Diamond Necklace

Should the Prix de Diane Longines favourite Diamond Necklace (St Mark's Basilica) comply with all established logic at Chantilly on Sunday and deliver, it will be Classic win number seven in 2026 for Aidan O'Brien in a season he is threatening to define. Already one of the six herself, having conquered the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches with the minimum of fuss four weeks ago, Ballydoyle's unbeaten starlet bids to join an elite band by adding this prestige affair to Longchamp's Classic and Prix Marcel Boussac. Remarkably, just a quartet have...

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 15:50, EMIRATES POULE D'ESSAI DES POULAINS-G1, €650,000, 3yo, c, 8fT Field: Khovikhov (Fr) (Al Wukair {Ire}), Rayif (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), Hankelow (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Segall (Ire) (Sottsass {Fr}), Komorebi (Ire) (Pinatubo {Ire}), Mijas (Fr) (Karakontie {Jpn}), Puerto Rico (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Imperior (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), Good Bye Manu (Ire) (Almanzor {Fr}), Dorset (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Elastic (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Nighttime (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Wootton Centurion (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). TDN Analysis: Coolmore's G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere...

Following a remarkable Chester May meeting, Ballydoyle will look to continue their momentum into the weekend, with two Classics at stake on Sunday. Heading the baker's dozen going forward for ParisLongchamp's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains is the yard's Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and Criterium International hero Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett), while their Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Diamond Necklace (St Mark's Basilica) is heavily favoured for the 15-strong G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett), who will be accompanied by the G3 Killavullan Stakes and Goffs Million winner Dorset...

Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett) is likely for the G1 2000 Guineas with Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) eyeing the French equivalent, according to trainer Aidan O'Brien. A start for Saturday's G3 Greenham Stakes third Albert Einstein (Wootton Bassett) is still undecided. Puerto Rico has won his last three starts, with tallies in the G2 Champagne Stakes, the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and the G1 Criterium International. A winner of the G2 Coventry Stakes and the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, Gstaad was also second in a trio of Group 1s: the Prix Morny,...

Diamond Necklace (St Mark's Basilica) and Precise (Starspangledbanner), both Group 1-winning juveniles trained by Aidan O'Brien, headline 53 entries for the Betfred Oaks at Epsom on Friday, June 5. Unbeaten in three starts as a two-year-old, Diamond Necklace was last seen winning the Prix Marcel Boussac at ParisLongchamp, while Precise rattled off four straight victories as a two-year-old after being beaten on her debut at Fairyhouse, culminating with back-to-back Group 1 wins in the Moyglare Stud Stakes and Fillies' Mile. In total, O'Brien has entered 15 fillies in his quest...

Trainer Aidan O'Brien is hopeful multiple Group 1 winner Precise (Starspangledbanner) will still make the starting gate for the G1 Betfred 1000 Guineas on May 3. A winner of four of her five starts, she is on the recovery trail after spiking a temperature a few weeks ago. "She's in good form, she had a temperature two or three weeks ago and we had to just back off her and slowly pick her back up," said O'Brien of his 2025 G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes and G1 Fillies Mile heroine, who...

With Ballydoyle's press day having produced a rush of excitement for Flat enthusiasts, there is no better time to revisit some key members of the current Classic crop. With Cheltenham barely in the rearview mirror, the Guineas are already on the horizon with the key trials only just around the corner. Things are going to move very quickly between now and the first weekend in May and it is worth recalling some of the best of the 2025 TDN Rising Stars, Presented by Hagyard. As always, Aidan O'Brien is responsible...

The Coolmore partners' G1 Fillies' Mile heroine Precise (Starspangledbanner) has been awarded a mark of 113p by Timeform for her Newmarket heroics. She leads the rankings for her age and sex, with Aidan O'Brien stablemate and G1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner True Love (No Nay Never) is second at 111. G1 Prix Morny victress Venetian Sun (Starman) is third for Karl Burke at 110p, while another O'Brien runner, G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Diamond Necklace (St Mark's Basilica) is fourth at 109p. Group winner and G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes second...

Is there an adequate Japanese proverb that conveys the nation's unflinching endeavour to win the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe? Perhaps "Ishi no ue ni mo san nen", to sit patiently on a cold stone for three years which relates to the power of perseverance, or "Nana korobi ya oki", to fall seven times and get up eight, or "Mateba kairo no hiyori ari". The latter points to waiting out the unpredictable to choose the right route and ultimately prevail. Since the country's first real go in 1999...

Fresh from Thursday's Group-race breakthrough with G2 May Hill Stakes heroine Aylin, the St Mark's Basilica bandwagon looks set to roll on through this weekend, with the first-season sire set to be represented by big-race runners everywhere from Doncaster to Woodbine. Thesecretadversary, the first black-type winner for his sire in last month's Listed Churchill Stakes at Tipperary, is set to line up in Saturday's GI Summer Stakes over in Canada for Fozzy Stack. There he'll have the assistance of one Frankie Dettori, the man who rode St Mark's Basilica to...