Dundalk

5th-Dundalk, €18,000, Mdn, 8-15, 2yo, 8f (AWT), 1:38.02, st. PIERRE BONNARD (IRE) (c, 2, Camelot {GB}--Sultanina {GB} {G1SW-Eng, $303,395}, by New Approach {Ire}), one place behind the yard's subsequent TDN Rising Star Montreal when fourth on debut at Leopardstown last month, raced in front of the main pack behind the clear early leader. In front approaching the final furlong, the 6-5 favourite stayed on strongly to score by 2 1/4 lengths from Shaihaan (Night Of Thunder). "He's a lovely horse," Ballydoyle's representative Chris Armstrong said of the son of 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. Friday's Observations features a son of Best In The World (Galileo). 4.05 Dundalk, Mdn, 2yo, 8f (AWT) KING OF SPARTA (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the fifth foal out of Coolmore's precious broodmare Best In The World (Galileo) and a full-brother to the useful Alfred Munnings and half to the...

The initial batch of entries for the Tattersalls Online Breeze-Up Session were revealed on Wednesday. Dundalk will host the breeze at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 28, with all lots going under the hammer beginning on June 4 and ending a day later. For the third edition of the session, a total of 21 sires are represented, with lots including a Cotai Glory filly (lot 10), herself a half-sister to the Group 2-placed Big Boots (Society Rock) set to sell; as is an Ardad filly (lot 21) out of listed...

As the first-crop sires tick off first winners almost daily, it was the turn of Mickley Stud's Ubettabelieveit (Ire) (by Kodiac {GB}) to enjoy the limelight on Friday. Represented in Dundalk's opening five-furlong maiden by the filly Leblon Beach (GB), the Adrian Murray-trained £5,000 Goffs UK Premier Sale graduate sat off the early pace before being delivered to the front approaching the furlong pole by Colin Keane. Asserting from there, the Capital Thoroughbreds Syndicate's runner beat the No Nay Never pair of newcomers First Approach (Ire) and Award Ceremony (Ire)...

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 'TDN Rising Star'. 2.00 Saint-Cloud, Cond, €28,000, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT WE'LL DEFEND (FR) (Zelzal {Fr}) carries the TDN Rising Star label into this Prix de Diane pointer, having impressed with her four-length success on Chantilly's Polytrack last month. Victorious Racing and Ecurie Nass's half-sister...

The Irish EBF Barrier Trials are soon to return with three dates approved from May to August, Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) announced on Wednesday. Naas will again host the first day on Monday, May 26 on the inside track over six and seven furlongs, with Dundalk staging the middle fixture on Monday, July 7. The final date is set for Leopardstown on Wednesday, August 27, again over six and seven furlongs. As in the past, each fixture will be restricted to named and unraced two-year-olds and three-year-olds with stalls certificates....

Dundalk's gossip was red-hot about the debutante Lady Iman (Ire) on Friday and the 4-6 favourite did not disappoint to get her Tally-Ho Stud-based first-season sire Starman (GB) off to a flyer. Happy to stalk early, the Ger Lyons-trained half-sister to the G2 Blue Point Sprint and G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint winner West Acre (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) took control two out and despite running green was the authoritative 3 1/2-length winner from Stop The Nation (Ire) (Sioux Nation). "We thought she was a nice filly and she is,"...

In the pantheon of propaganda, Tally-Ho Stud would hardly get a look in compared to its competitors, so when Tony O'Callaghan says "the vibes are good" about Lady Iman (Ire) (Starman {GB}) ahead of her debut in the two-year-old maiden at Dundalk on Friday, it can be taken as a major positive.  Lady Iman is a significant runner for O'Callaghan given she is the first representation of Tally-Ho Stud's first-season sire Starman in Ireland this year. She boasts a pretty smart pedigree, too, being a half-sister to West Acre (Ire),...

With six winners from 13 runners in the past fortnight, few stables are in better form at present than that of Adrian Murray, who now has his sights set on bigger targets in the coming weeks with three of those winners, including last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint runner-up Arizona Blaze (GB). The son of Sergei Prokofiev kicked off his three-year-old season in the best possible fashion at Dundalk last Friday, when giving weight and a comprehensive beating to his five rivals in the Horse Racing Every Friday...

Impressive Dundalk maiden winner The Padre (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) has been sold to continue his career in California, where he will be trained by Phil D'Amato.  Bred by John Halley, The Padre created a big impression on his first and only start for his son Josh last month, winning a 1m2f maiden by almost three lengths under Wayne Lordan.  "We did think a bit of him before we came here and he was probably the best out of my two-year-olds last year," Josh told Irishracing.com after that debut victory.  "He...

Darley nominations manager Eamon Moloney has shared the high opinion that Charlie Appleby has held Opera Ballo (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) in all winter and revealed that the colt's impressive victory at Kempton on Wednesday has resulted in a slew of calls from breeders either side of the Irish Sea booking in mares to his sire.  Opera Ballo, who fetched €600,000 at the Arqana August Yearling Sale, won the same Kempton maiden that Appleby landed with subsequent 2,000 Guineas hero Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) last year.  The wide-margin win, which...

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 full-sister to G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains second Dancing Gemini (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). 18.00 Dundalk, Mdn, €18,000, 2yo, f, 7f (AWT) Fishdance's hitherto unraced DANCING TEAPOT (IRE) (Camelot {GB}) is a homebred full-sister to this term's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains second Dancing Gemini (Ire)....