City of Troy
Unable to live with Carla's Way (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus) when outmanoeuvred and outspeeded in the G2 Rockfel S. at Newmarket last month, Shuwari (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) and Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}) face an entirely different test on Friday as they compete in the track's feature G1 Fillies' Mile. In all likelihood, fast ground over seven furlongs suited neither filly and now that the rain has come the kind of bias that proved ideal for Carla's Way's style will have disappeared. We know that Shuwari is made of the...
Sunday's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. at The Curragh was denied the participation of the star turn City Of Troy (Justify) after Aidan O'Brien opted to withdraw the G2 Superlative S.-winning TDN Rising Star. Following the disappointing run of the stable's Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the preceding G1 Moyglare Stud S., the ground was deemed too easy for the exciting juvenile. The Curragh was officially good-to-yielding after heavy rain before racing. Ryan Moore switches to fellow TDN Rising Star Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the G2 Futurity...
While the G1 Irish St Leger is officially the feature race on The Curragh's second part of the Irish Champions Festival, Sunday's fixture is really first and foremost about Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star City Of Troy (Justify) who graces the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. Of all the stable's 2-year-old stars over the past 25 years, he already looks at home accompanying the same metaphoric space as the likes of Johannesburg, Fasliyev, Air Force Blue, Hawk Wing, Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) and Little Big Bear (Ire) which is an...
If anyone had been chalking John Bourke's Classic success down to pure fluke, well then they may have been forced to reevaluate the Hyde Park Stud operator's method to breeding high-class horses on a budget after Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) stormed to G2 Vintage S. glory at Goodwood on Tuesday. Bourke famously bought Poyle Sophie (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) carrying last year's 1,000 Guineas winner Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}) for just 3,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2018. Haatem is the latest triumph for his approach to...
We've a while to wait before any firm conclusions can be drawn about this year's crop of first-season stallions, though Darley's Blue Point (Ire) and Ballyhane Stud's Soldier's Call (GB) are pulling ever clearer in what has developed into something of a duel at the half-way stage of the Flat season. In the Coolmore camp, Calyx (GB) was the first to strike with a group winner when Persian Dreamer won Friday's G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. As an aside, one wonders how much the clamour to run two-year-olds at Royal...
They may have missed out on the English Triple Crown this year, but Team Ballydoyle have another contender for that mythical pursuit in 2024 after TDN Rising Star City Of Troy (Justify--Together Forever {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) destroyed the opposition in Newmarket's G2 Superlative S. on Saturday. Allowed to stride to the fore by Ryan Moore with only Spanish Phoenix (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) ahead, the heavily-supported 4-6 favourite took command three out and went through the gears from there to issue a punishing 6 1/2-length defeat to Haatem...
First there was Dettori's ban, meaning that the one missing English group 1 on his palmares was going to stay void. Then the setback to Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never). Now, the persistent rain that dogged Friday's action at Newmarket's July Festival and has changed the complexion of Saturday's feature G1 Pertemps Network July Cup. Ironically, every bit of that unexpected wet spell acted further to aid the cause of Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) who would have been Frankie's final ride in his last-chance saloon which is now...
The Curragh's seven-furlong Barronstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden has proved a font of high-class performers down the years and it could be Saturday's race played host to another as Ballydoyle's City Of Troy (Justify--Together Forever {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) justified 6-4 favouritism in style to join the ranks of TDN Rising Stars. Withdrawn from his intended debut here in May, the son of the G1 Fillies' Mile winner was quickly at the fore alongside the experienced Instant Appeal (GB) (Advertise {GB}). Asserting from the two pole, the full-brother to his...
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 Insights features the son of G1SW Together Forever, the Justify colt City of Troy. 13.40 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo c/g, 7fT CITY OF TROY (Justify) looks a significant member of the contingent for this Barronstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden for colts and geldings, being the chosen Ballydoyle representative...
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 Insights features the unusual step down in class when Unquestionable tries a maiden off a Listed stakes placing. 15.20 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, 6fT UNQUESTIONABLE (FR) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) takes the unusual step of dropping in class for a maiden on his second start, having caught the eye...