Europe

Following an interview with Guy Harwood to mark the 40th anniversary of Dancing Brave's Classic season, we examine the horse's stud career in Britain and Japan  By Emma Berry "Neither of us thought we'd ever get another horse like him," says Grant Pritchard-Gordon, former racing manager to Prince Khalid Abdullah in the early days of Juddmonte and, crucially, through the 1986 tour de force of Dancing Brave.  "Then I remember when Frankel won his Guineas, I was in the box with Prince Khalid and I said to him, 'I never...

Although it is only April, the Classic season starts with a bang, as Hanshin hosts the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) over 1600 metres on Sunday. The highlight of the race is the 2025 Japanese Champion Juvenile Filly Star Anise (Drefong). She defeated Garavogue (Lord Kanaloa) in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies en route to 2025 Japanese Champion Two-Year-Old Filly honours. However, the champ has yet to grace a racecourse in 2026 and makes her seasonal bow in the first Classic of the year from stall 15 in the...

The placed jumper Empyrean (Nirvana Du Berlais) has been entered in the Arqana Online Pop-Up Sale on Friday, April 17. The four-year-old jumper has been placed in all three starts over obstacles for Hugo Merienne. He is a half-brother to Grade 3-winning jumper Imperil (No Risk At All). This is the extended family of graded winners Irja Has (Dream Well) and Irouficar Has (Dream Well). The sale begins at 3 p.m. local time and ends at 4 p.m.

Haras de Castillon's first-season sire Texas (by Wootton Bassett) was off the mark with his initial crop on Friday as Azamra took the first at Marseille-Borely. Standing at a fee of €3,800, the Poule d'Essai des Poulains runner-up was represented in the five-furlong Prix de Carro by the Nicolas Perret-trained filly who began in the worst possible manner by ducking right out of the stalls and taking a fierce grip in rear without cover. Still able to surge by her peers and gain the advantage a furlong out, the 6-1...

The 2,000 Guineas has been dealt another blow with the news that Publish (Kingman) has been ruled out of the Classic with lameness. On Thursday, the champion two-year-old Gewan (Night Of Thunder) was fatally injured during a racecourse gallop at Kempton. A statement released on Friday morning by Publish's owner Juddmonte read, "Unfortunately, Publish was found to be lame yesterday. Early indication has suggested he will need a number of weeks out of work, which means he will not be ready for early season targets.  "A further veterinary examination will...

   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 Heading (Starspangledbanner) at Keeneland. Starspangledbanner Colt Triumphs At Keeneland Gainesway homebred Heading trotted up a 4 1/2-length winner on Keeneland's opening day (video). The Starspangledbanner colt is trained by Graham Motion and was making his fourth start, second in America. The first foal out of South African champion three-year-old filly and older mare Celtic Sea (Captain Al), the former Andrew Balding-trained colt is...

Sunday, Hanshin, Japan, post time: 15:30, OKA SHO (JAPANESE 1000 GUINEAS)-G1, ¥266,000,000, 3yo, f, 1600mT Field: Festival Hill (Jpn) (Saturnalia {Jpn}), Saint Antoine (Jpn) (Drefong), Dear Diamond (Jpn) (Saturnalia {Jpn}), Elegance Ask (Jpn) (Poetic Flare {Ire}), Garavogue (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), I Need You (Jpn) (Fine Needle {Jpn}), Alankar (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), Longing Celine (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}), Rule The Wave (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), Namura Cosmos (Jpn) (Danon Premium {Jpn}), Zippy Tune (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), Sweet Happiness (Jpn) ({Jpn}), Lily Joie (Jpn) (Silver State {Jpn}), Dream Core (Jpn) (Kizuna...

5.07 Dundalk, Mdn, 2yo, 5f (AWT) NEW YORKER (No Nay Never) was a withdrawal from his intended debut at The Curragh last week, but now lines up in the maiden that Aidan O'Brien used for past stars Caravaggio and Blackbeard. A son of the Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Fairyland (Kodiac) from the family of the multiple Group 1 winner Dream Ahead, he faces six peers on what could be a first step towards Royal Ascot.   6.15 Dundalk, Mdn, 3yo/up, 6f (AWT) HINDER (GB) (Expert Eye {GB}) is a big...

Debut point-to-point winner Wordfromhome (Poet's Word) topped a record Goffs Aintree Sale on Thursday evening. Offered by Monbeg Stables, lot 9 sold to Highflyer Bloodstock and Paul Nicholls for £320,000. Second dam Howaya Pet (Montelimar) won a Grade 3 chase and is the dam of graded hurdler Johnnywho (Califet). J P McGrath Bloodstock and Nicky Henderson shelled out £290,000 for Royal Response (Getaway) (lot 23), the highest-priced filly in the sale. Part of the Milestone Stables consignment, the winning daughter of G3 Lombardstown Chase heroine Royal Choice (King's Theatre) is...

Joseph O'Brien trainee Rebel Moon (Lope De Vega), a 500,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling, was kept under wraps for most of Thursday evening's Irish Injured Jockeys Fillies Maiden at Gowran Park and needed every yard of the extended nine-furlong trip to secure an ultimately impressive debut win. "She's obviously a well-bred filly and, first time out, we were keen that she relaxed well," explained O'Brien. "We liked what we were seeing from her at home, but I thought she'd be a bit green for here first time. When Joey...

Thomas Foley picked up Tullyhill for 45,000gns to top the Tattersalls Online April Sale on Thursday. Sold as lot 35 from Willie Mullins's Closutton Stables, the son of Martaline finished second in the G1 Punchestown Champion INH Flat Race and was later a listed hurdle winner for former owner Cheveley Park Stud. "There are no big plans yet but there are opportunities in America for him this summer at Saratoga and Belmont where there is a bit less emphasis on jumping, or he could have a campaign on better ground...

Year in, year out we can appreciate the best horses of each generation but how often are we granted the privilege to witness one whose talent is so immense that his name will echo down the decades?  Those who made their way to Newmarket's traditional opening meeting 40 years ago likely came away with a favourable impression of Dancing Brave's win in the Craven Stakes but they could hardly have dared to dream of what was to come. For Guy Harwood, however, that dream was already alive, even on that...