Chantilly

The arrival of March has ushered in an exciting new training partnership in Chantilly with Nicolas Clement, one of the most respected members of the French training ranks, teaming up with Dutch-born Frauke Hermans. Widely known by the nickname Flo, Hermans, 30, has been Clement's assistant for the past five seasons, having previously worked in various English stables, including for Roger Varian in Newmarket, and also in Dubai.  "It has always been my dream to train so Nicolas pushed me to get my trainer's licence and to get started," she...

There was a hint of Spring despite the expected February cold at Chantilly on Friday and also a sign of the initial shoots of the upcoming Flat season with some big operations represented on the course's Polytrack. Among them was George Strawbridge's homebred Kryon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Darkova, by Maria's Mon), a Victoria Head-trained half-brother to Wootton Bassett's champion Almanzor (Fr) who made his 3-year-old bow a relatively impressive one in the colts' division of the fixture's pair of 9 1/2-furlong maidens. Not seen since finishing third on his...

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. Friday's Observations features a daughter of dual Group 1 winner Watch Me (Fr) (Olympic Glory {Ire}). 3.10 Chantilly, Mdn, €27,000, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f (AWT) WHY NOT AGAIN (FR) (Siyouni {Fr}) is the meeting's most significant debutante as the first foal out of the G1 Coronation Stakes and G1...

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. Thursday's Observations features a returning €700,000 yearling graduate. 2.12 Chantilly, Cond, €28,000, 3yo, 8f (AWT) TIGRESS OF GAUL (FR) (Siyouni {Fr}), the €700,000 joint-second highest-priced filly at last year's Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale, comes back to the course and distance of her impressive winning debut. Jose Aguirre-Moreno and...

For the second week in a row we start in France and on the polytrack at Chantilly, the scene of not one but two sizzling debut performances on Friday's card. The two newcomers blitzed their rivals by a cumulative margin of 11 lengths, with the four-length victory of Audubon Park (Fr) quickly being put in the shade by that of Tito Mo Cen (Ire) when he won the boys' equivalent race by nearly twice as far. The time clocked by the latter was also around 1.4 seconds faster as he...

Following on from the eye-catching performance of Audubon Park (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) at Chantilly on Friday, the Yeguada Centurion homebred Tito Mo Cen (Ire) (Uncle Mo--Raven's Lady {GB}, by Raven's Pass) delivered the ultimate display of one-upmanship as he stormed to TDN Rising Star status in the colts' division. Dominating from the front throughout the 9 1/2-furlong Prix de la Grange de Commelles staged on the Polytrack, the Victoria Head-trained half-brother to the luminary Ramatuelle (Justify) really turned it on from two out and opened up to hit the line...

There was something to warm the hearts of Flat lovers at Chantilly on Friday as Craig Bernick's newcomer Audubon Park (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}--Right Hand {GB}, by Lope De Vega {Ire}) became one of the late winter's notebook performers with an impressive debut display. From the well-stocked Francis-Henri Graffard stable with all its high-class yardsticks, the blueblood bred by a partnership at Ecurie des Monceaux was the talk of the town heading to post for the 9 1/2-furlong Prix du Chateau de la Reine Blanche for unraced 3-year-old fillies on the...

Amy Murphy is set to relocate her entire operation to Chantilly, France ahead of the upcoming Flat season, the trainer announced in a statement on her X feed (@almracing) on Monday. Based on the Hamilton Road in Newmarket since saddling her first runner under Rules in September 2016, Murphy initially rented Hamilton Stables from Michael Wigham, before moving to the nearby Southgate Stables following the purchase of that yard in May 2018. The 32-year-old enjoyed notable success during her time in Newmarket, both on the Flat and over jumps. The...

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. Thursday's Observations features the highest priced filly at the Arqana August Yearling Sale in 2023. 12.35 Chantilly, Debutantes, €30,000, 2yo, f, 8f (AWT) TIGRESS OF GAUL (FR) (Siyouni {Fr}) is a significant presence in this newcomers' event, having cost €700,000 when the joint-second highest-priced filly at last year's Arqana...

It's not yet nine o'clock and the office is almost empty, as good as new. Pascal Bary saw his last horses leave the day before, and he's offering one of his last employees their pick of the framed victory photos still displayed on a shelf.  Almost 45 years after obtaining his licence, the trainer with six French Derbys to his name is packing his bags. The yard is still bustling because his boxes will now be occupied by Mario Baratti, who is steadily climbing the ranks of Chantilly trainers today...

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 son of Plumania (GB) (Anabaa). 11.56 Chantilly, Debutantes, €30,000, 2yo, c/g, 9f (AWT) AVIDE (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) is a significant newcomer for the Wertheimers and Andre Fabre as a son of their G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud heroine Plumania (GB) (Anabaa). A full-brother to the...

Princess Zahra Aga Khan's triple group 1 winner Mandesha (Fr) (Desert Style {Ire}) has so far failed to produce anything of major note as a broodmare, but the performance of her debutante daughter Mandanaba (Fr) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) at Chantilly on Tuesday suggests there could be a long-overdue change in the conversation. Introduced in the 9 1/2-furlong Prix de la Voie du Garde on the Polytrack by Francis-Henri Graffard, the homebred who is the first TDN Rising Star of her sire's first crop was allowed to coast to the front from...