Sandown

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. Thursday's Observations features a son of Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita. 5.20 Leopardstown, Mdn, 2yo, c/g, 8fT CLARET (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is one of two Ballydoyle runners in this and the second-string, but as the sixth foal out of the Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita has much to commend him....

Wednesday, Naas, Ireland, post time: 17:37, ARQANA IRISH EBF MARWELL STAKES-Listed, €30,000, 2yo, f, 5f 0y Field: Cardiff By The Sea (Ire) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}), Duskaura (Ire) (Twilight Son {GB}), Havana Anna (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Ipanema Queen (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}), Lam Yai (Ire) (Lucky Vega {Ire}), Magny Cours (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}), Solana Rose (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Wateen (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}). TDN Verdict: Fozzy Stack trainee Cardiff By The Sea gets a third opportunity of shedding maiden status in this open edition. She encountered Charles Darwin when...

In the race that Ryan Moore is coming to call his own, Coolmore's number one delivered his Ballydoyle pick Delacroix to deny Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) in the dying strides of a dramatic G1 Coral-Eclipse on Saturday. Having ditched a Classic winner for the dream Dubawi-Tepin creation who had been undone by Epsom last month, the rider had already caused a stir and he needed all of his guile to rescue a seemingly lost cause to reel in the 6-4 favourite close home. "It was a steadily-run race for that...

Charlie Appleby was expected to take Friday's seven-furlong novice at Sandown, but it was the stable's second-string Pacifica Pier who came out on top in one for the notebooks. Unleashed by James Doyle to take control a furlong out, the 13-2 shot stayed on strongly to record a half-length success from the eyecatcher of all eyecatchers, Juddmonte's Publish (Kingman). There was another 3/4-of-a-length margin back to Godolphin's favourite Key Of Magic (Justify) in third. "He's a big boy to sit on and I had to nurse him along and wait...

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. Friday's Observations features a son of Justify in the Godolphin blue. 2.25 Sandown, Novice, £40,000, 2yo, 7fT KEY OF MAGIC (Justify) is the pick of Charlie Appleby's duo for this race he has won in two of the last three years at the track where Ruling Court debuted in...

Friday, Sandown, post time: 15:00, THE DRAGON STAKES-Listed, £30,000, 2yo, 5f 10yT Field: Blue Orbit (Ire) (Starman {GB}), Military Code (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Rogue Supremacy (GB) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}), Killavia (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Lebron Power (GB) (Starman {GB}), Love Olivia (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Solana Rose (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Staya (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}). TDN Verdict: Some Royal Ascot runners here, with Godolphin's Military Code looking to bounce back from an unplaced effort in the Coventry, KHK Racing's Staya having shown up prominently when fifth in the...

Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown is shaping up to be the race of the season so far after a plethora of Group 1 winners were confirmed on Monday, headed by the John and Thady Gosden-trained Ombudsman. The son of Night Of Thunder came of age at Royal Ascot when winning the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes and only has one defeat on his record from six career starts. That came over this course and distance in May when Almaqam (Lope De Vega) produced a dominant performance from the front to...

Saturday, Sandown, post time: 14:40, THE BETMGM SCURRY STAKES-Listed, £45,000, 3yo, 5f 10yT Field: Coto De Caza (Ire) (Sioux Nation), Kullazain (GB) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}), Marty Hopkirk (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), Star Of Mehmas (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Hold A Dream (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}), Pearl Of Wisdom (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}), Proudly Yours (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Town And Country (Ire) (Earthlight {Ire}). TDN Verdict: Last year's G3 Cornwallis Stakes winner Coto De Caza returns under a penalty for that effort, which might make it tough against some already battle-hardened sprinters in this...

One of the spring's most exciting prospects, Godolphin's Opera Ballo had suffered a bump in the road when sixth in the Craven but bounced back in style in Thursday's Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown. Always travelling with gusto as William Buick tried to curb the enthusiasm, the son of Ghaiyyath who had impressed on his first two starts at Kempton to earn TDN Rising Star status moved to the front approaching the furlong pole. Strong at the line, the 5-4 favourite had registered an authoritative 2 1/2-length success from New...

Having promised to make his presence felt in the better middle-distance contests for a while, Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's Almaqam delivered on Thursday evening in Sandown's G3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes. Taken to the front early by Oisin Murphy, the 7-4 second favourite predictably faced his sternest challenge from the 5-4 market-leader Ombudsman inside the last two furlongs but stayed on strongly to end that rival's unbeaten sequence by 1 3/4 lengths. This win came at the track at which the apple of Ed Walker's eye had wowed 12 months ago...

Yeomanstown Stud's first-season sire Supremacy had two engaged in Thursday's Listed National Stakes and it was the outsider of the pair Anthelia who stepped up to provide his first black-type win. Sent off at 25-1 for Sandown's Royal Ascot pointer despite being two-for-two after educations at Bath and Salisbury, Middleham Park Racing's £6,000 Goffs UK Premier graduate raced behind the early pace before creeping up the rail inside the last furlong. In front 100 yards out, the Rod Millman-trained filly stayed on under Lewis Edmunds to beat the colt First...

Thursday, Sandown, post time: 19:05, STAR SPORTS HENRY II STAKES-G3, £80,000, 4yo/up, 16f 50yT Field: Al Nayyir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Burdett Road (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Tashkhan (Ire) (Born To Sean {Ire}), Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}). TDN Verdict: Trawlerman looks to strengthen his Gold Cup claims now that old foe Kyprios has been ushered out of the scene and the 2023 G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup winner is a cut above these rivals on all evidence. The last time Burdett Road ran on the Flat,...