Europe

Nominations are now open for the Arqana Series, which will this year offer a €20,000 bonus to the winners of 20 races in the French Flat racing calendar. The owner of the winning horse in each of these races, provided they are eligible for the Arqana Series, will receive a €20,000 bonus in the form of a voucher, redeemable at the 2026 Arqana sales. Designed to provide more winning opportunities for the connections behind horses qualified for the series, the races will take place between June 15 and October 18,...

If Hawk Mountain wins the Prix du Jockey Club, Aidan O'Brien may look back on his decision to send the son of Wootton Bassett to Chantilly for his prep as the key event. Errant and lairy at times in front during Monday's nine-furlong G3 Prix de Guiche, last year's Futurity Trophy and Beresford winner kept giving his rivals hope but ultimately was never going to be beaten and hit the line strong with 1 1/4 lengths to spare over Lord Clover (Siyouni). Campacite (Zarak) was a head further back in...

History may not ultimately repeat itself, but so far Causeway (Wootton Bassett) is doing a fine job of mimicking Ballydoyle's recent kingpin Paddington as he completed the Madrid-Tetrarch double on Monday. Sent off the 9-4 favourite for the Irish 2,000 Guineas trial over the same course and distance, the relative of Magical and Rhododendron worked his way past stablemate Neolithic (Sioux Nation) inside the final furlong en route to a two-length success from Andab (Saxon Warrior). Neolithic was a neck behind in third. "He's a lovely, big relaxed horse and...

Monday's Listed First Flier Stakes at The Curragh was stripped of key interest after the withdrawals of Star Prospect and Maria Quiteria, but still boasted a smart winner in Gary Matthews and Steve Weston's Velozee (Sioux Nation). Happy to wait while Ballydoyle's New Yorker (No Nay Never) pulled away his chance ahead, the Paddy Twomey-trained 4-1 joint-second favourite went by that 4-7 favourite and into the clear approaching the furlong pole for a 3 1/2-length defeat of What A Girl Wants (Persian Force). New Yorker paid for his exertions to...

Ascot Racecourse is set to leave the Racecourse Association (RCA) at the end of the year, due to the fact that "sufficient progress has not been made" to address concerns about the organisation's governance structure. In March, following Lord Allen's resignation as chair of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and the failure to establish an independent BHA Board, a joint-statement was released by the Jockey Club and four large independent racecourses - Ascot, Goodwood, Newbury and York - which called for an urgent review of the governance structure at the...

Monday, Curragh, Ireland, post time: 16:10, CLEM MURPHY MEMORIAL IRISH EUROPEAN BREEDERS FUND MOORESBRIDGE STAKES-G2, €78,000, 4yo/up, 10f 0y Field: Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Edward Hamilton (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Tiberius Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Beset (GB) (Expert Eye {GB}), Cercene (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Minnie Hauk (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Shaool (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}). TDN Analysis: This sees the return of the Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks heroine Minnie Hauk, who went so close in the Arc against what we now know is a genuine top colt. She won...

If Saturday had been all about the local heroes, by Sunday the major prizes were scattered more widely as first Jancis then True Love smuggled the silverware across the Irish Sea.  For the combined team of Ballydoyle and Coolmore, winning European Classics has become almost commonplace - a key part of the mechanism that keeps the wheels turning on the largest and most successful breeding operation in the world. The 2,000 Guineas was just missed but the 1,000 Guineas was in the bag.  The magnificent specimen that is True Love...

Achieving the formidable feat of winning the G2 Queen Mary Stakes, G1 Cheveley Park Stakes and G1 1,000 Guineas, Ballydoyle's True Love (No Nay Never) entered hallowed territory at Newmarket on Sunday. Sent off at 5-1, the second-string for Aidan O'Brien was always travelling like the winner stalking the strongest pace among the stand's-side group and when sent by Wayne Lordan swamped Evolutionist (Night Of Thunder) to beat that rival by 1 3/4 lengths. Venetian Lace (Masar) made it a one-two-three for the Group 1 fillies in the line-up, another...

Granted the ideal scenario of fast ground and a fast pace to aim at, Arturo Cousino's Jancis (Tamayuz) finally had her big day in Sunday's G2 Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket. Held up off the strong tempo set by Shadwell's free-going Falakeyah (New Bay), the Willie McCreery-trained five-year-old was able to deliver an even surge under Sean Levey to take command inside the final furlong and stretch to a 1 3/4-length verdict over Cathedral (Too Darn Hot) in a fast time. There was an 8 1/2-length gap back to the Group...

In the space of two and a half minutes at a rain-soaked ParisLongchamp, Wathnan's Best Secret (Persian King) became the operation's worst kept secret as he produced an impressive display to take the G3 Prix d'Hedouville. Sporting the second colours in the mile-and-a-half test with the ultimately disappointing Map Of Stars (Sea The Stars) also in attendance, the Stephane Wattel-trained four-year-old who registered a win in a valuable handicap at the Qatar Goodwood Festival in July and beat the well-regarded Gethin in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix Turenne in September was held...

The Johnston barn had not annexed Newmarket's Listed Pretty Polly Stakes since Marie De Medicis won in 2010 and bridged a 16-year gap with an impressive front-running performance by Russell Trew and Townbraccan's Jennifer Jane (New Bay) in the 10-furlong Oaks trial at HQ. "I wasn't certain the step up in trip would work, but you have to be adaptable and think on your feet," said Charlie Johnston. "The plan at that point was to start in the [Listed] Michael Seely [Memorial] at York in a couple of weeks, but...

One of two entered in the Oaks by Francis Graffard along with the talented Gilded Prize, Behrayna (Sea The Moon) made light work of her first serious task in Sunday's Listed Prix de la Seine at ParisLongchamp. Off the mark over 10 1/2 furlongs here last month, the Aga Khan Studs homebred who descends from Mill Reef's 1989 Prix Saint-Alary winner and Arc runner-up Behera shadowed the early leader of this 11-furlong test. Swooping two out, the 3-5 favourite drew away under Mickael Barzalona to score with authority by 2...