Europe

The recent Listed winner Believer (Make Believe) (lot 345) is one of two wildcards added to the catalogue for the two-day Arqana February Sale, which gets underway on Tuesday, February 17. Trained by Gianluca Bietolini, Believer previously changed hands at the 2024 Arqana Arc Sale when bought by owner Omar Esmil Sh Ghrghar for €150,000. Last seen winning the Listed GP Riviera Cote d'Azur at Cagnes-sur-Mer on January 24, the five-year-old will be offered as the winner of five of his 16 career starts. The full catalogue is available to...

A bay colt out of Rio's Cliffs (Canford Cliffs), the dam of the G3 Premio Ambrosiano third Rex Of Thunder (Night Of Thunder), is among the first reported foals on the ground for Newsells Park Stud's Isaac Shelby. "We've been out of the breeding game for a while, so it was a very special moment to have this lovely foal born by Isaac Shelby," read a statement attributed to the colt's breeders, Mark and Pippa Hackett of Moat House Farm, Ireland. "He's a great size, with plenty of scope and...

To a degree, 2025 was the year of the gelding. Those who won at least one Group or Grade 1 race included Calandagan, Ka Ying Rising, Romantic Warrior, Goliath, Cicero's Gift, Lazzat, American Affair, Half Yours, Caballo De Mar, Candelari, Ethical Diamond, Never So Brave, Rebel's Romance, and Trawlerman. Indeed, three of those were among the top-ten-rated horses in the world. There is no doubting the popularity and resonance of some of those names above but to what extent should we prioritise promoting the sport over protecting the breed, or...

Frankie Dettori brought the curtain down on his career in the saddle by claiming Grade 1 glory in Brazil on Sunday.  His final appearance in the saddle at Gavea racecourse could not have begun any better when Dettori came from the rear to score aboard Speak Alpha on the undercard, a success that prompted his trademark flying dismount celebration.  The fairytale finish was completed when Dettori partnered Bet You Can to victory in the Grande Prêmio Estado do Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian 2,000 Guineas, securing the first leg of...

The Jimmy Ting-trained Little Paradise ran out an impressive winner of Sunday's HK$13-million Hong Kong Classic Mile at Sha Tin, emphatically defying stamina doubts as he forged clear in the final furlong to land the spoils by two lengths. Infinite Resolve (Snitzel) finished second, with another half a length back to the former Joseph O'Brien trainee, Beauty Bolt (Night Of Thunder), in third. "Today, he relaxed very well," said winning rider Vincent Ho. "Once I pressed the button, he just kicked it. He finished off very well, so he can...

Winter Watch returns from a brief hiatus to recap some of the key action that you might have missed during what always feels like the longest month of the year. In truth, if there was ever a good time for this column to take a break, then January was probably it, with several of the biggest trainers in the sport having essentially shut up shop during the first few weeks of the new year. John and Thady Gosden, for example, followed a hugely successful December (10 winners from 24 runners)...

Young trainer Stephen Hanlon saddled his first winner when Diggin Deep won a handicap hurdle at Musselburgh in November 2018, but his name had been absent from racecards in recent years after the Covid-19 pandemic delayed his plans to enter the training ranks in a full-time capacity. That was until January this year when Hanlon sent out his first runners as the licence holder at Sun Hill Farm in Leyburn, with Azucena providing the breakthrough in this second phase of the trainer's career when successful at Newcastle on January 13....

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 Vasy in Florida. Space Blues Colt Thrives In Florida JDT Racing's Vasy turned in a narrow win at Gulfstream for trainer Brendan Walsh on January 25 (video). Bred by Gary Mullins, the Space Blues colt is out of Beautiful Ending (Exceed And Excel). A €75,000 Goffs November weanling, the chestnut brought 75,000gns as a Tattersalls October Book 2 yearling and changed hands for €115,000...

There is no escaping the irony that a man named Sonny has the potential to shine at the Dublin Racing Festival. That's if the weather Gods would relent and the meeting gets the go-ahead on Sunday.  Stephen Carey, best known as Sonny, will be doubly-represented by Brosna Shine and Lilannbee in the Grade 2 Mares Bumper on Sunday and describes the former as the best horse he has ever had through his hands.  That's saying something as the talented ex-National Hunt jockey, who cut his teeth with Arthur Moore and...

The likely fields for the rich G1 Saudi Cup card are taking shape, with American champion and Japanese Horse of the Year Forever Young (Real Steel) set to defend his crown. Other Japanese entrants are Luxor Café (American Pharoah) and Sunrise Zipangu (Kizuna). Hall of Famer Bob Baffert sends GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Nysos (Nyquist) and GI Goodwood Stakes winner Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach). GII Clark Stakes winner Magnitude (Not This Time) represents Steve Asmussen, while Rattle N Roll (Connect) flies the flag for Kenny McPeek. Other American hopes...

Darley's Sam Bullard and Watership Down Stud manager Simon Marsh have paid Too Darn Hot the ultimate compliment by drawing parallels between the young stallion and last year's European champion sire Night Of Thunder. Both sons of Dubawi operate under the same Darley roof and Too Darn Hot, the sire of multiple Group 1 winners in both hemispheres, is charting a similar path towards elite stallion status, according to Bullard and Marsh. Bullard said, "Dubawi was what we set out to achieve in the early days of the Darley stallions...

French Guineas hero Metropolitan sired his first reported foals over the past several days. A bay filly out of Couleur Café (Rock Of Gibraltar) and a bay colt out of Sand Rose (Aussie Rules) were both foaled at Haras de Montaigu. Haras d'Ombreville welcomed a chestnut filly out of Kiss Love (Kendargent), while a bay filly out of Marmelet (Kingman) arrived at Haras des Marais. In Ireland, a bay filly out of Vadsariya (Exceed And Excel) was born at Manister House Stud, pleasing Luke Barry. Nicolas de Chambure, director of...