Sandown

As York's Ebor festival draws to a close, with the ever-popular £500,000 handicap after which it is named the feature event on the Knavesmire, Saturday has something for every angle with abundant pattern-race action across three countries thrown into the bargain. While the 22-strong field assembled for the extended 15-furlong Ebor headed by the May 27 G3 Brigadier Gerard S. and July 2 Listed Gala S.-winning veteran Euchen Glen (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) offers a punting puzzle in Europe's version of the Melbourne Cup, the purists can revel in a string...

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 half-brother to Group 1 winner Quadrilateral (GB). 1.35 Sandown, Mdn, £10,000, 2yo, 7fT THESIS (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is an intriguing newcomer in the Juddmonte silks for the Roger Charlton stable, being a half-brother to their G1 Fillies' Mile-winning Quadrilateral (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Also a full-brother...

Lanwades stallion Bobby's Kitten (Kitten's Joy), whose daughter Sandrine (GB) added last week's G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. to her victory in the G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot, was represented by his first winner from his lone Southern Hemisphere-sired crop when the debuting Cecil Street Lad (Aus) ran out a 3/4-length winner Wednesday at Sandown in Victoria. Bred and raised by Olly Tait's Twin Hills Farm in New South Wales, the gelded son of Just A Girl (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) was the $4.40 (17-5) second favorite...

Tactical nuance will be the order of the day in Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse, with Sandown's prestige affair hosting a trio of male thoroughbreds who have been tested and proven internationally and just one other very much on the fringe. With the big three of Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) responsible for nine top-level victories between them in this country, France, Dubai and Australia, this renewal really does offer something different. All of them have a largely consistent profile with...

Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown has been cut to four after Thursday's confirmation stage, with Aidan O'Brien declaring just St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) from his three initial entries left in earlier this week. With David Menuisier also opting to wait with Christopher Wright's Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), that means that Ballydoyle's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero faces two main rivals in the multiple Group 1 winners Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) plus the Jockey...

Seven horses, five Group 1 winners, have stood their ground for the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. at Sandown on July 3. Prince A. A. Faisal's Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) is favoured, and enters off wins in the $20-million Saudi Cup in Riyadh in February and a neck victory over Sunday's G1 Takarazuka Kinen victress Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on Mar. 27. The John and Thady Gosden trainee faces a stiff three-pronged entry from Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners' dual...

Godolphin homebred Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {Ire}), who won the G1 Cazoo Derby on Saturday, excited the race in good order and will target the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot on July 24. If he completes the double, he would be the first horse to do so since his grandsire Galileo (Ire) in 2001. Trainer Charlie Appleby said, "He has come out of the race great. As you saw he went on the seawalker yesterday morning and he has been out for a jog this morning...

Coming off a five-furlong Doncaster novice win May 15, Al Shaqab Racing's Ebro River (Ire) gave his first-season sire Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) a first black-type success with an impressive display in Thursday's Listed National S. at Sandown. Missing the break as he had done on his first two starts, the Hugo Palmer-trained chestnut who was one of his sire's more expensive yearlings when selling for 75,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2 quickly recovered to track the pace against the rail. In front approaching the...

Sandown's Listed Heron S. on Thursday offered some Royal Ascot clues, with Shadwell's Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) maintaining his unbeaten record on his first try on turf for the John and Thady Gosden stable. Having scored on debut on Newcastle's Tapeta Mar. 16 and over this mile trip on Kempton's Polytrack Apr. 5, the half-brother to last year's G1 Sun Chariot S., G1 Falmouth S. and G2 Duke of Cambridge S. heroine Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was restrained in rear early by Jim Crowley having been drawn widest of...

The names of Joe Mercer and Brigadier Gerard will be united once more with the announcement that Sandown's Group 3 contest which carries the name of the great horse will this year be run in memory of his former jockey, who died on Monday. Set to be run on Thursday, May 27 during Sandown's elite evening meeting, the 10-furlong race will now be named The Coral Brigadier Gerard Stakes (In memory of Joe Mercer). Brigadier Gerard (GB) (Queen's Hussar {GB}), trained by Dick Hern for his owner/breeders John and Jean...

8.25 ParisLongchamp, Debutantes, €27,000, 3yo, f, 8fT DOLIA (FR) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is the second foal out of The Aga Khan's G1 Dubai Sheema Classic heroine Dolniya (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}) from the celebrated family of Daylami (Ire) and Dalakhani (Ire). Alain de Royer-Dupre also has charge of the February-foaled bay, whose opponents include the Niarchos Family's La Fiamma (War Front), a Pascal Bary trainee who is the first foal out of the GIII Modesty H. winner Faufiler (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and therefore a granddaughter of the illustrious Six Perfections (Fr)...

One of the lesser-fancied 3-year-old colts in the line-up for Friday's G3 bet365 Classic Trial at Sandown, M M Stables' Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}) nevertheless emerged front and centre with no hint of fluke as he split the Godolphin duo of Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Runner-up in the Listed Ascendant S. on soft ground at Haydock in September, the William Haggas-trained 25-1 shot was sent forward from the break by Tom Marquand and made certain that Yibir was unable to enjoy an easy time there....