Deauville

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. Wednesday's Observations features a half-sister to Calandagan. 5.07 Deauville, Debutantes, 2yo, f, 8fT CALASITA (IRE) (Zarak {Fr}) makes her debut in timely fashion just days after her illustrious half-brother Calandagan (Gleneagles) sealed European champion status at Ascot. Francis Graffard introduces The Aga Khan Studs homebred against a cast that...

DEAUVILLE, France -- In TDN Europe we have banned the use of the word fireworks in relation to action in the sales ring but as it is almost officially fireworks season let's just say that it would be no surprise to see a few whizz-bangers in Deauville on Tuesday. The Arqana October Sale gets underway at 10am, with the first two days devoted to Part 1, graded each day, and the 810-lot sale continuing through to Saturday.  Some enticing lots on paper include lot 103, Haras de l'Aumonerie's Kameko half-brother...

Monday, Deauville, France, post time: 15:40, DARLEY PRIX DES RESERVOIRS-G3, €73,200, 2yo, f, 8fT Field: Kiss Melody (Ire) (Almanzor {Fr}), Miuccia (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Society Princesse (Fr) (Persian King {Ire}), Rhiyanna (Fr) (Elarqam {GB}), Shahbanu (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Waiting For You (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), Lyrics Of Life (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}). TDN Analysis: This contest was won last term by subsequent G1 Prix de Diane heroine Gezora and the dual stakes-placed Waiting For You and undefeated dual winner Shahbanu are the leading lights in this year's renewal. Kiss Melody, Miuccia...

Half-siblings to Classic winners Look De Vega and Coeursamba are among more than 800 horses catalogued for the five-day Arqana October Yearling Sale, which begins in Deauville on Tuesday, October 21. Part 1 of the sale, which takes place over Tuesday and Wednesday, also includes a St Mark's Basilica three-parts-brother to multiple Group 1 winner Laurens, half-brothers to the Group 1 winners Woodshauna and Kew Gardens, and a full-sister to G1 Prix Marcel Boussac victrix Zellie.  Also featured is the first foal, a filly by Frankel, of the G1 Matron...

DEAUVILLE, FRANCE--Earlier this year, the TDN wrote a story about the launch of Medallion Racing's partner experiences to international locations, an important part of their racing partnerships program. They have just concluded their trip to the Arqana August Yearling sale in Deauville, where we were lucky enough to be invited along on parts of the trip. Fourteen partners and family members traveled to Deauville from August 13 to 18, and took part in a series of events, from a bespoke D Day Tour, a day sampling local ciders at specialty...

Lightly-campaigned for a five-year-old, Haras de la Perelle's homebred Quisisana put yet another feather in the cap of the Stud and her high-achieving late sire Le Havre when taking Sunday's G1 Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville. Coming into the 10-furlong contest off a clear-cut win in Chantilly's Listed Prix de la Pepiniere, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained 7-1 shot travelled smoothly for Christophe Soumillon and when given the command seized the advantage approaching the furlong marker. At the line, she had 1 3/4 lengths to spare over Survie (Churchill {Ire}), who was...

Lining up in a stellar renewal of Deauville's G1 Sumbe Prix Morny as the sole filly, Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy's Venetian Sun (Starman) did what she has been doing so well to her own sex in 2025 and got the job done. Tracking the strong pace travelling kindly under Clifford Lee, the 29-10 second favourite edged ahead passing the furlong pole and after outstaying Wise Approach (Mehmas) found the line a short neck ahead of the 11-10 favourite Gstaad (Starspangledbanner). "She does everything so relaxed and has a temperament...

Godolphin and Andre Fabre have a new star on their hands if the evidence of Sunday's G2 Sumbe Prix du Calvados at Deauville is anything to go by. Lining up with confidence behind her, the 11-10 favourite My Highness (Ghaiyyath) who had won a brace of conditions events went through the seven-furlong juvenile staging post with a degree of comfort despite the strong pace set by the Princess Margaret winner Fitzella (Too Darn Hot). Swamping that British challenger at the furlong pole, the homebred drew away under Cristian Demuro to...

Last Sunday, Christophe Soumillon was doing what he has become famed for: riding a Group 1 winner. In this case it was Diego Velazquez in the Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques Le Marois for those celebrated racing names of Aidan O'Brien and Sam Sangster. Soumillon's name is of course equally celebrated, but as a young boy in Belgium, growing up riding ponies, the path to becoming a jockey wasn't always clear to him. To try to solve that problem for the budding riders coming up behind him, the ten-time champion...

DEAUVILLE, FRANCE -- By Monday, it was noticeably quieter around the sales pavilion. The weekenders had packed their bags and many of the Brits had started to make their way back across the Channel, heading north for the promise of four days of top-class racing at York. But, where it mattered, things were still pretty lively, and if you run an auction house, the only action you really want to see is in the ring.  By lunchtime on the final day, six horses costing more than a million euros each...

Late in the day, a son of Siyouni and the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Lightening Pearl (Marju) brought a winning bid of €1.25 million from the American Racing Corporation, bidding online. Sold as lot 140 from the Tweenhills draft, the colt is a half-brother to the G3 Athasi Stakes victress Lightening Quick (Frankel), and the Japanese stakes-placed Matenro Diva (Deep Impact). Under the second dam is the two-time top-level winner Satono Crown (Marju). The bay was bred by Qatar Bloodstock.   A new top lot at #TheAugustSale, as American...

The first yearling to break seven figures during the Arqana August Yearling Sale was lot 104, an elegant son of Wootton Bassett and the Invincible Spirit mare High Celebrity, a winner of the G3 Prix d'Arenberg. Bred by Jean-Philippe Dubois and consigned by Haras des Capucines, he was knocked down to MV Magnier for €2.3 million. His dam, already responsible for the stakes-placed Galileo duo of Friendly Face and G2 Queen's Vase second Highbury, was also second in the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes and third in the G1 Cheveley...