Europe

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features a full-brother to a multiple Classic winner. 1.47 Nottingham, Novice, 3yo/up, 10f 50yT TORNADO TOWER (GB) (Frankel {GB}) makes his belated and eagerly-anticipated debut for Wathnan Racing and the Gosdens, having cost 850,000gns at the 2024 Tattersalls October Book 1. A full-brother to the St Leger,...

Hannah Dorling has been appointed as the new chairman of HEROS, the UK-based charitable organisation dedicated to retraining and rehoming former racehorses, as well as providing education and support programmes for young people. Dorling brings with her more than 18 years of experience with NFU Mutual and is currently the senior partner of the Wantage Agency, a multi-million-pound business she has grown and led with huge success over the past nine years. Since 2023, Dorling has served as a Trustee of HEROS, while she also represents the National Farmers' Union...

Diamond Necklace (St Mark's Basilica) and Precise (Starspangledbanner), both Group 1-winning juveniles trained by Aidan O'Brien, headline 53 entries for the Betfred Oaks at Epsom on Friday, June 5. Unbeaten in three starts as a two-year-old, Diamond Necklace was last seen winning the Prix Marcel Boussac at ParisLongchamp, while Precise rattled off four straight victories as a two-year-old after being beaten on her debut at Fairyhouse, culminating with back-to-back Group 1 wins in the Moyglare Stud Stakes and Fillies' Mile. In total, O'Brien has entered 15 fillies in his quest...

There was a huge upset in Tuesday's G3 Prix Imprudence at Deauville as Guy Pariente and Satoshi Kobayashi's Showna (Kendargent) emerged strong to land odds of 64-1 with no hint of fluke. Like the Djebel winner the beneficiary of two starts already in 2026, the winner of a 6 1/2-furlong handicap on the Polytrack here in January was delivered from rear by Marvin Grandin to overwhelm the 6-5 favourite My Highness (Ghaiyyath) in the final half furlong and register a 2 1/2-length success. There was another 1 3/4 lengths back...

Rachael Blackmore, who made history when becoming the first female jockey to ride the winner of the Randox Grand National in 2021, will be inducted as a Grand National Legend for 2026. Blackmore will join the likes of Ginger McCain, Jenny Pitman and JP McManus as a Grand National Legend, along with equine stars Red Rum, Tiger Roll and Aldaniti. A plaque celebrating her achievements will be unveiled at Aintree Racecourse on the opening day of the Randox Grand National Festival (Thursday, April 9). The ceremony will take place by...

Coming into Tuesday's G3 Prix Djebel with two runs already under his belt this year, Al Shaqab's Afandy (Mehmas) made that count as he led from the break to take Deauville's Classic trial. Already gelded and unable to contest the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained homebred who had surrendered his unbeaten record to the filly Baklawa (Stunning Spirit) in Cagnes-sur-Mer's Listed Prix de la Californie in February showed abundant zest from the outset under Cristian Demuro. A sitting duck for all the big contenders up the centre of...

Leading figures from the British racing industry have put their names to an open letter sent to Lisa Nandy, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, calling for affordability checks to be scrapped. The letter, published in The Sun on Tuesday, sums up the extent to which the sport's hierarchy is concerned regarding the impending introduction of the checks, which are being signed off by the Gambling Commission. Estimates from the Betting and Gaming Council recently stated that as many as 120,000 people could be asked to provide...

In this corner of the bloodstock world we like to keep our glass half-full, if not topped up to the brim. With that in mind, it is sometimes preferable to look back, rather than forwards. A dive into history via the pages of the Bloodstock Breeders' Review is always entertaining, if not a regular reminder that the more things change the more they stay the same. Take, for example, Lord Rosebery's speech as TBA president in 1947 when he said, "I was perturbed at the Yearling Sales at Doncaster when...

Zac Purton and David Hayes were left to scramble for adequate superlatives following another imperious performance from Ka Ying Rising in Monday's HK$5.35-million G2 Sprint Cup, with the son of Shamexpress once again lowering the 1,200-metre track record at Sha Tin on his way to a record-extending 19th consecutive victory. Ka Ying Rising, who was conceding 5lb to each of his six rivals, spreadeagled the field when first asked to quicken by Purton, leading by almost 10 lengths at one stage, before being eased down in the final 100 metres....

Tuesday, Deauville, France, post time: 15:40, PRIX DJEBEL-G3, €73,200, 3yo, c/g, 7fT Fields: Dostoievsky (Fr) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}), Samangan (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Afandy (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}), Crown Relic (Aus) (Kingman {GB}), Bourgoin (Fr) (Ardad {Ire}), Firefall (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Cielo Di Roma (Fr) (Romanised {Ire}), Romanticon (GB) (Time Test {GB}), Take Me On (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Michael The Great (Fr) (Territories {Ire}). TDN Analysis: With the Graffard train in full motion, the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte and G3 Prix Eclipse winner Samangan who holds an entry in the...

Allowed her own way in front in Sunday's G3 Al Shira'aa Racing Prix Vanteaux, Concorde Agreement (Persian King) punished her peers with a dynamic display to dominate ParisLongchamp's nine-furlong Classic pointer. "She's confirmed what I thought of her--I don't have a lot of horses but her preparation had gone well," Groualle said of Concorde Agreement, who races for the American owner Chris Baccari, Hubert Guy, Jean-Philippe Dubois and Arthur Pean and is entered in the Prix de Diane. "I'm not saying she's as good as him, but she has the...

Andre Fabre nominee Segall (Sottsass) had failed in three starts since attaining TDN Rising Star status at Saint-Cloud in June, but bounced back from a reversal in last month's Listed Prix Maurice Caillault to secure the trainer's record-extending tenth renewal in Sunday's G3 Prix La Force at ParisLongchamp. Patiently ridden at the tail of the six-runner field for most of the nine-furlong contest, the 89-10 chance inched ever closer in the home straight and weaved a charmed passage between rivals inside the final furlong to deny fellow Rising Star and...