Europe

Monday, Chantilly, France, post time: 15:05, PRIX RONDE DE NUIT-Listed, €50,300, 3yo, 5 1/2fT Field: Ulymine (Fr) (Penny's Picnic {Ire}), Aurorian Clouds (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}), Afjan (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}), Exclamation (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), Trinquette (Fr) (City Light {Fr}), Street Show (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}), Baker Blue (GB) (Ardad {Ire}), Kailani (Fr) (Goken {Fr}), Michael The Great (Fr) (Territories {Ire}), Inju (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}), Birdcall (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Kimi Rey (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Jeudixx (Fr) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}). TDN Analysis: Unravelling interweaving black-type form is the task here with...

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. Monday's Observations features a newcomer to follow at Chantilly. 3.40 Chantilly, Debutantes, 3yo, c/g, 8f (AWT) MR LOPE CEN (IRE) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) starts out for Yeguada Centurion and the Henri Devin stable in this intriguing affair and as a half-brother to Justify's Prix de la Foret heroine...

Calandagan (Gleneagles) warmed up for a potential tilt at the $6-million Dubai Sheema Classic with a racecourse gallop at Saint-Cloud on Sunday, with trainer Francis-Henri Graffard confirming that, as things stand, his globetrotting stable star remains an intended runner in the Middle East despite the ongoing conflict in the region. "He needed to work harder than at home. It did him good and I'm satisfied," Graffard told Equidia following the exercise before racing at Saint-Cloud. "Potentially, he could return to this track to run in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud....

Be careful what you read on social media. Or perhaps that should be, be careful how you read what's on social media.  This dim-witted hack got a little over-excited during the week when seeing a post by Ted Voute about Eydon foals. Had Prince Faisal decided to do a Gentleman's Deal with his strapping homebred and cover a few mares while the horse remained in training? Fear not, dear reader, we're on the case. Regrettably, though, instead of bringing you a scoop about Eydon's new dual-purpose career as both stallion...

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. Sunday's Observations features a half-brother to the multiple Grade I-winning sire Up To The Mark. 16.55 Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 3yo/up, c/g, 8fT Aidan O'Brien entry SHAFTESBURY AVENUE (Maxfield) is a $1-million Keeneland September acquisition and half-brother to multiple Grade I-winning sire Up To The Mark (Not This Time). His...

The Flat season kicks off in Ireland at the Curragh on Sunday and Brian Sheerin has spoken to some of the main protagonists ahead of the eagerly-anticipated fixture Robson Aguiar has described himself as a big fan of first-season sire Persian Force and said he expects Force Noir to get the Tally-Ho Stud resident off to the best possible start with victory in the opening two-year-old maiden of the year at the Curragh on Sunday.  Through his association with former licence holder Adrian Murray, the Brazilian native has dominated the...

Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France, post time: 17:00, PRIX EXBURY-G3, €73,200, 4yo/up, 10fT Field: First Look (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Azimpour (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Horizon Dore (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}), C'Est Vrai (Fr) (Camelot {GB}), Bright Picture (Fr) (Intello {Ger}), Uther (GB) (Camelot {GB}), South Bay (Fr) (New Bay {GB}). TDN Analysis: Last year's runner-up First Look makes his seasonal return coming back off a fifth in October's G1 Champion Stakes and lines up for the Andre Fabre stable responsible for a record 10 prior renewals. His chief threats are G1 Prix...

Rich Ricci, an owner synonymous with Cheltenham Festival success for the best part of two decades, finally has his hands on the prize that he coveted above all others after Gaelic Warrior (Maxios) produced a coming-of-age performance under Paul Townend to win Friday's Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup. The race had a tragic postscript, however, when another Festival mainstay in Envoi Allen (Muhtathir), making his eighth appearance at the meeting, sadly collapsed and died after finishing ninth on what was intended to be the final start of his illustrious career before...

The catalogue for the Arqana Online March Sale set for 3-5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25, is now available. Leading the three-strong group is debut winner Nity Galeste (City Light) (lot 1), who took a 1900-metre race at Chantilly. Related to top-tier winners Potri Pe (Potrillazo) and Mukhalif (Caerleon), he is joined by Nippon Go (Beaumec De Houelle) (lot 3). From the family of AQPS graded winners Hispanic Moon (Spanish Moon) and Jordans (Coastal Path), he has a bumper win and novice victory to his credit. Rounding out the catalogue...

Gordon Elliott Racing snapped up debut winner Monster Truck (lot 29) for a record £530,000 to top the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale after racing on Thursday. The four-year-old gelding is the highest-priced horse ever sold in the Tattersalls Cheltenham sale ring. The son of Goliath Du Berlais won his only start, a three-mile point-to-point at Lingstown on March 8. Consigned by Cormac Doyle's Monbeg Stables, he is out of the winning Carmen Lady (Authorized) and is a half-brother to the winning hurdler Le Yacht (Buck's Boum). Granddam Shining Sea (Anabaa...

CHELTENHAM, UK -- On a day of high winds and even higher stakes at Cheltenham, it was Heart Wood (Choeur Du Nord) who best withstood the challenge to run out a wide-margin winner of the Ryanair Chase, Thursday's Grade 1 feature which lost much of its lustre when defending champion Fact To File (Poliglote) was withdrawn at the eleventh hour. Beaten nine lengths behind Fact To File when filling the runner-up spot 12 months ago, Heart Wood took full advantage of that rival's absence to make a deserved breakthrough at...

Aga Khan Studs homebred three-year-old filly Edaja (Siyouni) added to her debut victory at Chantilly last month and remained unbeaten after pouncing late for the Francis Graffard stable back there in Thursday's Prix des Princesses. Patiently ridden in midfield until turning for home in the one-mile Polytrack test, she challenged out wide passing the furlong pole and edged ahead for a narrow verdict in the dying strides of a bunch finish. Edaja retains entries for the May 10 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and June 14 G1 Prix de Diane....