Sandown

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 Observations features a son of Grade I winner Sophie P (GB) (Bushranger {Ire}). 2.55 Sandown, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, 7fT THE PARENT (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is a son of the GI Gamely S. heroine Sophie P (GB) (Bushranger {Ire}) who makes his debut for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum...

Godolphin's Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), second in the G1 Lockinge S. and the G1 Queen Anne S. in May and June, respectively, has turned in a poor scope and will not run in the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. at Sandown on Saturday, trainer Saeed bin Suroor revealed. A winner at Group 2 level in France last October and in the G2 Zabeel Mile at Meydan in January, the 5-year-old entire would have had Frankie Dettori in the irons. "Frankie is our man, but unfortunately the horse is not going...

Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will sidestep Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse S. at Sandown in favour of a trip to America the following weekend. The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt is now being aimed at the GI Belmont Derby, where he is likely to clash with Charlie Appleby's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and GI French 2000 Guineas winner Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is set to be ridden by Frankie Dettori. O'Brien won last year's Belmont race with Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) confirmed that plans were in place for a...

One of the most exciting horses in France, Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) is set to take his chance in the G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday, and connections are expecting a massive performance.  Vadeni, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, was supplemented at a cost of £50,000 for the race on Monday. A hugely impressive winner of the G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly when last seen, the French raider is a general 2-1 favourite to follow up on that success at Sandown.   Georges Rimaud, the Aga Khan's racing manager,...

Off the mark on debut over five furlongs at Thirsk May 14, the David O'Meara-trained filly Maria Branwell (Ire) (James Garfield {Ire}--Princess Pearl {Ire}, by Teofilo {Ire}) took the next step in her stride on Thursday to capture Sandown's Listed Coral National S. Settled with two behind early by Danny Tudhope, the 3-1 shot had to chase hard after the Listed First Flier S. runner-up Crispy Cat (GB) (Ardad {Ire}) inside the final two furlongs and despite running away from the whip initially focused enough to run down that visitor...

William Haggas's stable is in scintillating form at present and Sunderland Holding's My Prospero (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) further emphasised that with success in Thursday's Listed Heron S. at Sandown. Sent off the 7-4 joint-favourite alongside the returning G3 Solario S. winner Reach For the Moon (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), the Apr. 16 Newbury maiden winner was settled in third early by Tom Marquand as the other market-leader set off in front. Wound up in early straight, the homebred half-brother to Wednesday's 12-length Listed Rothesay S. winner My Astra (Ire)...

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 The Queen's group winner Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).   5.16 ParisLongchamp, Listed, €55,000, 3yo, f, 9fT RACLETTE (GB) (Frankel {GB}) lines up for this Prix Finlande on the back of a disappointing eighth in the G3 Prix de la Grotte here...

The birds were hoarse about Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) ahead of her 3-year-old bow on a Sandown card that John Gosden takes very seriously and the major Oaks mover did not disappoint as she galloped to a 9 1/2-length success in Friday's Nordoff Robbins Charlie Watts Memorial Fillies' Novice S. Sent off the 5-4 favourite for the 10-furlong contest won in similarly devastating fashion by the stable's Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) in 2008, the bay who races for Tactful Finance stuck close to the leader...

Last year's G3 Sandown Classic Trial was a momentous renewal and Friday's is another to keep a close eye on after a trio of likely types finished clear led home by Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Last seen finishing runner-up in Pontefract's Listed Silver Tankard S. in October, Juddmonte's imposing bay raced freely for Rob Hornby tracking the 6-5 favourite Goldspur (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) throughout the early stages. Edging ahead a furlong from home, the 5-1 shot was initially wayward but honest enough to give extra and hold off the late...

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 Observations features a full-sister to Group 1 winner and young sire Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). 16.10 Sandown, Nov, £11,000, 3yo, f, 9f 209yT Lord Lloyd Webber's untried DARMOISELLE (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is a daughter of MG1SW distaffer Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and thus a...

Godolphin's annus mirabilis shows no sign of halting, with Wednesday's "Breeders' Day" card at Sandown playing host to one of the operation's more promising juveniles seen out so far. Debuting over a mile on soft ground in the Time Test EBF Novice S., the Charlie Appleby-trained colt Goldspur (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) streaked to a 6 1/2-length success to become the 16th TDN Rising Star by his sire sensation. Out of the G2 Lancashire Oaks and G3 Prix Minerve winner Pomology (Arch), the bay raced in second throughout the early stages...

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. Sunday's Observations features a son of Grade I winner Daisy Devine (Kafwain). 12.58 Deauville, Mdn, €27,000, unraced 2yo, c/g, 8fT Flaxman Stables Ireland's FOR ALL MANKIND (Into Mischief), a Francis-Henri Graffard trainee, is a son of GI Jenny Wiley S. victrix Daisy Devine (Kafwain) and one of eight newcomers...