Gstaad

Right arms and legs were made to be given for the Tattersalls December Foal Sale-topping Frankel colt who, at 1.15 million gns to Coolmore Stud, became the most expensive foal sold anywhere in Europe this year.  Like two old gunslingers facing off at dawn, MV Magnier took his position at the back of the cage while his opposition and eventual underbidder, Juddmonte's Simon Mockridge, sat almost directly opposite the Coolmore posse in the seats close to the exit of the ring.  Flanked by Barry Mahon, Mockridge did not go down...

Calandagan, winner of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Champion Stakes, has been named Cartier Horse of the Year. He becomes the fourth horse bred by the Aga Khan Studs to be given that honour following Daylami (1999), Dalakhani (2003) and Zarkava (2008).  By Gleneagles, who was himself the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt of 2014, Calandagan is the first Cartier winner for the operation since the passing of His Highness Aga Khan IV in February. Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, the four-year-old has won three consecutive Group 1 contests...

The New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program will raise over $100,000 in its 16th Annual Breeders' Cup Pledge, the organization announced Tuesday. This year's results were boosted by two Future Stars Friday winners connected to pledge participants: Ted Noffey (Into Mischief), representing Spendthrift Farm and Todd Pletcher, and Gstaad (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), representing Coolmore and Partners. Additionally, multiple pledged horses also placed throughout the Breeders' Cup, including Brussels (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Percy's Bar (Upstart), Ground Support (Army Mule), Citizen Bull (Into Mischief), Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie), The Lion in Winter (Ire)...

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 Breeders' Cup meeting. Ethical Diamond Hands Mullins The Turf Training maestro Willie Mullins landed the biggest Flat victory of his career with Ethical Diamond (Awtaad) in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf on Saturday (video). A winner of a brace of valuable handicaps across the pond, the five-year-old gelding has also run seven of his lifetime starts over hurdles. Bred by W. Kennedy, Ethical Diamond is owned...

'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) parceled up a championship freshman campaign with a stalk-and-pounce victory in Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar, a win that is better than it might appear on paper in the eyes of his trainer Todd Pletcher. "I thought he ran terrific," said Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, striking at the Breeders' Cup for the 16th time. "The race unfolded kind of just as we had anticipated it would with [TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard] Brant (Gun...

DEL MAR, USA -- As Balantina was led back to the winner's circle after her victory in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, one man was smiling more broadly than any other, and it wasn't her trainer or any of her owners. For Aidan O'Brien, watching his son Donnacha win his first Breeders' Cup race would probably have been enough to make his day - and it was a day that had started with the disappointment of having to scratch his own red-hot favourite for that same race, Precise.  But O'Brien Sr...

Team Ballydoyle was dealt a bit of a blow Friday when having to scratch their once-beaten dual Group 1 winner Precise (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) out of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with a cough. But the opening day of championship weekend ended on a high note for the operation, as heavily favored Gstaad (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) overcame a slow break and torrid trip to take out the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf by a 3/4-length margin that entirely belies the dominating nature of the victory. For trainer Aidan...

DEL MAR, USA -- More elusive than the Scarlet Pimpernel, Frankie Dettori, who dropped a new retirement bombshell the previous afternoon, was nowhere to be seen as the sun came up over the Del Mar backstretch on Thursday morning. But that didn't stop the press pack from seeking him here, seeking him there.  Would he be aboard Wimbledon Hawkeye as he emerged to take a turn on the turf around 7.15am? Nope. Nor was he to be found aboard the Japanese mare Argine, whose participation in the Breeders' Cup Mile...

The Breeders' Cup teams for Aidan O'Brien and Francis-Henri Graffard are taking shape, with both set to send strong representation to the two-day event at Del Mar on October 31 and November 1. Leading the Ballydoyle cavalry is Minnie Hauk, winner of the Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks and runner-up in the Arc. The daughter of Frankel is training toward the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf. "Our races have been nicely spaced out this year and she came out of the Arc well; everybody seems happy with her so that's...

Saturday, Newmarket, post time: 15:00, THE DARLEY DEWHURST STAKES-G1, £500,000, 2yo, c/f, 7fT Field: Alparslan (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), Distant Storm (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Gewan (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Gstaad (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Italy (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Oxagon (Fr) (Frankel {GB}), Pacific Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Saba Desert (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Zavateri (Ire) (Without Parole {GB}). TDN Analysis: The Vincent O'Brien National Stakes one-two-three Zavateri, Gstaad and Italy reunite with no obvious reason for any change in the order. Eve Johnson Houghton's "dude" has been outsmarting...

Unbeaten Dewhurst winners are common, but unbeaten Dewhurst winners who have already won a July Stakes, Vintage Stakes and National Stakes are extremely rare and Zavateri (Without Parole) looks to complete that formidable quartet in Saturday's Darley-sponsored Newmarket feature. The one that very much got away from the bloodstock cognoscenti at 35,000gns, the huge talent whose third dam is the brilliant Zarkava has taken everything thrown at him at the July Festival, Glorious Goodwood and Irish Champions Weekend in his impressive stride. "He's great, he's been working really, really well...

Friday, Newmarket, post time: 14:57, THE BET365 FILLIES' MILE-G1, £528,750, 2yo, f, 8fT Field: Amora Queen (Ger) (Waldgeist {GB}), Composing (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Dance To The Music (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Evolutionist (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Legacy Link (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Moments Of Joy (Justify), Moon Target (GB) (Cracksman {GB}), Precise (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Queen Of Hawaii (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Sugar Island (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Venetian Lace (Ire) (Masar {Ire}). TDN Analysis: Following her wins in the Prestige and Moyglare, Precise is queen bee here with the step up...