Ten Sovereigns

The leading Irish trainer also revealed plans for Breeders' Cup winner Balantina, 2,000 Guineas contender A Boy Named Susie and more The temperatures are rising and so too are Donnacha O'Brien's hopes of bagging yet another top-flight success this season, with the gifted young handler revealing that A Boy Named Susie (Starspangledbanner) is on course to run in the 2,000 Guineas - however, Breeders' Cup heroine Balantina (Ten Sovereigns) will not be seen until Royal Ascot at the earliest.  But first, O'Brien is plotting an audacious tilt at the lucrative Chairman's...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Indigo Woods at Fair Grounds. Blue Is the Colour Larry Rodgers and Coast Racing's Indigo Woods (Blue Point) prevailed by a half-length and maintained her perfect record in the Allen Black Cat LaCombe Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds on March 7 (video). A winner of a Churchill maiden in October, the Brendan Walsh trainee was bred by Tinnakill House. The 10th foal out...

Stephen Byrne of Knockgraffon Stables has quickly established himself as one of the sharpest young breeze-up handlers on the circuit. A former amateur jockey, Byrne built up a good relationship with Jim Will Fix It, and guided that horse to win a Grade 2 bumper at Leopardstown back in 2010. He also spent time working with Joseph O'Brien before returning home to Knockgraffon Stables. From under that banner, Byrne has sent out many high-class runners, including the 103-rated Hammer The Hammer along with recent Dundalk juvenile scorer Sovereign Cry (Ten...

If Tuesday's opening session of the December Foal Sale at Tattersalls was all about Dragon Symbol, then Wednesday was the day that the young upstart received a sharp warning should he wish to assume the throne as Whitsbury Manor Stud kingpin, with the present incumbent, Havana Grey, taking his turn to play the starring role on a day of fierce trade at Park Paddocks. By the close of play, Havana Grey accounted for five of the day's top 18 lots, headlined by lot 650 from the Whitsbury Manor draft. The...

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the Breeders' Cup meeting. Ethical Diamond Hands Mullins The Turf Training maestro Willie Mullins landed the biggest Flat victory of his career with Ethical Diamond (Awtaad) in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf on Saturday (video). A winner of a brace of valuable handicaps across the pond, the five-year-old gelding has also run seven of his lifetime starts over hurdles. Bred by W. Kennedy, Ethical Diamond is owned...

Sometimes a horse just tells you when they're sitting on go. Nearly all the way from the post parade to the gate Friday at Del Mar, Donnacha O'Brien's Balantina (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) was taking jockey Oisin Murphy for a ride, kicking up her heels in dramatic fashion through her warm up and generally looking like a filly ready to roll. And ready she was. With a powerful late-running move, the 20-1 longshot exploded up the rail to capture the GI John Deere Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The most...

Undefeated no more. Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) inherited a late lead and held off a closing charge from the previously-undefeated Laurelin (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}) to claim her first Grade I win in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes at Keeneland Saturday. It was redemption in a way for a filly who took a chance in California last out, shipping from Churchill Downs to wind up just a half-length back of Velocity (Nyquist) in the GI Del Mar Oaks Aug. 16. Finally in a race without the...

A Naval Crown colt and a Ten Sovereigns filly have been supplemented to next week's Goffs Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale. Set for Doncaster on Wednesday, August 27 and a Thursday, August 28, the sale features over 400 yearlings with sessions beginning at 10 a.m. The colt, consigned by Coulonces Sales as lot 191A, is out of the Shamardal mare Glamour Queen, herself a daughter of the Group 1 winner Be Fabulous and a full-sister to listed winner and multiple group-placed Sublimis. Lot 354A, offered by Baroda Stud, is a half-sister...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Sigh No More in the Boiling Springs Stakes at Monmouth. Boiling Springs Stakes To Sigh No More Heider Family Stables' Sigh No More ran out a 1 1/2-length winner of Monmouth Park's Boiling Springs Stakes at the end of last month (video). Conditioned by Brendan Walsh, the daughter of Starspangledbanner was making her second US start. Bred by Barronstown Stud out of the...

Second to Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) in the both the GIII Florida Oaks and the GII Edgewood Stakes at 1 1/16 miles in her last two starts, Lush Lips (GB) finally broke through to the win Saturday in the Tepin Stakes at the mile at Churchill Downs. Shortened up for the first time since she made her North American debut a the mile at Kentucky Downs last summer, the 8-5 favorite had shown early speed in all of her prior races bar two but was relegated back in this spot to...

Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (c, 2, Ten Sovereigns {Ire}--Zindziswa, by Smart Strike), a new Euro import for Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss, and Michael J. Caruso, captured Thursday's GIII With Anticipation Stakes to stay undefeated in two career starts and give his rider a record-tying 15 stakes wins in a single season at the Spa. "I'm very grateful. It's been a great meet," said winning rider Flavien Prat. "I've been on good horses and they've been running well. It would be amazing to break the record, but if not, at...

Monday's email bulletin from the The New York Times told us that Britain is largely apathetic about Saturday's coronation. I guess they'd know, being on the other side of the Atlantic and all, but the bunting had already been strung through various Cambridgeshire and Suffolk villages by Sunday. In the leafy shires at least, the monarchists still hold sway. On Friday at Newmarket, the King Charles II Stakes will be run in honour of the 'Merry Monarch' whose patronage made the Suffolk town famous around the world as an important...