Acapulco Bay (Ire)

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 the return of a 'TDN Rising Star'. 5.30 Naas, Cond, €17,000, 3yo, 8fT ACAPULCO BAY (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) ended his juvenile campaign as one of Ballydoyle's plethora of TDN Rising Stars and has recently drawn favourable mention from Aidan O'Brien when quizzed about his crop of...

Odds of 2-11 in The Curragh's opening maiden on Saturday said it all about the regard in which Acapulco Bay (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Je Ne Regretterien {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}) is held at Ballydoyle and the blueblood duly delivered while appearing to do the bare minimum to make it TDN Rising Star number 43 for his illustrious sire. Such an eye-catcher when closing from behind to be second to the stable's fellow TDN Rising Star Delacroix (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) over seven furlongs here three weeks ago, the relative of Magic Wand...

   Like many Ballydoyle juveniles, Delacroix (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Tepin, by Bernstein) is very much a work in progress but everybody had a glimpse of what was to come in The Curragh's opener on Saturday as the son of the US legend overcame adversity to win his maiden with comfort. In doing so, the heavily-supported 2-5 favourite was become the stable's latest TDN Rising Star and his sire's 42nd in that category. Showing distinct promise when second on his Leopardstown debut last month, the half-brother to the yard's G3 Stanerra Stakes-winning...