Bated Breath

It was 11 years ago that Xtension (Ire) (Xaar {GB}) became only the second group winner for his trainer Clive Cox when landing the G2 Veuve Clicquot Vintage S. under Adam Kirby. In the intervening years, Cox and Kirby have become a force to be reckoned with, particularly in the major sprint contests and often with horses bought relatively inexpensively by the trainer. Xtension was himself a €15,000 yearling purchase from his breeder Paul McCartan of Ballyphilip Stud, and he was later sold on as a 3-year-old to race in...

Juddmonte has released details of some of the foals already on the ground at Banstead Manor Stud this year, including a colt by Kingman out of the multiple Grade I winner Proviso (GB) (Dansili {GB}). The March-foaled colt is one of a number by his exciting young sire to have been welcomed by Juddmonte so far in 2020, along with a filly out of another Grade I winner, Ventura (Chester House {GB})), who is already the dam of G3 Prix de Lieurey winner Fount (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Listed winner Mirror...

The dams of G2 Coventry S. and Pavilion S. winner Calyx (GB), dual Group 2 winner Headman (GB) and G3 Hampton Court S. winner Sangarius (GB) are among the Juddmonte mares set to visit Kingman (GB) in his sixth year at stud this year. Also on the books of the 2014 Cartier Horse of The Year are Juddmonte's Group 1 winners Capla Temptress (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Romantica (GB) (Galileo {Ire}); Group 2 winner Starformer (Dynaformer); Amser (GB) (Frankel {GB})-a half-sister to Group 1 winners Timepiece (GB) and...

In this TDN series we ask a group of experts for their predictions for the 2020 flat season in Europe. Today we hear from Alex Elliott. TDN: Who do you think will be the leading first-season sire this year? AE: I like the idea of Mehmas (Ire). He was a high-class 2-year-old, is bred on the same cross as Dark Angel (Ire), and Tally-Ho Stud are amongst the best in the game when it comes to producing 2-year-old winners. It should prove a potent combination in the race to be...