Mountain Breeze (Ire)

If last week's Saudi Cup card in Riyadh was dominated by Japanese-trained runners, then Super Saturday at Meydan was the day that Charlie Appleby and Godolphin served notice to the world that this is a team which will take some stopping in the weeks and months to come. At a meeting which is ostensibly made up of trials for Dubai World Cup night in five weeks' time, it was two winners with Classic pretensions back in Europe who arguably created the biggest impression, certainly so in the case of Ruling...

Leading the graded stakes action on Saturday, there is something gruff and boomy about the barbaric 'yalp' of the European invaders who are set to swarm Woodbine's gates on Turf Champions Day. One can understand this hoard's verve as the booty is worth pillaging since three out of the four Grade I races on the docket are connected to some highly-prized Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' tickets.   Euros Wind Trebuchets Out of this auspicious Canadian slate, first up is the GI Natalma Stakes which offers entry into the...

Wednesday saw the draw made for Friday's two group 1 contests at Royal Ascot, with the 10 fillies set to contest the Coronation S. headed by Ballydoyle's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Opera Singer (Justify) and Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's 1,000 Guineas heroine Elmalka (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Opera Singer, who was returning from a setback when third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, has drawn an outside stall in nine for the mile feature while the Roger Varian-trained Newmarket Classic heroine is in seven. James Doyle takes over from Silvestre De...

Sunday's five-furlong Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Fillies' Novice S. at Newmarket looked by far the most intriguing 2-year-old race staged in this country so far in 2024 and the outcome did not disappoint as Godolphin's Charlie Appleby-trained Mountain Breeze (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Lava Flow {Ire}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) justified 7-4 favouritism to earn TDN Rising Star status. A half-sister to her stable's juvenile champion Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal), the chestnut who had only turned two at the start of the month broke smartly and had an ideal target ahead in the...