Saint-Cloud

With the prospect of the initial progeny of Cracksman (GB) encountering middle-distances and testing ground in their second seasons, the signs were strong that the Dalham Hall resident would come to the fore and Thursday's early Spring meeting at Saint-Cloud proved early confirmation as the newcomer Silver Crack (Fr) stormed to TDN Rising Star status. Anchored behind the early leaders by Cristian Demuro, the well-supported 9-10 favourite for the 10-furlong Prix Suave Dancer for 3-year-old colts and geldings moved to the front well in hand with 300 metres remaining before...

Coolmore's first-season sire Magna Grecia (Ire) (by Invincible Spirit {Ire}) proved an instant hit in 2023 as his first runner Myconian (Ire) captured Saint-Cloud's 4 1/2-furlong Prix du Debut on Thursday. Always prominent under Mickael Barzalona, the Amy Murphy-trained son of the Listed Tipperary S. winner and G3 Curragh S. third Sirici (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) who traded as the 19-5 favourite outbattled The Fixer (Ire) (No Nay Never) inside the final 50 metres for a gutsy 3/4-of-a-length success. The dam hails from the family of the dual listed-winning sprinter Dazed And...

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 filly out of The Juliet Rose (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}). 4.10 Saint-Cloud, Debutantes, €27,000, 3yo, f, 10ft RONEA (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is the pick of Maxime Guyon of two Wertheimer newcomers, with Andre Fabre saddling the daughter of the dual G2 Prix de Royallieu...

Into black-type company on her second start after a winning debut over 7 1/2 furlongs at Saint-Cloud in October, Peter Savill's Autumn Starlight (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Falling Leaves {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) emerged from Saturday's Listed Prix la Camargo at that venue with her perfect record maintained and reputation enhanced. Tracking the early leader Heavenly Breath (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in third under Christophe Soumillon, the 14-5 second favourite looked to have it to do a furlong from home as that 8-5 market-leader who had run second to Blue...

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 'TDN Rising Star'. 15.00 Saint-Cloud, Listed, €55,000, 3yo, f, 10fT Ballymore Thoroughbred Racing's 3-year-old filly PENSEE DU JOUR (IRE) (Camelot {GB}) made a spectacular winning debut at Chantilly last month, attaining 'TDN Rising Star' status with a geared-down four-length tally over 9 1/2 furlongs, and...

Every novelist that engages the subject of horse racing is facing an odds-on favorite in Dick Francis. The all-time master, Francis effectively conjured racetrack heroes within the friendly confines of his umpteen mystery novels. With his passing, son Felix continues the family trade by employing the same tried-and-true formula. Francis always presented the reader with protagonists like a chef with high culinary morals or a noble former jump jockey-turned-P.I. or a smart-looking specialist in kidnapping who moonlights as a philosopher-psychologist. The author had us at "Hullo, how are you?" In...

14.25 Saint-Cloud, Mdn, €27,000, unraced 2yo, f, 7 1/2fT Christoph Berglar's homebred NIGHT OASIS (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) is kin to two black-type performers out of a stakes-placed half-sister to MG1SW sire Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) and this term's G1 Irish Oaks heroine Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Waldemar Hickst's representative is confronted by nine in this debutantes' contest, including Haras d'Etreham's 200,000gns Tattersalls December foal Sea Salinas (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who is a Francis Graffard-conditioned half-sister to G1 Premio Lydia Tesio winner Sortilege (Ire) (Tiger Hill {Ire});...

It was a case of heads up, heads down at the conclusion of Saint-Cloud's G1 Criterium International on Saturday, with Coolmore's homebred Galileo duo Proud And Regal (Ire) and Espionage (Ire) engaged in a thrilling tussle in which the former ultimately prevailed. Last seen finishing runner-up in the Sept. 11 G1 Vincent O'Brien National S., the Donnacha O'Brien-trained son of the G1 Fillies' Mile and G1 Falmouth S. heroine Simply Perfect (GB) (Danehill) who captured the July 21 G3 Tyros S. at Leopardstown was asked to keep close tabs on...

One-time Derby favourite Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will return to action at Saint-Cloud on Saturday. Connections of the John and Thady Gosden-trained colt opted to sidestep the Derby after he picked up a mid-season setback. Instead, Reach For The Moon was aimed at Royal Ascot, where he was beaten as a 2-5 favourite behind Claymore (Fr) (New Bay {GB}) in the Hampton Court S. Now owned by the King, he is back in action over a mile in Paris for the Group 3 Prix Perth,...

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 daughter of Grade I winner Daddys Lil Darling.   2.00 Thurles, Mdn, €15,000, 2yo, f, 8fT SAVETHELASTDANCE (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is the first foal out of the GI American Oaks heroine Daddys Lil Darling (Scat Daddy), who was purchased by M V Magnier for $3.5...

After a frenetic Saturday of racing on opening day of Arc weekend at ParisLongchamp, the curtain rises on Arqana's Arc Sale at Saint-Cloud Racecourse at 6:30 p.m., Paris time. Thirty-five lots will go through the ring. One of the highlights is Schwarzer Peter (Ger) (Neatico {Ger}) (lot 17), second in the 2022 G1 German Derby, who has been placed in the G3 Preis der Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe in August since his Classic near miss. Consigned by trainer Markus Klug, the 112-rated bay is out of the listed-placed Sovalla (GB) (Pomellato {Ger}), and...

Christophe Soumillon, one of the most decorated riders in the world, has been handed a two-month ban after elbowing fellow jockey Rossa Ryan out of the saddle at Saint-Cloud on Friday. The Belgian native was riding Syros (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) for Francis Graffard in the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon Jockey Club de Turquie when making contact with Ryan, who was aboard the Ralph Beckett-trained Captain Wierzba (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). In what looked a deliberate elbow, Soumillon edged Ryan out of the saddle and, while he denied any...