No Nay Never

Almost a year to the day since his electrifying G1 Phoenix S. victory, last year's European Champion Two-Year-Old Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) has been retired due to injury. After disappointing in the G1 2000 Guineas, the 'TDN Rising Star' made light work of the opposition in the G2 Sandy Lane S. at Haydock before running second to Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. However, after trailing home behind Shaquille in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket, it emerged on Wednesday...

   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 Elusive Princess, who won the GIII Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. on Friday. Princess Reigns In Saratoga Oaks LNJ Foxwoods, Ecurie Victoria Dreams, and NK Racing's Elusive Princess (Fr) (Martinborough {Jpn}) made her Stateside debut a winning one at Saratoga for trainer Jean-Philippe Dubois on Friday (video). Bred by her trainer, she won three of her first four French starts for Ecurie Victoria Dreams, and was runner-up...

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 Observations features a group-placed son of No Nay Never. 17.45 Newmarket, Novice, £8,000, 2yo, 6fT LAKE FOREST (GB) (No Nay Never) is handed a confidence-restoring outing by William Haggas at his local track at which he was second in the G2 July S. over this trip. Silver Racing's...

Courtesy TTR AusNZ Imported mare Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never is likely to run for her owner, Yulong Investments, in this year's The Everest, assuming she bounces back to form. The multiple Group 1 winner failed at her only Australian start in the autumn, finishing 10th in the G1 Queen of the Turf S. at Randwick in April. The 6-year-old looks set to resume in the G2 Sheraco S. at Rosehill on Sept. 9. "At this stage she is going to head towards an Everest campaign," co-trainer Adrian Bott...

An upset winner at 10-1 in his Gulfstream debut tackling the Royal Palm Juvenile S., No Nay Mets rebounded from a poor performance at Royal Ascot in the G2 Norfolk S. with a nice showing in Sunday's Tyro S. stateside on the Jersey Shore. The popular wagering choice at 4-5, the 2-year-old looked to repeat his Florida effort by again going straight out for the early advantage, quickly opening up a length on the field in this five-furlong sprint despite a minor bobble at the gate. Showing the way under...

A strong catalogue of 543 yearlings, featuring a Kingman (GB) half-brother to Group 1 winner Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy), will go under the hammer during Book 1 of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale on Sept. 26-27. The €550,000 foal, who counts GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. heroine Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify) in his immediate family, will be offered as lot 313 by Stauffenberg Bloodstock. They will also offer a Masar (Ire) half-sister to G1 Deutsches Derby hero Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) as lot 373. There are also...

Which stallion does the data say is the outstanding sire-of-sires in Britain and Ireland? The answer will surprise you. We often hear chat about a stallion's ability as a sire-of-sires being bandied about, but it is less common to see it examined in a more detailed and data-driven manner. First and foremost, my personal opinion is that using a stallion's record as a sire-of-sires is one of the most brutally harsh measures in all of bloodstock on which to judge a horse. In short, the reality is that the vast...

Leopardstown's usually-informative G3 Japan Racing Association Tyros S. looked a touch on the disappointing side even before the loss of two key players in Mountain Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Islandsinthestream (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and so what the form of the four-runner affair amounts to will have to be seen in time. What it did provide was a remarkable 16th success in the race for Aidan O'Brien as the stable's understudy to Mountain Bear, Henry Adams (Ire) (No Nay Never), showed a game attitude to make all under...

   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 victory of Kodiac Wintergreen in a maiden race at the Spa.   A Touch Of Frost At Saratoga Alex Bregman's Bregman Family Racing, LLC's Kodiac Wintergreen (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) went one better than her Belmont debut to win a Saratoga affair on Thursday (video) for trainer Rusty Arnold. Bred by Patrick Grogan, the April foal sold for €160,000 as a Goffs Orby yearling. She is...

Adding more gravitas, if any were needed, to her compatriot Ramatuelle (Justify) who had handed her a comprehensive beating in the G3 Prix du Bois, Haras d'Etreham and Craig Bernick's TDN Rising Star Les Pavots (Ire) (No Nay Never) found her level on Wednesday evening when winning Vichy's Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles. Beaten 6 3/4 lengths by that hugely-talented Christopher Head trainee in the six-furlong test at Chantilly last month, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained half-sister to the G1 Cox Plate and G1 Tancred S. hero Sir Dragonet (Ire)...

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...

Imad Al Sagar's Classic winner Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has been supplemented at a cost of £20,000 to the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket on July 14. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the dual Group 1 winner captured both the Prix de Diane and Nassau S. after running third in the G1 Oaks at Epsom last term. A good second in the G1 Prix de l'Opera that October, she ended her season with a fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf in the U.S. Now four,...