Arqana

We all found ourselves in the court of one ruler last weekend, but it would be wrong to treat the kind of transatlantic sovereignty charted by four Classic winners inside 48 hours, either side of the water, as an automatic outcome of greater aggregate expenditure than any program in Turf history. Nobody knows that better than Sheikh Mohammed and his Godolphin team. He has been trying to dovetail his wealth and his passion, both obviously off the charts, for nearly half a century. (He had his first winner at Brighton,...

Haras d'Etreham resident Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal) became Europe's latest first-crop sire to get off the mark when his Adam West-trained daughter Viva La Skids (Fr) pounced late in the Thursday's six-furlong Prix Royal Hampton at Saint-Cloud to defeat 11 rivals on debut. Occupying a position off the tempo towards the rear for the most part, the 77-2 outsider made relentless headway under pressure out wide inside the final quarter-mile and inched ahead in the dying strides to defeat Kalkara (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}) by a neck. Viva La Skids, kin...

Bobby Flay's Go Go Boots (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), a June 6 G1 Betfred Oaks entry, justified long odds-on favouritism for John and Thady Gosden with a three-length triumph in Monday's Download The Raceday Ready App Fillies' Novice Stakes over 10 furlongs at Lingfield. Last year's €230,000 Arqana Breeze-Up graduate had previously won at the track having annexed her debut over one mile in December.   Go Go Boots remains unbeaten with a straightforward success at @LingfieldPark! This Epsom Oaks-entrant looks a filly to follow for John and Thady...

With seven runs under her belt entering Friday's G3 Auguste Rodin Coolmore Prix Cleopatre, Zia Agnese (Fr) (Romanised {Ire}) was by far the most exposed contender in the 10 1/2-furlong Classic trial and made her experience tell with a game pillar-to-post triumph. The outsider of five, fresh off a course-and-distance fifth on seasonal return earlier in the month, broke well and led from flagfall. Coming under pressure when threatened in early straight, she refused to yield inside the final quarter-mile and was ridden out to hold all-comers at bay in...

Christopher Head-trained 'TDN Rising Star' Maranoa Charlie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) raced on turbo boost until running out of fuel in last term's G1 Criterium International, but bounced back in style with a pillar-to-post victory in Tuesday's G3 Prix Djebel at Deauville. The G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains entry backed up wide-margin victories here and at Saint-Cloud with an eighth-length tally back at the latter venue's G3 Prix Thomas Bryon in his penultimate start. In command and comfortable on the front end for the most of this straight seven-furlong test,...

DUBAI, UAE--Owners Jim and Claire Bryce have admitted to feeling "like kids in a sweet shop" ahead of Saturday's UAE Derby where their own Heart Of Honor (GB) (Honor A. P.) could help jockey Saffie Osborne create history by becoming the first female jockey to win a race on Dubai World Cup night. Trained by Jamie Osborne, who won the same race 11 years ago with Toast Of New York (Thewayyouare), Heart Of Honor is the most high-profile Flat performer for the husband-and-wife owners who admitted to having mixed emotions...

Topping the Arqana March Online Sale was Siyouni (Fr)'s Why Not Again (Fr) (lot 1), who went for €250,000 to Yulong Investments signing as Willingham on Wednesday. Sent through the ring by Fabrice Chappet, the winning bay is out of dual Group 1 winner Watch Me (Fr) (Olympic Glory {Ire}). City Light (Fr)'s Scapecity (Fr) (lot 13) made €155,000 on the bid of Willingham, once again. The 3-year-old filly, also offered by Chappet, was third in the Listed Prix Zeddaan in November of 2024. Blue Seabhac (Fr) (Seabhac) was knocked...

Why Not Again (Fr) (lot 1), the first foal out of the dual Group 1 winner Watch Me (Fr) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), is among the initial entries for the Arqana Online Sale scheduled to take place on Wednesday, March 26. The three-year-old daughter of Siyouni (Fr) finished fourth on her debut at Chantilly last month. Why Not Again is one of seven lots to be offered by trainer Fabrice Chappet to dissolve a partnership, with the others including Watch The King (Fr) (lot 6), Watch Me's two-year-old colt by Persian...

The catalogue for the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale, which takes place between 8 and 10 May, has been released and features the progeny of world-class stallions Justify, Wootton Bassett (GB), Lope De Vega (Ire), Sea The Stars (Ire), Dubawi (Ire) and more. A total of 192 two-year-olds feature in the sale that was headed last year by recent UAE 2,000 Guineas hero Ruling Court (Justify), who was sold by Norman Williamson's Oak Tree Farm to Godolphin for €2.3 million. There are seven horses by Justify in this year's sale that features...

Craig Bernick's Audubon Park (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}--Right Hand {GB}, by Lope De Vega {Ire}) delivered a stunning late burst to notch a four-length debut score going 9 1/2 furlongs atop Chantilly's synthetic surface last month and repeated the dose upped to 10 furlongs on the turf with a perfect G1 Prix de Diane audition in Thursday's Listed Prix Rose de Mai at Saint-Cloud. The well-backed 3-5 favourite was smartly into stride from the inside stall and settled into a smooth rhythm behind the leaders in third until slipping to fourth...

There were fireworks on Chantilly's Tuesday afternoon card as Carlos and Yann Lerner trainee We'll Defend (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}--Skysweeper {Fr}, by Hurricane Run {Ire}) illuminated proceedings with a taking four-length 'TDN Rising Star' performance in the Prix de la Serpentine, a 9 1/2-furlong contest for unraced fillies. The G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G1 Prix de Diane entry was under heavy restraint through the early stages and raced in a handy fourth, behind a sedate pace, for the most part. Cruising forward on the bridle in the home straight,...

Haras d'Etreham boss Nicolas de Chambure said that he jumped at the opportunity to snap up a weanling foal by Australian super sire Extreme Choice (Aus) for €110,000 from JK Thoroughbreds at the Arqana February Mixed Sale on Wednesday.  De Chambure, who spent time in Australia prior to taking the reins at Haras d'Etreham, revealed that he will be playing the long game with the sale-topper who it is hoped will one day join the broodmare band at the leading French stud.  "I thought she was a filly we really...