selkirk) to appear for the Aga Khan Studs and has big shoes to fill with six stakes performers among his half-siblings. Chief among them is last year's Arc hero Daryz (Sea The Stars), who looked potentially Europe's best in last month's Prix Ganay, while there was also Shamardal's Dariyan, another Ganay hero, and the dual Graded Stakes scorer Devamani by Zarak's sire Dubawi. Francis Graffard's blueblood, who is still...

Tuesday, Saint-Cloud, France, post time: 15:05, PRIX GREFFULHE-G3, €73,200, 3yo, 10 1/2fT Field: Alam (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}), Regal Resolve (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Hello Jo (Fr) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}), Waybreaker (Fr) (Galiway {GB}). TDN Analysis: Kudos to the quartet on parade, but a disappointingly low turnout for a contest with luminaries such as Darshaan, Peintre Celebre, Montjeu, et al, on the roll of honour. Francis Graffard, whose prior wins came with Sumbal in 2015 and Midak last year, is double-handed this time around. Mickael Barzalona is aboard October's Listed Prix Isonomy...

Owner Gary Matthews gives credence to that old saying about good things coming in threes. After his father Brendan, the legendary greyhound trainer, was inducted into the coursing hall of fame on Sunday night, his own filly, the Paddy Twomey-trained Velozee (Sioux Nation), confirmed herself a bona fide Royal Ascot contender with a stylish victory in the First Flier Stakes at the Curragh on Monday. To put the icing, cherry and chocolate sprinkles on top of a glorious weekend for the Matthews family, their beloved Armagh trashed neighbours Down in...

Where to begin? Perhaps to say that, though this sport faces myriad challenges, the mere thrill of actually going racing is the perfect antidote to such pernicious worries.  And it wasn't just the blazing sunshine and searing performance of Bow Echo on the Rowley Mile that has renewed the faith. A week earlier a trip to Ripon - justifiably dubbed 'The Garden Racecourse' - on a similarly sunny Saturday bit for a more ordinary race day provided no less enjoyable an experience.  It is easy to become despondent with what...

Up to a mile for the first time in Monday's G3 Coolmore Auguste Rodin Irish EBF Athasi Stakes at The Curragh, Annemarie O'Brien's Kensington Lane (Starspangledbanner) toughed it out to provide Donnacha with a live Irish 1,000 Guineas contender. Seventh behind True Love in Leopardstown's Priory Belle last month, the homebred granddaughter of Ramruma (Diesis) raced near the pace before being committed by Chris Hayes approaching two out. Hassled all the way to the line, the 14-1 shot got there 3/4 of a length in front of last year's Weld...

There were no anxious moments for takers of the generous 4-6 odds on offer for Ballydoyle's returning Minnie Hauk (Frankel) as she breezed through Monday's G2 Clem Murphy Memorial Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes at The Curragh. Last year's Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks heroine is on course for a rematch with her Arc conqueror Daryz at Royal Ascot and could not have begun her four-year-old campaign any more impressively as Ryan Moore proved a passenger in the 10-furlong contest. Setting up like a piece of work, she gave her...