No Nay Never

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 Observations features a pricy son of Siyouni (Fr). 2.50 Yarmouth, Novice, £10,800, 2yo, 6f 3yT LORD UHTRED (IRE) (Siyouni {Fr}) debuts for KHK Racing and the Charlie Hills stable and at €520,000 was the second-highest-priced juvenile to sell at last month's Arqana Breeze-Up Sale. The April-foaled bay, whose...

The heat was on at Royal Ascot on Friday, but Aidan O'Brien could rest easy with Ryan Moore and Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) keeping it simple as they dominated the G3 Albany S. with a performance that was as impressive as it was straightforward. Sent off the 5-2 second favourite with Godolphin's Mawj (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) shading it at 2-1, the €360,000 Arqana Deauville August graduate who had already passed the test of Naas's G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint S. with comfort was sent to...

When you run a breeding operation as successful as Camas Park Stud, victories on the biggest stage are expected, but that doesn't make top-level triumphs any less special. Capri (Ire), Highland Reel (Ire), Nyquist and No Nay Never were all either bred or pinhooked under the banner of the Cashel-based stud, run by Tim Hyde and his son Tim Jnr, who were once again put in lights at Royal Ascot when Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) stormed to victory in the Listed Windsor Castle S. on Wednesday. Away...

The subject of a momentous gamble in Wednesday's Listed Windsor Castle S., Ballydoyle's Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never--Adventure Seeker {Fr}, by Bering {GB}) duly delivered to maintain the 100% record of the TDN Rising Stars in Royal Ascot's two-year-old contests. Hammered into 6-5 favouritism to get Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore off the mark for the week, the impressive Naas maiden winner raced near the pace far side before being sent forward with hands and heels passing halfway. In the end, the imposing bay had to fight to...

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 Observations features a half-brother to Group 1 winner Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). 14.20 Haydock, Nov, £10,000, 2yo, 6fT Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's homebred CAPTAIN WINTERS (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) is kin to a band of stakes-winning brothers and also to G1 Prix Jean Romanet heroine...

Already a dual winner prior to Saturday's G3 GAIN Marble Hill S. at The Curragh, Ballydoyle's Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) was the picture of professionalism as he made all under Ryan Moore to assume the mantle of generation leader. Already hardened by the experience of battle in this track's May 2 Listed First Flier S., the 5-2 second favourite set out to dictate on this first foray over six furlongs and relished the extra distance as he shook off the even-money market-leader Tough Talk (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) to stretch...

Coolmore and Westerberg's hitherto unbeaten 2-year-old filly Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never--Pembina {Ire}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) impressed with a 3 1/4-length debut tally tackling five furlongs at the Curragh last month and was equally adept over the six-furlong strip at Naas to secure Sunday's G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint S. en route to next month's G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot. Positioned in a close second after the initial strides, the 2-1 joint-favourite loomed large passing the quarter-mile marker and came under a late drive to assert superiority...

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. Saturday's Observations features Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}).   2.05 Navan, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, 5f 162yT BROADHURST (IRE) (No Nay Never) is the latest representative of Coolmore's red-hot sire to emerge from Ballydoyle, with the February-foaled bay having proved a €620,000 sensation at the Goffs Orby. The first foal...

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 Dubawi (Ire) half-brother to Group 1 winner Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). 1.30 Newbury, Mdn, 2yo, 6fT MYSTERIOUS NIGHT (IRE) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is one of a few intriguing types in this often-informative juvenile scene-setter, being a full-brother to last year's GI Just a Game...

David Loughnane is firing on all cylinders with his juvenile band this term and added another string to his Royal Ascot bow, and  provided Coolmore sire No Nay Never with a fourth 'TDN Rising Star' of the campaign, when Amo Racing's €300,000 Goffs Orby yearling Queen Olly (Ire) (No Nay Never--Surprisingly {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) routed nine rivals in Friday's £20,000 Frank Whittle Partnership ebfstallions.com Maiden S. over York's straight six furlongs. The February-foaled bay was swiftly into stride and occupied a handy fifth, just behind the front rank, through...

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 Observations features the final foal out of Marlinka (GB) (Marju {Ire}). 4.45 York, Mdn, £20,000, 2yo, 6fT UBETTABEQUICK (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), the joint top-priced filly at the Arqana Deauville October Yearling Sale at €350,000, debuts for Martin Webb Racing and the Nigel Tinkler stable who teamed up...

Aidan O'Brien's stable is going great guns at this fledgling stage of the season and there was another TDN Rising Star off the production line at Naas on Saturday as the 2-year-old Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never--Adventure Seeker {Fr}) booked his Royal Ascot ticket. Narrowly denied on debut by the Ger Lyons-trained Tough Talk (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) over six furlongs at The Curragh Apr. 10, the descendant of the legendary All Along (Fr) was backed down to 4-9 to deliver dropping to five for this Irish Stallion Farms...