No Nay Never

Coolmore's twice-raced maiden True Love (No Nay Never) went down fighting when runner-up to G2 Coventry-winning stablemate Gstaad in the second of two starts last month and, hammered down to clear favourite for Wednesday's G2 Queen Mary Stakes, duly delivered a first renewal for Aidan O'Brien. She also restored family honour in the five-furlong dash and eclipsed her sister Truly Enchanting's 13th last year. The race was marred by the fatal injury to the Richard Hannon-trained Harry's Girl (Harry's Angel). True Love broke swiftly from stall 25 of 25 and...

   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 victories of Sapphire Beach and Hey Nay Nay. No Nay Never Sires Pair Of Juvenile Debut Winners Sapphire Beach, flying the flag for Three Diamonds Farm, won a five-furlong sprint over a sloppy Churchill main track on May 30 (video). Trained by George "Rusty" Arnold, the Charlie Brooks-bred re-rallied to finish second after being cut off by the winner, and the placings were reversed in...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred 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 a 'TDN Rising Star' in Red Letter. 3.55 Navan, Listed Darley Irish EBF Kooyonga Stakes, €55,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 8f 30yT RED LETTER (GB) (Frankel {GB}) takes in a welcome confidence boost here, having been asked a big question on her 3-year-old bow when seventh in the...

4th-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 2:13p.m. ET Leaving the four hole on this unveiling as the most expensive auction buy in the race, CANNONEER (Into Mischief) will be carrying the colors of the partnership of St Elias and Stonestreet Stables. A $1.75-million purchase last year at KEESEP, the son of top sire Into Mischief claims a fleet of accomplished half-siblings, most notable being the late GSW & MGISP Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) and sire GISW Girvin (Tale of Ekati). Also in dam Catch the Moon (Malibu Moon)'s family portrait is...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred 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 the return of a 'TDN Rising Star'. 1.30 Naas, Cond, €40,000, 2yo, 5fT CHARLES DARWIN (IRE) (No Nay Never) drops back in trip having put in a TDN Rising Star performance when scoring by 5 1/2 lengths over nearly six at Navan last month. The full-brother...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred 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 a half-sister to Darley stallio Space Blues. 2.50 Newmarket, Novice, £40,000, 2yo, f, 6fT DANCE TO THE MUSIC (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is a significant newcomer for Charlie Appleby as the 11th foal out of the G2 Challenge Stakes winner Miss Lucifer, whose gift to Godolphin was...

Any week which included the return of Kyprios (Ire) should be considered a good week indeed. Yes, this time of the year is really all about exciting maiden winners and Classic trials, but any horse who can stick around in the Flat pack for as long as Kyprios has done must be cherished.  Four members of the final crop of his sire Galileo (Ire) have entries in the Derby and/or Irish Derby, but otherwise we will be relying on his older runners, including last year's St Leger one-two Illinois (Ire)...

Navan's Saturday card featured a trio of black-type contests, but early focus centred on the €18,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for juveniles, in which Coolmore and Westerberg's Charles Darwin (Ire) (No Nay Never), a full-brother to dual Group 1 winner Blackbeard (Ire), illuminated proceedings with a spectacular 5 1/2-length triumph. Aidan O'Brien had annexed three consecutive renewals of the near-six furlong contest, including with subsequent G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere hero Camille Pissarro (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) last year, and his 8-11 pick was away sharply to gain immediate control...

Launching his 2025 campaign in Saturday's Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Committed Stakes at Navan, Ballydoyle's G1 Prix Morny hero Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never) delivered the ideal start with the yard enjoying a one-two. Exuberant for Ryan Moore as his talented stablemate Ides Of March (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) went forward, Peter Brant's accomplished colour-bearer managed to get past in the final yards for a half-length success with Moyglare's filly Sparkling Sea (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) joining in to be a head further behind. "We thought both horses were just...

DONCASTER, UK--The clock doesn't lie, nor do the results on the track. Goffs has come good on its promise to send owners and trainers to the hallowed ground that is the winner's enclosure at Royal Ascot with 10 graduates managing such an achievement in the last nine years.  Few sales companies can boast a similar roll of honour. Put simply, anyone with designs on rocking up to Royal Ascot in June will not have to think long and hard about speculating at Doncaster this week. Past performances are a barometer...

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 Choisya in the GI Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland. Queen Of Keeneland Rabbah Bloodstock homebred Choisya (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), a winner of the G2 Cape Verdi and G2 Balanchine at Meydan this winter, took her show on the road and ran out a half-length winner of the GI Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland on April 12 (video). She is trained by Simon...

Jockey Tom Marquand will reunite with William Haggas's Group 2 winner Lake Forest (GB) (No Nay Never) in the G1 FWD Champions Mile in Hong Kong on April 27. A winner of the A$10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill in November, the 4-year-old son of No Nay Never won the G2 Gimcrack Stakea at York as a juvenile, and placed second in both the G1 Commonwealth Cup and the G3 Hackwood Stakes in June and July, all with Marquand in the irons. Cieren Fallon was aboard for the Golden Eagle...