Point Lonsdale (Ire)
Multiple group winner Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) has been sold and will stand at the Jacobs family's Maine Chance Farms in South Africa later this year, according to published reports. The 6-year-old's fee will be announced later. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, Point Lonsdale would go on to be named a 'TDN Rising Star' when winning his debut, and quickly added the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, the G3 Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown and the G2 Futurity Stakes. He was second in the G1 National Stakes, and, after running...
Spirit Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who claimed the G2 Bahrain International Trophy a year ago for breeder Sir Alex Ferguson, Ged Mason and Peter Done, returns to Bahrain to defend his title on Friday. Worth $1 million, the 2000-metre race has attracted a contentious field of 12 from all corners of the globe. A winner of the G3 Strensall Stakes last year prior to his Bahrain heroics defeating among others the Coolmore partners' multiple group winner Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}), the 7-year-old gelding went on to take the G2...
With Europe's sprinting division positioned in a kind of limbo over the past year or so, the presence of Australian raider Asfoora (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) has added some spice and it is with a tinge of sadness that Britain bids farewell to her after Friday's G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York. Her European tour has included success in the G1 King Charles III Stakes and a second in Goodwood's G2 King George Stakes, where she just failed to get to Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), and...
Aidan O'Brien is responsible for five of the 11 possible runners in Saturday's G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes following Monday's confirmation stage, with Auguste Rodin (Ire) set to lead the Ballydoyle team into battle at Ascot as he tries to atone for his disappointing effort in the corresponding race 12 months ago. A four-time winner at the top level as a three-year-old when landing the Derby, Irish Derby, Irish Champion Stakes and Breeders' Cup Turf, Auguste Rodin ran one of his lesser races that season when...
The G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud is often a battle of the stalwarts, those that fall a notch under the elite, and it was the turn of Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}--Mondelice {GB}, by Montjeu {Ire}) to enjoy his moment in the European limelight after Sunday's renewal. Running over a barely-tried mile and a half having finished third over the trip last time in the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly, Mohamed Obaida's 6-year-old was buried under cover early by Tom Marquand awaiting the instruction. Given the office approaching...
As many as six horses from Aidan O'Brien's yard, including dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), will line up in the G1 King George and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot on July 29. Riding a two-race winning streak after taking Epsom's Blue Riband last month and the Irish equivalent for the Coolmore partners, Auguste Rodin beat stable-mate Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the latter. He will aim to emulate former Coolmore kingpin Galileo (Ire) with a victory in the King George after winning two Derbys. "He's on...
Aidan O'Brien has the key member of the G1 Betfred Oaks again as the certain favourite Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) drew stall four for the Epsom Classic, which will have 11 starters on Friday. Taking out a trio at Wednesday's final stage including the Listed Haras De Bouquetot Fillies' Trial S. scorer Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the Ballydoyle handler left the smart duo Be Happy (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Red Riding Hood (Ire) (Justify) in support of the impressive Listed Cheshire Oaks winner. "You don't take anything for granted,...
Coolmore and Westerberg's 575,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling and 'TDN Rising Star' Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}--Sweepstake {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) made a winning seasonal return in last month's G3 Alleged S. at the Curragh, having been on the shelf for almost a year after running seventh in last term's G1 2000 Guineas, and added to his tallies in 2021's G3 Tyros S. and G2 Futurity S. with a battling effort in Friday's G2 IRE-Incentive It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley S at Chester. Positioned in second passing the...
Aidan O'Brien's phenomenal record at Chester's May Festival speaks for itself and while there was a small bump in the road on Thursday as Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) failed to read the script, it is another of the stable's key 4-year-olds who steps forward to take up the mantle on Friday. One of the unfortunate TDN Rising Stars who was denied the opportunity to make an impact in his Classic year, Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) showed enough when beating the subsequent G2 Mooresbridge S. winner Visualisation (Ire) (No Nay...
If there were any fitness doubts about TDN Rising Star Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}--Sweepstake {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) ahead of Sunday's G3 Alleged S. at The Curragh, they were answered categorically as Ballydoyle's almost-forgotten talent worked hard to prevail and get back on track on his comeback. Set a stiff task by the race-hardened Visualisation (Ire) (No Nay Never) as that Listed Devoy S. winner took no prisoners on the front end, the 2021 G2 Futurity S.-winning full-brother to stable stalwart Broome (Ire) was kept close by Wayne Lordan...
Since Charlie Appleby took up the mantle at Moulton Paddocks in 2013, Godolphin's fortunes on British soil have been back on the rise and there is no greater exponent of that trend than Saturday's G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas leading light Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). The way Appleby's runners have been sweeping up the Spring's black-type contests so far this term is reminiscent of the days when Henry Cecil's Warren Place was at its height and provides further evidence that Ballydoyle has a heavyweight of mutual prowess to trade blows...
Charlie Appleby will have to be sharp-eyed on Saturday after the draw for Newmarket's G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas saw his high-class pair Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) on opposite sides of the track. William Buick's mount, the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. and G1 Dewhurst S.-winning unbeaten champion juvenile Native Trail, was handed 15 of 15 while his G3 Autumn S.-winning stablemate is in one. Their handler was unconcerned about the draw on Thursday. "With the stalls in the centre of the track, being drawn 15...