Sea the Stars (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...

Following his imperious display in the G1 Lockinge S. on Saturday, Shadwell's Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has emerged fresh and well from that effort, trainer William Haggas announced. Now seven-for-seven, the three-time Group 1 winner is now set for the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot in June. "He seems fine, he's very fresh," said Haggas. "He was certainly a bit fresh this morning so everything is great. "You always have a race, there's no such thing as an easy Group 1, but he looked to win...

The Queen's Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who will not point to the G1 Cazoo Derby, has been entered in Thursday's Listed Coral Heron S. at Sandown instead. A runner for John and Thady Gosden, the colt won the G3 Solario S. as a juvenile. He will face his stablemate, Cheveley Park Stud's imposing Group 1 winner Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), in that contest.

Unbeaten through six starts after annexing last October's G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot, Shadwell Estate Company's 4-year-old homebred and G1 Prix du Moulin hero Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Aghareed, by Kingmambo) launched his quest for superstardom by putting a stellar field to the sword in Saturday's G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. at Newbury. Europe's top miler of 2021, and the world's joint-highest alongside Hong Kong's immovable force Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), made relentless progression throughout his perfect sophomore campaign and continued in similar vein to plunder...

Saturday sees the resumption of the attempt by opponents of Baaeed (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) to find a weak spot in Shadwell's rampant miling champion as he is relaunched in Newbury's G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. The last unbeaten colt to come to this older brigade's traditional season's starting point was the great Frankel (GB) in 2012 and, while comparisons with him are fanciful at the moment, the G1 Prix du Moulin and G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. winner is as good as it gets in his category at...

Twenty career wins, 18 in group company. Those that wrote off Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) had to think again on Friday as Bjorn Nielsen's legendary chestnut popped up to keep his unbeaten tag on York's Knavesmire intact with a third G2 Paddy Power Yorkshire Cup. Travelling with all the gusto of his earlier days, the 6-4 favourite who was largely dogged by unsuitable ground and a dash of bad luck in 2021 sliced between younger rivals heading to two out with the crowd in raptures. Taking the measure...

John and Thady Gosden's team has yet to reach the giddy heights of Charlie Appleby and Aidan O'Brien this term, but TDN Rising Star Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}--Hidden Brief {GB} {SP-Fr}, by Barathea {Ire}) provided the Clarehaven stable with hopes of Classic glory after another impressive display in Wednesday's G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. at York. The 60,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 yearling had opened up with a narrow victory in her Nov. 23 unveiling at Wolverhampton before earning this publication's seal of approval with a 9 1/2-length...

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 daughter of Group 1 winner Ridasiyna (Fr) (Motivator {GB}). 2.50 Chantilly, Debutantes, €27,000, 3yo, f, 10fT RIDAVIYA (FR) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is a daughter of the G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Ridasiyna (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) who starts out for that talented mare's trainer Mikel...

The racing public will decide which of three G1 Derby winners will join the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame. Voting is now open to select from Shergar (GB) (Great Nephew), Galileo (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and Sea The Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), and will close at midnight on Sunday May 22. Successful in the Derby in 1981, Shergar also landed the Irish equivalent and the G1 King Geroge VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond S. but was later kidnapped after a brief stint at stud. Former Coolmore kingpin Galileo...

John and Thady Gosden have been dealt a hammer blow over the fact that the Queen's Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will miss the G1 Cazoo Derby at Epsom June 4. Winner of the Solario S. as a 2-year-old, Reach For The Moon (GB) had been a general 7-1 chance for Derby glory, and the news of his absence at Epsom comes just a week after the Gosden team were forced to rule Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) out of the G1 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

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. Monday's Observations features a daughter of MGSW & G1SP Actress (Ire) (Declaration of War). 4.45 Naas, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, f, 5f 205yT DENEUVE (IRE) (No Nay Never) debuts in the maiden won in recent times by the subsequent Group 1 winners Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and Fairyland (Ire)...

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...