Coolmore

There were only four runners, but what Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse lacked in numbers it more than made up for in sheer buzz as the 3-year-old St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) was in scintillating form in Sandown's prestige contest. Heavily-backed into even-money favouritism beforehand, Ballydoyle's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero tracked Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) throughout and when launched by Ryan Moore passing the two-furlong pole quickly subdued his elders en route to an emphatic 3 1/2-length...

Joseph O'Brien trainee Velocidad (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) took the eye when making an impressive winning debut tackling six furlongs at Fairyhouse last month and doubled up in style to claim a first black-type score over the same trip in Sunday's G2 Airlie Stud S. at The Curragh. Racing a shade keenly in second after breaking third of the four runners, the 85-40 second choice loomed large on the bridle at the quarter-mile marker and kept on strongly once seizing control soon after to comfortably account for Coolmore and Westerberg's Yet...

16.30 Curragh, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, 6fT Coolmore and Westerberg's THE LUTE PLAYER (IRE) (Caravaggio) is a son of G3 Ballyogan S. third Sparrow (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and thus a half-brother to G1 Cox Plate and G1 Tancred S. hero Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). The Aidan O'Brien-conditioned newcomer faces a cast of 10, which includes Johnny Murtagh trainee War Effort (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who is a half-brother and stablemate to last term's G1 Matron S. victrix Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}). 17.00 Curragh, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, f, 7fT Aidan...

Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}-Rahaam, by Secreto), the winner of the G2 King's Stand S. and an influential producer, has died aged 25 at Ballyhimikin Stud. Bred by John McKay, Cassandra Go was purchased by Trevor Stewart for 82,000gns as a foal through the BBA at the Tattersalls December Sale of 1996. Stewart sent her through the ring as a yearling at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, but opted to retain her at 200,000gns. Sent into training with Geoff Wragg, Cassandra Go was soundly beaten in her lone start...

Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), front-running winner of the 2020 GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint for his breeder Randall Lowe, has been purchased by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg, a Coolmore official confirmed Wednesday. The first foal out of Lowe's outstanding 11-time stakes winner Lady Shipman (Midshipman), Golden Pal was bought back on a bid of $325,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September sale and was runner-up on debut over the Gulfstream main track last April before missing by a neck to The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince...

Dual French Classic winner St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) looks unlikely to have a rematch this summer with Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), with St Mark's Basilica set to target 10-furlong features like the July 3 G1 Eclipse S., Aug. 18 G1 Juddmonte International and Sept. 11 G1 Irish Champion S. The Coolmore partners' St Mark's Basilica has gone unbeaten in three runs since taking last year's G1 Dewhurst S., adding the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains over a mile on May 16 and stepping up to 10.5...

Things may not have gone to plan in all of the English Classics for Ballydoyle so far in 2021, but the stable continued their charmed existence in France on Sunday as Joan of Arc (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) provided Classic number three for the season and a first renewal of Chantilly's G1 Prix de Diane Longines for Aidan O'Brien. Combining again with Ioritz Mendizabal, who had steered St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) to glory in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix du Jockey Club, the master of...

'TDN Rising Star' Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) entered Saturday's Listed Chesham S. with a substantial reputation from Ballydoyle and while it was hard work in Ascot's slow ground he duly delivered as the 10-11 favourite. Held on to this time unlike when successful by 5 1/2 lengths over this seven-furlong trip on yielding ground at The Curragh June 2, the full-brother to Broome (Ire) edged ahead with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and despite veering left denied The Queen's Reach For the Moon (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) by half...

Just minutes after losing the argument for keeping the G1 Commonwealth Cup on Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}), Oisin Murphy was playing Mr bouncebackability as he steered Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) to clear-cut glory in the G1 Coronation S. It will certainly be a Royal Ascot Friday the reigning champion jockey, who has generally been put through the emotional wringer this month, will never forget with such extreme highs and lows all within the space of less than an hour. To add another aside to this tumultuous...

Passed over by Frankie Dettori and one of the outsiders for Thursday's G2 Ribblesdale S., Loving Dream (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) who carries the colours of Trevor Harris's Lordship Stud nevertheless held the John and Thady Gosden stable's bragging rights as she showed admirable toughness to upgrade her profile. Sent forward from her wide draw by Robert Havlin and avoiding the scrimmaging between keen-going fillies toward the rail as a result, the 18-1 shot stayed out of trouble tracking the leader Dubai Fountain (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) throughout the early stages. Committed...

Long absent and much-missed, Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) returned to the big time at Royal Ascot on Wednesday and had to be as tenacious as she is classy to see off Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) under a perfectly-judged front-running ride in the G1 Prince of Wales's S., a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf this fall. Last year's G1 1000 Guineas, G1 Epsom Oaks and G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine had been denied what had looked to be a match with Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire})...

G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Empress Josephine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has been supplemented to Friday's G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot. The Coolmore partners' full-sister to seven-time Group 1 winner Minding (Ire) is among 15 fillies remaining in the mile event; those also include her favoured stablemate, the G1 1000 Guineas winner Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), and last year's champion 2-year-old filly Pretty Gorgeous (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}). Empress Josephine is a daughter of Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who won the Coronation herself for the Coolmore partners in...