Sergei Prokofiev

   Continuing the stellar start to his stud career of Sergei Prokofiev, Amo Racing and Giselle De Aguiar's Arizona Blaze (GB) outstayed Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Camille Pissarro (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) at the close of The Curragh's G3 GAIN Marble Hill S. run in memory of Theresa Marnane on Saturday. Second to the runner-up's stablemate Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never) in the five-furlong Listed First Flier S. here earlier this month, the £82,000 Goffs UK Premier graduate, who was his sire's first winner also at this venue in March,...

Whitsbury Manor Stud's first-season sire Sergei Prokofiev (by Scat Daddy) continued his electric start to the campaign, with his daughter Enchanting Empress (GB) providing his first black-type winner in the Listed Orbital Veterinary Services National S. at Sandown on Thursday evening. Representing Amo Racing and Giselle De Aguiar, the Dominic ffrench Davis trainee who had won at Wolverhampton on debut before following up in the Royal Ascot Two-Year-Old Trial EBF Conditions S. at the start of the month tracked the leaders early before starting her run inside the final two...

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 pair of No Nay Never colts who are contesting Curragh listed races. 14.25 Curragh, Listed, €50,000, 3yo, 8fT SAMUEL COLT (IRE) (No Nay Never) is the star turn in this Listed Coolmore Stud Paddington Irish EBF Tetrarch S., named in honour of the colt who...

I love Paris in the springtime, sang Ella Fitzgerald, and I'm pretty sure it was a thinly-veiled reference to her secret passion for heavy ground three-year-old maidens at Saint-Cloud. What Classic clues may we glean there? Well, maybe none. But I liked the look of Narkez (Fr), who gave his rivals a six-length walloping in the Prix Comrade last Tuesday, picking up where he left off after winning at Clairefontaine last October. Bred by Nurlan Bizakov under his Sumbe banner, the colt represents that magic Siyouni (Fr)-Galileo (Ire) cross, though...

We've been waiting so long for the proper Flat to start that it seems almost criminal to veer straight off to the other side of the world, but there was plenty of interest for breeders from this side at Rosehill in Sydney on Saturday morning.  One person who managed to stay awake past 2am to watch the highly impressive last-to-first romp of Post Impressionist (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the G3 N E Manion Cup was his breeder Henrietta Egan, who is based at Corduff Stud with her husband David.  Now...

Monday's curtain-raising Curragh card saw Whitsbury Manor Stud's first-season sire Sergei Prokofiev register his opening salvo as his son Arizona Blaze (GB) captured the five-furlong Castle Star And Alkumait At Capital Stud Irish EBF Maiden. Representing AMO Racing Limited and Giselle De Aguiar and the Adrian Murray stable, the £82,000 Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale graduate was always on the sharp end under David Egan. Asserting from Rowdy Yeats (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) inside the final furlong, the 5-4 favourite eked out a professional 1 1/4-length success. "David [Egan] said...

Paddy Power have had their say on the first-season sires' championship and the betting giants are unable to separate Pinatubo (Ire) and Sergei Prokofiev at the head of the market at odds of 6-4. It was Blue Point (Ire) who dominated the first-season sires' championship last year in recording 50 individual winners in Europe including two Group 1 scorers. According to Paddy Power, Darley are in a strong position to scoop the prize for the second successive year as, not only can the powerful operation call on joint-favourite Pinatubo, but...

Havana Grey (GB) was the most profitable British- and Irish-based yearling sire of 2023 according to the newly-published Weatherbys Bloodstock Sales Review. Havana Grey topped the standings with a profitability index of 10.75, comfortably ahead of the next best stallion, Sioux Nation, on 6.61. Those figures were calculated by dividing each sire's 2023 yearling average by their covering fee of 2021, when the offspring in question were conceived. It was another hugely successful year on the racecourse for the progeny of Havana Grey, with the G1 Prix Morny and G1...

It has been a big year for Whitsbury Manor Stud. From a landmark result with homebred Chaldean going on to win the 2,000 Guineas for Juddmonte, his half-sister Get Ahead selling for 2.5m gns at public auction and the continued rise of superstar stallion Havana Grey, 2023 has been the gift that keeps on giving for Ed Harper and his team. There is plenty, still, to look forward to next year, with fellow Whitsbury-based stallion Sergei Prokofiev set to be represented by his first crop of runners and Dragon Symbol...

DONCASTER, England-The vendors have answered the rallying call. That was the message issued by an upbeat Henry Beeby on the eve of the eagerly-anticipated Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale. And judging by the footfall here since Sunday, the Goffs chief has every reason to be positive.  The Al Mohamediya Racing team have been out in force trying to find the next Jasour (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}). Top trainers Richard Hannon, Clive Cox and Ger Lyons have also been busy inspecting the stock on offer, not to mention the number of leading...

DONCASTER, England--A serious tempo was set to the European yearling sale season at Arqana last week with strong trade recorded in the August and V2 sales. If the momentum is to continue into the Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale this week, Goffs could be in for a productive week.  G3 Princess Margaret S. winner Sacred Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) was sourced here 12 months ago for £52,000 while similarly smart two-year-old Jasour (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) cost £85,000.  Both juveniles have flown the flag for the Donny yearlings with their...

For this final part of the series, we are looking at stallions who have retired to stud since 2021 and will thus have either first foals or yearlings at the sales this year or are about to cover their first book of mares. There is plenty to digest from three years' intake and of course prices can often drop after a stallion's first year at stud, so there could be some value to be found for breeders willing to roll the dice on a stallion about to embark on his...