Frankel (GB)

With just two overmatched rivals in opposition, Aidan O'Brien trainee Giselle's superior form and class told as the daughter of Frankel overcame Lingfield's Epsom-style intricacies, delivering a facile nine-length success in the track's William Hill-sponsored Listed Oaks Trial on Saturday. Last term's G3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes third and 3-10 pick was a shade keen racing third in a first-time hood through the initial stages of this seasonal debut. Negotiating the downhill section and taking closer order in the home straight, she seized control approaching the quarter-mile marker and bounded clear...

Entering Wednesday's Listed Cheshire Oaks with great expectations, Ballydoyle's €1.85 million 2023 Goffs Orby Book 1 topper Minnie Hauk duly delivered to enter the Oaks picture. Sent off the 13-8 favourite for the extended 11-furlong trial for that Epsom Classic, the daughter of Frankel tended to race a touch lazily behind the pace-setter Queen Of Thieves but was able to answer every call from Ryan Moore to take command inside the final three furlongs. Sticking to her task in the home straight, the relative of Kingman and Oasis Dream had a length to...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Princess Attitude in Lexington. Frankel Filly Graduates At Keeneland Watts Humphrey, Jr.'s Princess Attitude (Frankel {GB}) ran out a one-length winner at Keeneland for trainer Victoria Oliver on April 24 (video). Making her fifth start, the filly was bred by Bryant H. Pursuit of Success III in Kentucky. Out of multiple graded winner and multiple Grade I-placed Keertana, herself by GI Breeders' Cup...

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. Saturday's Observations features a bevy of bluebloods at Leicester. 2.35 Leicester, Mdn, £8,000, 3yo/up, 10fT SKIMMER (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is one of a pair of Juddmonte newcomers in this line-up, with Harry Charlton in charge of the half-brother to the G1 St Leger hero Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Joining...

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 daughter of an G1 Irish Oaks winner. 4.10 Sandown, Novice, £22,000, 3yo, f, 9f 209yT STAR OF LIGHT (GB) (Frankel {GB}) may not have pulled up any trees despite winning on debut at Wolverhampton in December, but the fact that the Gosdens have opted to...

Anthony Oppenheimer's Queen Of Thieves (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a homebred full-sister to dual G1 Champion Stakes hero Cracksman (GB), was fresh off a recent third on seasonal return at Newbury and shed maiden status in style with an 11-length tally in Tuesday's Weekend Winners On Sky Sports Racing Maiden Fillies' Stakes at Great Yarmouth. Breaking swiftly and holding sway throughout, the 5-6 favourite was untroubled on the front end and powered ever clear under whipless cajoling inside the final quarter-mile, hitting the line with a wide-margin buffer back to the...

To the surprise of no one, pride of place in Sunday's G1 Satsuki Sho belongs to the Sunday Silence sire line with eight representatives spread throughout the 18-strong field. The late Shadai Stallion Station luminary's first foals arrived in Japan in 1992, and from that first crop was 1995 Satsuki Sho winner Genuine (Jpn). Six others followed (Ishino Sunday {Jpn}, 1996, Air Shakur {Jpn}, 2000, Agnes Tachyon {Jpn}, 2001, Nishino Sunday {Jpn}, 2003, Daiwa Major {Jpn}, 2004, and Deep Impact {Jpn}, 2005). Sunday Silence saved the best for last, with...

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...

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 seven-figure son of Gun Runner. 2.18 Leopardstown, Mdn, €15,000, 3yo, c/g, 10fT GUN CARRIAGE (Gun Runner) is one of a trio from Ballydoyle here and probably the third-string on jockey bookings, but given that he was a $1.25-million purchase at Keeneland September is very much...

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. Monday's Observations features a notable newcomer for the Gosdens. 5.25 Kempton, Mdn, £8,000, 3yo/up, 8f (AWT) ERNST BLOFELD (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) is a notable newcomer for John and Thady Gosden at a track at which they have introduced some smart types, being White Birch Farm's homebred 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. Tuesday's Observations features a pair of 'TDN Rising Stars' returning from long absences. 2.30 Saint-Cloud, Cond, €28,000, 3yo, c/g, 8fT GUN OF BRIXTON (FR) (Frankel {GB}) was one of the 2024 cast of TDN Rising Stars after his win at Clairefontaine in July and so this first subsequent outing...

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. Thursday's Observations features a son of a G1 Sheema Classic heroine. 15.05 Saint-Cloud, Mdn, €27,000, unraced 3yo, c/g, 10fT Francis Graffard trainee DOLNIMOUR (FR) (Frankel {GB}) is a son of G1 Dubai Sheema Classic heroine Dolniya (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}) and thus kin to three black-type performers headed by G1...