Le Havre (Ire)

It's been the best part of three decades since Culture Vulture (Timeless Moment) strutted her stuff at the top table in Chris Wright's blue-and-yellow silks and the music supremo has found a jewel to match that luminary's achievements after David Menuisier incumbent Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) backed up a career best in ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix de Royallieu earlier this month with a game victory in Saturday's G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares S. at Ascot. The bay sophomore was in receipt of a six-pound pull from her...

One of the few to welcome the ravages of the storm front, connections of Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) were celebrating after their filly made light of ParisLongchamp's conditions to win Saturday's G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu. With trainer David Menuisier openly toying with the idea of supplementing for Sunday's Arc beforehand, the warning was there for opponents of Christopher Wright's bargain buy who had already demonstrated her deadliness in this ground when winning Deauville's Aug. 16 G3 Prix Minerve. Sent off the 49-10 favourite as a result, the...

Stephanie Nigge trainee Normandy Bridge (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) annexed a Sept. 3 ParisLongchamp newcomers' event going one mile in his only prior start and maintained his prefect tally with a game success tackling the same distance in Friday's G3 Prix Thomas Bryon Jockey Club de Turquie at Saint-Cloud. The 32-5 chance was settled several lengths off the pace at the tail of the five-runner field as Godolphin's Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) established a substantial advantage by halfway. Sent wide off the home turn to plough a lone furrow...

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. Thursday's Insights features a pricy half-brother to G1SP Monarch of Egypt (American Pharoah). 3.40 Yarmouth, Novice, £6,300, 2yo, 8f 3yT FRANCESCO GUARDI (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is given a confidence boost in this four-runner affair, having finished third in Newbury's Listed Washington Singer S. last month. The Ballylinch Stud-bred and...

The 784-strong Arqana-Osarus October Yearling Sale catalogue is now online. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the sale has been completely restructured combining the Arqana October Yearling Sale and the Osarus September Yearling Sale, running from Oct. 19-Oct. 23. Alumni of the October sale include Group 3 winner and dual Classic bridesmaid The Summit (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), G1 Prix Jean Romanet scorer Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), MGISW Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), G1 French 1000 Guineas runner-up Speak of the Devil (Fr) (Wootton Basset {GB}), and GSWs Policy of...

The catalogues for Books 2, 3 and 4 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale were released on Tuesday, with a half-brother to 2019 G1 Investec Oaks heroine Star Catcher (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (lot 965) one of the highlights. A total of 816 yearlings will go through the ring in Book 2 from Oct. 12-14, while 602 lots are catalogued for Book 3 from Oct. 15-16. Book 4 features 83 yearlings set to go under the hammer on Oct. 17. Alumni of Book 2 include champion and MG1SW sprinter...

Sunday, Deauville, France PRIX MINERVE-G3, €56,000, Deauville, 8-16, 3yo, f, 12 1/2fT, 2:54.11, hy. 1--WONDERFUL TONIGHT (FR), 123, f, 3, by Le Havre (Ire)                 1st Dam: Salvation (GB), by Montjeu (Ire)                 2nd Dam: Birdie (GB), by Alhaarth (Ire)                 3rd Dam: Fade (GB), by Persepolis (Fr)    1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€40,000 Ylg '18 ARAUG). O-Christopher N Wright; B-Ecurie Taos (Fr); T-David Menuisier; J-Tony Piccone. €28,000. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-1, €51,592. *1/2 to Penjade (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Ire}), SW-US & MSP-Fr, $376,306. Werk Nick Rating: A+++....

Claudio Marzocco, Bernard Benaych and Jean-Claude Rouget's Port Guillaume (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) lost his unbeaten tag when a never-nearer fifth in Chantilly's July 5 G1 Prix du Jockey Club and bounced back in style, racing in the Marzocco silks, to annex Saturday's G2 Prix Hocquart Longines at Deauville. Unraced as a juvenile, he was an early riser this term with victories at Cagnes-sur-Mer in January and February and continued in similar vein post-lockdown with a May 12 Saint-Cloud conditions success before suffering his lone reversal last month. On the...

Trainer John Hammond, who trained G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heros Montjeu (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and Suave Dancer (Green Dancer), has been appointed racing manager to Gerard Augustin-Normand, Jour de Galop reported on Wednesday. Sylvain Vidal remains an advisor to Augustin-Normand, who raced Le Havre (Ire) (Noverre) and stands him at Haras de Montfort et Preaux. The rest of the staff maintain their current positions. Augustin-Normand told the JDG regarding the appointment, "I always appreciated and followed the work of John Hammond. More recently, I have appreciated his human...

Gerard Augustin-Normand's twice-raced Vaucelles (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) finished just over six lengths off Tawkeel (GB) (Teofilo {Ire) when fourth on stakes bow in last month's G1 Prix Saint-Alary at Chantilly and took the step forward with a career high in Tuesday's G2 Prix de Malleret at ParisLongchamp. Employing patient tactics racing fourth of five for most of the 12-furlong contest, the May 31 Deauville maiden winner was rousted into action when the sweeping rally of Oriental Mystique (GB) (Kingman {GB}) along the false straight forced all rivals to commit...

A one-fiftieth share in top French sire Le Havre (Ire) (Noverre) brought €300,000 during Wednesday's Arqana Online auction. The winning bid was made by Montfort et Preaux acting as agent. Beginning at 11 a.m. this morning, the auction attracted 10 bids between five different entities, and ended at approximately 6:17 p.m. The sire of dual Classic heroines La Cressonniere (Fr) and Avenir Certain (Fr), Le Havre is credited with 34 black-type winners, 12 at the group level. In addition to his Classic winners, he has also sired fellow Group 1...