Blackbeard (Ire)

Coolmore did not have long to wait for their first-crop sire Blackbeard to get off the mark as Timur provided the landmark in Lyon-Parilly's 4 1/2-furlong card opener on Sunday. Sent off at 9-1 for the Prix du Premier Pas, the Mathieu Pitart-trained son of Ninetta (New Approach) who hails from the family of Peintre Celebre showed early dash to stalk the tempo under Emilien Puillet-Roda. In front a furlong from home, the €20,000 Arqana October purchase asserted to beat Ballylinch Stud's filly Belisa Bay, a daughter of the fellow...

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. Saturday's Observations features a full-brother to Coolmore stallion Blackbeard (Ire). 2.20 Curragh, Cond, €22,000, 2yo, 5fT CHARLES DARWIN (IRE) (No Nay Never) is the fourth foal out of the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes fourth Muirin (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}), whose son Blackbeard (Ire) carried all before him for...

The first reported foal for dual Group 1-winning 2-year-old Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) arrived on Tuesday, Coolmore Stud announced. A bay, she is out of the Frank Hutchinson-owned Arabic Charm (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who won two races. "She's a very good first foal with plenty of strength and lots of quality," said Coolmore's Eddie Fitzpatrick. "A great start for both the mare and the sire." The winner of the G1 Prix Morny, G1 Middle Park S., G2 Prix Robert Papin and G3 Marble Hill S., Blackbeard was...

Shadwell homebred Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was named the Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Older Horse at the 32nd Cartier Racing Awards at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Wednesday evening. The first Shadwell colourbearer to earn the Horse of the Year accolade, the William Haggas trainee added another four Group 1 victories to his pair earned in 2021, posting wins in the Lockinge S., Queen Anne S., Sussex S., and International S. in succession. His only loss in an 11-start career was a fourth-place finish...

Confirming the form of the G1 Prix Morny on Saturday, Ballydoyle's Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) dominated Newmarket's G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S. as The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) delivered a one-two for the stable. Not content with a haul that already included the G3 Marble Hill and G2 Prix Robert Papin as well as the Deauville juvenile feature, the 10-3 joint-second favourite tracked the fast pace set by the Morny runner-up Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and was coaxed to that rival approaching the furlong pole with Ryan...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never--Muirin {Ire}, by Born To Sea {Ire}), who was collared in the dying strides of June's G2 Railway S. at the Curragh, outpointed reopposing stablemate The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in last month's G2 Darley Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly and enhanced a banner weekend for his all-conquering sire (by Scat Daddy) with a career high in Sunday's G1 Darley Prix Morny - Finale des Darley Series at Deauville. In so doing, he provided O'Brien with a fourth winner of the six-furlong...

Saturday's G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. at The Curragh has attracted a high-class sextet including a duo from Ballydoyle bidding to provide Aidan O'Brien with a 17th renewal. Ryan Moore is booked for the June 15 Listed Windsor Castle S. and July 16 G3 Anglesey S.-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never), with Seamie Heffernan due to partner the stable's May 2 Listed First Flier S., May 21 G3 Marble Hill S. and July 17 G2 Prix Robert Papin scorer Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never). Victorious Racing's...

Nailed in the dying strides of last month's G2 Railway S. at The Curragh, Aidan O'Brien trainee Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never--Muirin {Ire}, by Born To Sea {Ire}) bounced back in style to lead home a Ballydoyle exacta in Sunday's G2 Darley Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly. In so doing, he provided trainer O'Brien with a first winner of the six-furlong contest this century and, adding to Rossini's win in 1999, a second overall. The February-foaled bay had earlier backed up an Apr. 28 debut triumph at Dundalk with wins...

It is rare that The Aga Khan's silks are at the forefront this early in the major two-year-old contests, but when they are it is always a good sign and Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}--Shamreen {Ire}, by Dubawi {Ire}) showed he had the precocity to go with his illustrious pedigree in Saturday's G2 GAIN Railway S. at The Curragh. Kept fresh by Johnny Murtagh following his Naas conditions win May 7, the son of the dual G2 Blandford S. winner was held up early as the Listed First Flier S....

Already a dual winner prior to Saturday's G3 GAIN Marble Hill S. at The Curragh, Ballydoyle's Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) was the picture of professionalism as he made all under Ryan Moore to assume the mantle of generation leader. Already hardened by the experience of battle in this track's May 2 Listed First Flier S., the 5-2 second favourite set out to dictate on this first foray over six furlongs and relished the extra distance as he shook off the even-money market-leader Tough Talk (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) to stretch...