Qatar Racing

Qatar Racing has privately purchased last-out G3 Musidora S. winner Rose Of Kildare (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}-Cruck Realta {GB}, by Sixties Icon {GB}). She will be leased back to ownership group Kingsley Park 14 for the remainder of the season before joining Qatar Racing's broodmare band. Selected by trainer Mark Johnston's son and assistant Charlie for just €3,000 from the 2018 Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, Rose Of Kildare made an admirable 12 starts at two last year and saved the best for last, winning the G3 Firth Of Clyde...

Trainer Johnny Murtagh has the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend Sept. 12 as a goal for two fillies in his stable, though one has another hurdle to clear beforehand. Qatar Racing homebred Know It All (GB) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) punched her ticket when following up a victory in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Fillies S. with a third-place finish in the G1 Prix Rothschild on Aug. 2. Last out listed winner Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}), meanwhile, will take the next step in the G3 Fairy Bridge...

G2 Norfolk S. winner The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}), beaten a head when second in the July 19 G2 Prix Robert Papin, is set for next Sunday's G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. at The Curragh. The Qatar Racing colourbearer was originally slated for the Aug. 21 Nunthorpe S. against elders, but trainer Michael Bell said that is likely off the table now. "The Lir Jet worked well this morning," Bell said. "He is likely to go to Ireland now for the Phoenix S. as plans have been made...

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 Insights features the return of pricey 'TDN Rising Star' Darain (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). 2.50 Newmarket, Novice, £5,400, 3yo/up, 10fT DARAIN (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) bids to build on an impressive winning debut at Newbury earlier this month, where the 2018 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 Sale topper earned...

Royal Ascot hero The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}), second by only a nose in the G2 Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly on Sunday, will make his next start against elders in the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. in August. Originally campaigned by Nick Bell and trained by Michel Bell, the bay sparkled on debut at Yarmouth on June 3 and was subsequently purchased privately by Sheikh Fahad's Qatar Racing. The acquisition proved a shrewd one, as The Lir Jet captured the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot on...

Kameko (Kitten's Joy) and Siskin (First Defence), winners respectively of the G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas and G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, are set to meet in the G1 Sussex S. on July 29. Kameko was last seen finishing fourth in the G1 Investec Derby on July 4, while Siskin comes in off his Curragh Classic win on June 12. David Redvers, racing and bloodstock advisor to Kameko's owner Qatar Racing, told Nick Luck's Daily podcast that the Sussex would be used as a stepping stone to the G1 Juddmonte International...

It may have taken time to see him in action, but Qatar Racing and Watership Down Stud's 3.5million gns 2018 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 Sale topper Darain (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) made the wait worthwhile with a command performance to earn TDN Rising Star status on his debut on Wednesday's evening card at Newbury. Sent off the 2-1 favourite for division two of the 10-furlong Oakley Coachbuilders Super Sport Novice S., the bay was allowed to bowl along on the front end by Oisin Murphy and ambled along with...

The next big aim for Kameko (Kitten's Joy) remains the G1 Juddmonte International on Aug. 19, but the G1 2000 Guineas winner could take in the G1 Sussex S. en route on July 29, trainer Andrew Balding revealed the day after the colt finished fourth as the post time favourite in the G1 Investec Derby. "Obviously it was slightly disappointing, because we had huge expectations, but that's why it is such an important and special race--you only get one chance at it, and it is very difficult to win," Balding...

Trainer Andrew Balding said he has "been really pleased" with Kameko (Kitten's Joy) since his victory in the June 6 G1 2000 Guineas, and that the Qatar Racing colorbearer came through a racecourse gallop at Kempton on Wednesday well. He is aiming for the July 4 G1 Investec Derby. "He went to Kempton [on Wednesday] for a gallop, which we did before Newmarket 10 days prior, and it went well," Balding said. "We had the option of going to Epsom, they kindly offered, but I felt he needed a decent...

It's Royal Ascot once again, but not as we know it. No crowds, no fashion, no Queen. It is a case of "Royal Ascot At Home" for virtually everybody this year, even for the main players whose money makes it all possible. That said, at least there is still Frankie, Aidan O'Brien, Wesley Ward, Sir Michael Stoute and Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and all the other working equine and human cast and crew that make this week so special. One of Britain's most brilliant racehorses of recent years, Battaash...

In bloodstock circles, plenty of air is devoted to rueing the unforgiving nature of the market, not least the tendency to toss a mare out with the bath water should she fail to sparkle with her first few foals. When Kameko (Kitten's Joy) won the G1 2000 Guineas on June 6, he made a fairly strong case for perseverance. His dam, the well-bred graded stakes winner Sweeter Still (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), had been the co-second highest priced lot at Keeneland's January Sale in 2014 at $750,000 in foal...

The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) will carry Sheikh Fahad's Qatar Racing silks in next week's G2 Norfolk S. after a private deal was done for the track record-setting maiden winner, Racing Post reports. The Lir Jet was a €9,500 foal turned £8,000 Doncaster yearling before being purchased privately by Nick Bell. He was set to go through the ring at the Tattersalls Ascot Breeze-Up Sale in late April before that date was scuppered by COVID-19, and instead he went into training with Nick Bell's father Michael Bell....