Bedtime Story (Ire)
Francis-Henri Graffard looked set to have the one-two-three in Sunday's G1 Prix de Diane Longines heading to the closing stages, but while that didn't transpire France's pre-eminent trainer of 2025 was ultimately in the right place as Gezora (Almanzor) brought it home. Continuing the timeless love affair between American interests and French racing, the daughter of the 2006 Diane runner-up Germance proved strongest in the Chantilly Classic to complete the Saint-Alary-Diane double for Peter Brant's White Birch Farm. Sent off at 11-2 having upped her game last month at ParisLongchamp...
Last month's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches demotee Shes Perfect (Sioux Nation) heads a field of one dozen contenders for Sunday's G1 Prix de Diane Longines after Thursday morning's final declarations were announced for the €1-million Chantilly Classic. Basher Watts Racing's Charlie Fellowes trainee, who has drawn stall seven, will be reopposed by Princess Zahra Aga Khan's TDN Rising Star and Pouliches third Mandanaba (Ghaiyyath), who will emerge from stall 10. Mandanaba will be accompanied by Francis Graffard stablemates Cankoura (Persian King) and G2 Prix Saint-Alary victrix Gezora (Almanzor), who...
Following Monday's confirmation stage, 17 colts remain in contention for Saturday's Betfred 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, headed by the impressive G3 Craven Stakes winner Field Of Gold (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). The potential field is down from the 24-strong group who stood their ground at the latest entry stage, with last year's G2 Coventry Stakes scorer Rashabar (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and G1 Futurity Trophy hero Hotazhell (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) featuring among those who were taken out of the race on Monday. Aomori City (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}),...
Having confessed my love for one dual Nunthorpe winner, Borderlescott (GB), in a TDN feature published during York's Ebor Festival, it now seems only fair to revisit the story of another, the force of nature that was Mecca's Angel (Ire), successful on the Knavesmire in 2015 and 2016 and now one of the most exciting young broodmares on the planet through the exploits of her daughters, Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). For former owner David Metcalfe it's the story that just keeps on giving, even...
Most were expecting that Aidan O'Brien would be welcoming back a 10th winner of The Curragh's G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes on Sunday and that it would be an unbeaten daughter of Frankel (GB), but few would have predicted that it would be Lake Victoria (Ire) and not Bedtime Story (Ire). Like her deservedly much-vaunted stablemate, Lake Victoria held TDN Rising Star status heading into this seven-furlong test having beaten the re-opposing Red Letter (GB) (Frankel {GB}) on debut over this course and distance in June and gone to Newmarket to...
Sunday's field have now been set, with the group 1 races at The Curragh and ParisLongchamp hosting some major names including Ballydoyle's elite-level winners Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Opera Singer (Justify). The former bids for a second G1 Irish St Leger during the second day of the Irish Champions Festival in Kildare, while the latter is one of a dozen fillies set to contest the G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille which is the feature of the French Arc Trials card. Kyprios will face seven in the 14-furlong contest, including Scuderia...
Camelot (GB)'s Los Angeles (Ire) is likely to contest the G1 Irish Champion Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend alongside Aidan O'Brien stablemates August Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Luxemborg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), O'Brien revealed on Monday. The master of Ballydoyle also outlined plans for other runners from his stable for the mid-September meeting. Five-for-six in his young career, with a third in the G1 Derby followed by victories in the G1 Irish Derby and G2 Great Voltigeur Stakes in June and August, respectively, Los Angeles faces a tough ask...
Coolmore's Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Mecca's Angel {Ire}, by Dark Angel {Ire}) embellished a 'TDN Rising Star' debut performance with wide-margin wins in the Listed Chesham Stakes and G3 Silver Flash and continued her winning streak with a battling display in Saturday's G2 Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes at the Curragh. Her half-length victory provided trainer Aidan O'Brien with a record-extending 14h triumph in the seven-furlong fillies' test. Bedtime Story was steadied to race fourth through the initial stages and improved one spot approaching halfway. Shaken up when taking closer order...
With his win in the G3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes this past Wednesday, The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has broken the fillies' stranglehold on the Timeform 2-year-old rankings, having taken up the mantel as the second-highest juvenile this season. The effort at York earned a 115p, which puts him behind stablemate Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) at 116p but ahead of Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) with a 113p and Fairy Godmother (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) at 112p. The new rating is the highest by a juvenile...
Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) leads the Timeform juveniles as the highest rated this season with a 116p, and the fillies are dominating the pecking order. A 9 1/2-length winner of the Listed Chesham Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting, and producing another dominating display July 25 en route to victory in the G3 Jockey Club of Turkey Silver Flash Stakes, the 'TDN Rising Star' is the highest rated 2-year-old and her stablemate multiple Group-winning Fairy Godmother (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) picks up the joint second spot with a...
She was highly unlikely to be as impressive as at Royal Ascot and while Ballydoyle's Listed Chesham Stakes-winning TDN Rising Star Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Mecca's Angel {Ire}, by Dark Angel {Ire}) wasn't as ruthless in Thursday evening's G3 Jockey Club Of Turkey Silver Flash Stakes, her class duly told in Leopardstown's joint-feature. Settled behind her course-and-distance-winning stablemate Exactly (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) by Ryan Moore, the 1-16 favourite was pulled out of her slipstream approaching the furlong pole and sent onwards to a 3 1/2-length success. There was another 1...
Turning the Listed Chesham Stakes into her own Royal Ascot procession on Saturday, Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Mecca's Angel {Ire}, by Dark Angel {Ire}) recorded the widest-margin win of the week by some way to enter the 2025 Classic conversation. Content to follow the leaders in the group racing up the centre, the 11-8 favourite who had won a Leopardstown maiden earlier this month was let loose by Ryan Moore two out and surged clear for an emphatic 9 1/2-length success. Pentle Bay (Ire) (New Bay...