Kingman (GB)
Saturday's G3 Princess Elizabeth S. at Epsom turned into an extremely tactical affair, with William Buick on the money dictating on Godolphin's TDN Rising Star Summer Romance (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) to make all. Always comfortable setting a moderate pace shadowed by the G1 1000 Guineas runner-up Cloak of Spirits (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), the one-time exciting Listed Empress S. winner who had threatened to disappear into the wilderness was always holding that rival in the sprint up the straight. Hitting the line with 3/4 of a length to spare, the...
Upset on his return when second in the Listed Prix de Montretout over a mile at Chantilly June 10, Godolphin and Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd's Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) was back in shape and on track in Sunday's G2 Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud. Taken straight to the lead by Pierre-Charles Boudot, last year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero was threatened and briefly headed by the G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil winner Pretreville (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}) passing two out. Quickly regaining the advantage, the 3-5 favourite finished full of...
Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Insights features the return of two 'TDN Rising Stars'. 1.10 Haydock, Novice, £5,400, 3yo/up, 10f 100yT HIGHEST GROUND (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) makes his eagerly-awaited return, having earned TDN Rising Star status a long time ago when impressing on his winning debut at Leicester in September. The Niarchos Family's...
Frankie Dettori ended Royal Ascot's crowd-free week on fire as he took the final day by storm, completing a big-race treble on the TDN Rising Star Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in a pulsating renewal of the G1 St James's Palace S. Making a sizeable leap to this level with even less to justify it than stablemate Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) had on Wednesday, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's unbeaten colt of such promise proved well up to standard to provide further evidence of John Gosden's razor-sharp judgment....
Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Insights features the first foal of dual Arc heroine Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}). 12.10 Chantilly, Cond, €27,000, 2yo, 6fT Le Haras de La Gousserie's €62,000 Arqana August bargain buy SEALIWAY (FR) (Galiway {Ire}) posted one of France's leading freshman performances when impressing with a two-length debut success, defeating...
Prior to Leopardstown's G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial, Aidan O'Brien had already saddled the winner of the fillies' maiden and the first four home in colts' equivalent and so it was hardly a shock that his trio dominated the finish to Tuesday's blue riband pointer. What was surprising was that it was Michael Tabor's Cormorant (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) who held sway over the 11-8 favourite Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Iberia (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), with the grey blown by a fair wind on a day for the front-runners. Left...
Stall Salzburg's Fearless King (GB) (Kingman {GB}) ran third behind Rubaiyat (Fr) (Areion {Ger}) and Zavaro (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) in Hoppegarten's May 10 G3 Dr Busch-Memorial and exacted a measure of revenge by outpointing the former in a thrilling tussle to secure Monday's G2 35th Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen - German 2000 Guineas over one mile at Cologne. Settled off the tempo in fourth until encouraged closer once into the home straight, the 5-2 second favourite gained a narrow advantage entering the final furlong and withstood the vain rally of Rubaiyat under a...
In the latest of this "dark horses" series, the subject is the John Gosden-trained Newmarket maiden winner Heiress. HEIRESS (GB), f, 3, Kingman (GB)--Love Divine (GB), by Diesis (GB). Twenty years on from the G1 Epsom Oaks victory of the dam, Trevor Harris's Lordship Stud just might have something to look forward to this summer. The half-sister to the 2006 G1 St Leger hero Sixties Icon (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) looked every inch a potential class act when beating a subsequent winner decisively over seven furlongs at Newmarket in November. Love...
The Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze Up Sale catalogue, featuring a daughter of Frankel (GB) (lot 142) out of Irish MGSW and G1 Matron S. third Ainippe (Ire) (Captain Rio {GB}) from Longways Stables, was released online on Monday. Slated for May 22 with the breezes at Fairyhouse Racecourse the day before, the 225-lot sale will be held in the Tattersalls Ireland sales ring from 10:30 a.m. local time. The breezes will begin at 10 a.m. C. H. Thoroughbreds offers a Kingman (GB) filly (lot 25) from the family of English/Italian...
Julian Richmond-Watson's Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who earned 'TDN Rising Star' status with an eight-length romp at Newmarket in October, remains on course for the mile Classics should British racing resume in time for Classic season. Following that storming debut performance, the homebred bay was only fifth in the rearranged G1 Racing Post Trophy on Newcastle's Tapeta in November. Trainer Ralph Beckett is hopeful he can put that behind him in the coming months. "He had four weeks off in the middle of January, as he picked up an issue,...
The catalogue for the Goffs UK Doncaster Breeze Up Sale, featuring a Kodiac (GB) half-brother to GI Manhattan S. victor Slumber (GB) (Cacique {Ire}) (lot 154) from Grove Stud, is now online. A total of 165 juveniles will aim to follow in the hoofsteps of 2019 Royal Ascot scorer A'Ali (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) who saluted in the G2 Norfolk S. and last year's £450,000 sale topper Al Raya (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), who went on to claim the G3 Prix d'Arenberg at Chantilly in August. The breeze-up portion of the...
You may not have met Ibrahim Araci. The Turkish businessman prefers to keep away from the spotlight. But when it comes to buying horses, he knows what he likes and rarely does things by halves. Flanked by his daughter Pinar and bloodstock advisor Rob Speers, Araci can often be found to the left of the rostrum in the Tattersalls sales ring, making bold plays for some of the choicest lots on offer at the yearling, breeze-up or breeding stock sales. Unafraid to see the hammer fall in his favour, Araci...