Camelot (GB)

In conditions more akin to the festive period then summertime at Epsom, Ballydoyle's Christmas Day mastered the gruelling test the 2026 G1 Betfred Derby became to provide Camelot with his first Blue Riband. The subject of increased support as every shower rained down on the Surrey venue, the 7-1 shot was sent forward by Ronan Whelan to race second from the outset and when committed in early straight galloped relentlessly to a 2 3/4-length success from Maltese Cross (Sea The Stars). Third was James J Braddock (Zarak), 2 1/2 lengths...

When it comes to Chester's May Festival, Aidan O'Brien always means business and Amelia Earhart (Camelot) got Ballydoyle's 2026 team off to a flyer on Wednesday to provide the stable with a 10th Listed Weatherbys Cheshire Oaks. Sent off the 13-8 second favourite fitted with blinkers for the first time, the Coolmore homebred who took the same Leopardstown maiden as last year's winner Minnie Hauk travelled easily for Ryan Moore under cover throughout. Sent to the front at the furlong pole, she had too many guns for the Gosdens' 6-5 market-leader...

Skara Glen Stables' Eretria (Camelot), a 420,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate, backed up an April Fools' Day debut second at Dundalk with an impressive success in Wednesday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Leopardstown. "She's a smart filly and I thought the last furlong was very impressive," said Donnacha O'Brien. "She's a lovely filly going forward and I'll give her a little bit of time now. She's only two weeks back from her first run and something like the Naas Oaks Trial could fit in nicely now. She's...

All eyes were on the returning Pierre Bonnard in Sunday's G3 P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes, but it was another of Ballydoyle's sons of Camelot who stepped forward into the Derby picture in Christmas Day. While the former showed how short of a peak he was in a lethargic seventh, last year's G3 Eyrefield Stakes winner delivered under Wayne Lordan to cause an 11-1 upset at the chief expense of another stablemate in Endorsement (Wootton Bassett). Aidan O'Brien had warned before the established Derby trial that last year's Criterium de...

This particular October weekend is so important when it comes to next year's Classics and Aidan O'Brien has simply dominated it in 2025 with Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) bringing up a Sunday Group 1 double at Saint-Cloud and a third overall following the previous day's action at Doncaster. Sent off the 7-10 favourite for the 10-furlong Criterium de Saint-Cloud, the impressive Zetland winner travelled easily for Christophe Soumillon tracking the early pace and when sent on inside the two opened up to score with authority by two lengths from the Donnacha...

Aidan O'Brien will have some of his big guns in action at the weekend, with both Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel) and Hawk Mountain (Wootton Bassett) headlining the cast for Doncaster's G1 William Hill Futurity Trophy and Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett) supplemented for Sunday's G1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud. While the impressive G2 Champions Juvenile winner Benvenuto Cellini was initially thought the main hope for Doncaster, O'Brien has added spice by confirming the Beresford winner Hawk Mountain as well as Lambourn's half-brother Action (Frankel). Completing the six-strong line-up for the two-year-old Group...

Leopardstown's Saturday card belonged to Aidan O'Brien and Jack Cleary and their winning sequence included a bright prospect for the 2025 Classics in Christmas Day (Camelot) in the nine-furlong G3 Mongey Communications Eyrefield Stakes. Coming off a maiden win at Gowran Park last month, the 13-2 shot was delivered from the pack to deny A Boy Named Susie (Starspangledbanner) on the line and prevail by a short head. "He's progressed from run to run and he took great confidence from the win the last day," Ballydoyle's representative Chris Armstrong explained....

The subject of a major gamble prior to Saturday's G3 Night Of Thunder Zetland Stakes at Newmarket, Ballydoyle's Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) went through the 10-furlong test smoothly to stake his 2026 Derby claims. Delivered from the pack by Christophe Soumillon to lead passing the two pole, the 6-4 favourite was coaxed clear of stablemate Endorsement (Wootton Bassett) to score by 1 1/2 lengths, with Godolphin's €850,000 BBAG September topper Del Maro (Camelot) a further length away in third. "He looked amazing in the paddock and went to the start so...

5th-Dundalk, €18,000, Mdn, 8-15, 2yo, 8f (AWT), 1:38.02, st. PIERRE BONNARD (IRE) (c, 2, Camelot {GB}--Sultanina {GB} {G1SW-Eng, $303,395}, by New Approach {Ire}), one place behind the yard's subsequent TDN Rising Star Montreal when fourth on debut at Leopardstown last month, raced in front of the main pack behind the clear early leader. In front approaching the final furlong, the 6-5 favourite stayed on strongly to score by 2 1/4 lengths from Shaihaan (Night Of Thunder). "He's a lovely horse," Ballydoyle's representative Chris Armstrong said of the son of the...

6th-Goodwood, £75,000, Mdn, 8-2, 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:26.63, g/s. ISAAC NEWTON (IRE) (c, 2, Camelot {GB}--Etive {SW-Ger & MSP-Fr, $126,693}, by Elusive Quality), a nose shy of stablemate New Zealand (Frankel) when a July 19 debut runner-up over this trip at the Curragh last time, raced in a midfield seventh through halfway here. Urged closer with three furlongs remaining, the 8-13 favourite went third approaching the final furlong and was driven out to prevail by a neck from Evanesco (Too Darn Hot). "He had a very good run the first...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed 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 Action (Ire), the Frankel (GB) half-brother to Lambourn (Ire) (Australia {GB}). 4.27 Galway, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, 8f 73yT ACTION (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) could hardly have shaped with more promise on debut at The Curragh last month and looks poised to build on that third placing behind...

Just six runners will line up for Sunday's €600,000 G1 Cygames Grand Prix de Paris at ParisLongchamp after final declarations for the 12-furlong test were confirmed Friday morning. Aidan O'Brien has five prior renewals in the books, some way shy of Andre Fabre's record 14, and relies on G1 Prix du Jockey Club fourth Trinity College (Dubawi), who was last seen annexing Royal Ascot's G3 Hampton Court Stakes. He will depart from stall five. Jockey Club seventh Frankly Good Cen (Frankel) and 17th Leffard (Le Havre) reoppose from stalls six...