Starman (GB)

When Moyfinn Stud's Paul Giles sold a Galileo Gold (GB) colt [lot 318] for £68,000 during the second day of the Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale, it was said to be the most money he'd ever received for a horse in his life. So, what was Giles thinking just a short time later when his three-parts brother to last week's G2 Gimcrack Stakes winner Cool Hoof Luke (GB) sold to Amanda Skiffington for £350,000, the third highest price in the sale's history? "That sort of money was what I dreamed of,...

DONCASTER, England--Clive Cox might not have a degree in mechanical engineering, but it's fair to say that there have been few better trainers than him over the years when it comes to masterminding the career trajectory of a 'Donny Rocket'. Think Harry Angel (Ire), the July Cup and Sprint Cup scorer bought by Cox for just £44,000 at the 2015 edition of the Goffs UK Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale, or the Prix de l'Abbaye heroine Gilt Edge Girl (GB) (Monsieur Bond {Ire}), his very first Group 1 winner who he'd...

The colt crowned Cartier Horse of the Year in 2021 when he retired as a five-time Group 1 winner; an elite miler who also won five races at the top level, notably at Royal Ascot in both 2020 and 2021; and the GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero of 2021, speedy enough to win the previous year's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest over six and a half furlongs. Those three summations alone should give some idea of the calibre of racehorse we're dealing with when it comes to the 2025 crop...

When the affable David Ward bought a Montjeu (Ire) yearling filly at Goffs Orby through SackvilleDonald for €50,000 in 2011, he could not have envisaged the journey she would take he and his family on over the next 10 years. Named Northern Star (Ire), she was no world-beater on the track, winning a maiden at Bath as a 3-year-old; however, her record as a broodmare was impeccable before her untimely death after delivering just three foals. Her second foal was Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), who carried Ward's colours to...

Kodiac (GB) (Danehill) leads the seven-strong roster at Tally-Ho Stud at an unchanged fee of €65,000 in 2022. Responsible for 13 black-type winners in 2021, the 20-year-old's progeny enjoyed Group 1 success with G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero El Bodegon (Ire) and G1 Commonwealth Cup heroine Campanelle (Ire). Also among his group winners this term are Cloudy Dawn (Ire), American Bridge (GB), Bear Story (Ire), Glounthaune (Ire) and Fast Attack (Ire). Priced at €50,000, Mehmas (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who was the Champion First-Season Sire in Europe in 2022, celebrated 11...

St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), a four-time Group 1 winner in 2021 and five-time top-level scorer overall, was named the Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier 3-Year-Old Colt during the 31st annual Cartier Racing Awards at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Wednesday evening. The sixth Cartier Horse of the Year for the Coolmore partners since the awards began in 1991, the Aidan O'Brien trainee joins the illustrious company of stablemates Giant's Causeway (Storm Cat) (2000), Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) (Danehill) (2002), Hurricane Run (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) (2005),...

Bidding to follow in the steps of Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Dream Ahead (Diktat {GB}), Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) is the latest G1 July Cup hero to attempt a notable double in Saturday's G1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock. Only third behind Marianafoot (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) on unsuitably soft ground in the 6 1/2-furlong G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville Aug. 8, David Ward's homebred is back on his favoured fast surface over the six-furlong trip of his July 10 Newmarket victory. Trainer Ed Walker...

Haydock hosts the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup S. on Sept. 4, and Group 1 winner Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) is one of 14 signed on in the six-furlong affair. A winner of the G1 Darley July Cup S. ahead of Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) on July 10, the David Ward colourbearer ran third, one better than Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) in the G1 LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest to Marianafoot (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) at Deauville on Aug. 8 for trainer Ed Walker. Fellow Group 1 winner Glen...

G1 Cazoo Derby hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) has joined dual French Classic winner and G1 Coral-Eclipse hero St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) on top of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings. Both are now rated 127 after the Godolphin silksbearer won the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), third behind St Mark's Basilica and Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) (121) in the Coral-Eclipse, moved up to a mark of 124 after running second to Adayar in the Goodwood feature. Palace Pier (GB)...

Starman (GB) (Dutch art {GB}), the winner of the G1 July Cup, will aim for a start in the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on Sept. 4 after running a close third in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville on Sunday. A winner of his first three starts last fall, including the Listed Garrowby S. at York in September, the 4-year-old colt did not care for the soft ground in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. and ran unplaced in October. he was back on top...

Deauville stages the G1 LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest on Sunday, where David Ward's G1 July Cup hero Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) has to tackle testing ground as he bids to put his marker down on the sprinting division. Beaten only once when encountering soft going in Ascot's G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint S., the 4-year-old nevertheless carries significant stable confidence into the 6 1/2-furlong highlight. "He's in cracking form and we're super excited, so fingers crossed," trainer Ed Walker said. "Everything has gone very well since the July...

With the weather staying clear ahead of Saturday's G1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket, David Ward's Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) had his day to deliver on all the abundant promise he had shown so far in his brief career in a strong renewal. Successful in the May 12 G2 Duke of York S. over this six-furlong trip, the 9-2 second favourite was buried in mid-division of the group racing stand's side throughout the early stages with the pace rapid up ahead. Staying on powerfully up the rising ground to...