Little Big Bear (Ire)

The first foal by Little Big Bear (Ire), Europe's champion juvenile of 2022, was born on Saturday when Unchained Melody (Ire), owned by Aidan and Annmarie O'Brien's Whisperview Trading Limited, produced a bay filly. "She's a pretty filly with a good hind leg," said Ana O'Brien. "[She's] a very good first foal and a great start for the mare. We're very happy with her and will definitely be supporting Little Big Bear again this year." Unchained Melody is a daughter of Fastnet Rock (Aus) and hails from the famed Ballymacoll...

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. Sunday's Observations features a full-brother to Group 1-winning juvenile Little Big Bear (Ire). 14.25 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, 6fT WHISTLEJACKET (IRE) (No Nay Never) debuts in the maiden that his brilliant full-brother Little Big Bear (Ire) was narrowly beaten in two years ago. A 500,000gns Tattersalls Book 1 purchase...

A new book, The Centenary of Naas Racecourse, written by renowned historian and author Turtle Bunbury, will be released beginning on Nov. 17. This fascinating book tells the story of the farmers and sportsmen who founded the racecourse, and touches on some of the politicians, film stars and royals who have visited over the last 100 years, including Walt Disney, Robert De Niro and Bono. There are countless stable yards and training operations around Naas, which has been at the epicentre of the Irish equestrian world for at least 260...

Charlie Hills confirms that G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. shocker Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) will be supplemented to Saturday's G1 Pertemps Network July Cup. Whether Royal Ascot partner Jamie Spencer will be available will depend on whether the rider can successfully appeal a careless riding ban from his winning effort aboard Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the G1 Pretty Polly S. The massive 80-1 upset came on the heels of a rough trip in the listed British E.B.F. 40th Anniversary Cathedral S. where the Fitri Hay-owned...

To do everything wrong and still win the G1 Commonwealth Cup comfortably, Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}--Magic {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) must be among an elite brigade of sprinters to have come to Royal Ascot down the years. Although the pride of the Julie Camacho and Steve Brown stable had obvious credentials entering Friday's six-furlong feature, after blowing the start and losing several lengths all appeared lost. That was factoring against the abundance of talent Martin Hughes's homebred possesses and the calm of Oisin Murphy after he had asked for...

Royal Ascot Friday sees the Irish contingent to the fore as TDN Rising Stars Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) exercise iron grips on the feature G1 Coronation S. and G1 Commonwealth Cup respectively. While the former flashed her considerable talent just twice as a juvenile, Ballydoyle's champion of 2022 domineered his way through three important black-type tests before injury halted his momentum. Now the winner of the Irish 1000 Guineas, Tahiyra comfortably has the measure of chief rival Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never)...

Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Westerberg's Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never--Adventure Seeker {Fr}, by Bering {GB}) overraced and encountered a rough journey when well back in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at the beginning of the month, but on livelier ground over Haydock's straight course, the even-money favourite ran out an open-length winner of the one-mile G2 Betfred Nifty Fifty Sandy Lane S. on Saturday. Always forwardly placed against the fence as last year's G2 Coventry S. hero and G3 Commonwealth Cup Trial S. third...

There was a time around three decades ago when Paul Cole's name was synonymous with the turf's leading lights left, right and centre around Europe. Over 30 years on from his last win in any of the British, Irish or French Classics, the Whatcombe Estate frontiersman who now runs his stable along with son Oliver has found one again. Not since the heady days of Generous (Ire) and co has the Berkshire stable been as electrified as it is at present thanks to Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and it...

Persistent rain in the lead-up to Saturday's G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas turned the ground to soft at Newmarket and while several of the race's big names floundered, Juddmonte's ultra-professional Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Suelita {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) stayed straight and true to win with authority. Providing Frankie Dettori with the ultimate final ride in the mile Classic, the Andrew Balding-trained 7-2 second favourite tracked TDN Rising Star Hi Royal (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) up the centre and as that 125-1 shot began to veer left heading into the dip and...

Saturday's G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas asks the usual set of questions, with the Classic generation due to be examined for the first time with their raw material and any flaws about to be exposed on Newmarket's Rowley Mile which was the scene of thundery conditions on Friday afternoon. Aside from the ever-present quandary of pace positioning and ground conditions, with the latter scenario complicated by the sight of looming dense clouds on Guineas eve, there is the annual unknown of just how dominant last year's leading 2-year-olds still are. Will...

The G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas sees a contentious field of 14 try their hands at gaining an all-important Classic next to their names. Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners bring two striking colts to the fray in potential G1 Betfred Derby headliner Auguste Rodin and G1 Phoenix S. winner Little Big Bear. Juddmonte's star Chaldean is looking for redemption after dislodging retiring reinsman Frankie Dettori in the G3 Greenham S. last month. If the latter duo succeed, it would be the Italian's fourth Guineas. We took a look at the...

   Heading into a weekend when celebration is the keyword in Britain, Newmarket's three-day QIPCO Guineas Festival begins on Friday with some action designed to build the intensity towards the main events. Fittingly, the fixture's opener is the Listed Newmarket S., the race once used by the Derby-winning icons Shirley Heights (GB) and Slip Anchor (GB) and this year hosting one of The King and Queen Consort's outside squeaks at a blue riband runner in Circle Of Fire (GB) (Almanzor {Fr}). Just a Salisbury novice winner at present, the colt...