Ultrafragola (Ire)

Sottsass (Fr) had two deeply promising fillies in Saint-Cloud's Prix Kizil Kourgan on Tuesday and despite his Ultrafragola (Ire) starting favourite it was the other daughter Safia (Fr) who emerged best to earn TDN Rising Star status. Carrying the colours of racing and breeding's rising force David Layani, the Fabrice Chappet-trained descendant of Sophisticat (Storm Cat) and Serena's Song (Rahy) travelled easily throughout the mile Classic pointer under Cristian Demuro and readily held White Birch Farm's TDN Rising Star Ultrafragola by two lengths. Chappet was pointing to the May 11...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Observations features a pair of 'TDN Rising Stars' returning from long absences. 2.30 Saint-Cloud, Cond, €28,000, 3yo, c/g, 8fT GUN OF BRIXTON (FR) (Frankel {GB}) was one of the 2024 cast of TDN Rising Stars after his win at Clairefontaine in July and so this first subsequent outing...

Following on from Sean Cronin's feature published on Thursday, below are my pick of bright prospects from the armada of 'TDN Rising Stars' from 2024. Unsurprisingly, there were several from Ballydoyle among the total of headline-grabbing 2-year-olds breaking their maidens in style and I have chosen one in particular that I feel has the potential to be another of their "special" brigade. Twain (Ire) is a direct descendant of the great Urban Sea (Miswaki) and was one of a clutch by Wootton Bassett (GB) to take off last term. Not...

Deauville August is underway and with it a new TDN Rising Star as White Birch Farm's homebred Ultrafragola (Ire) (Sottsass {Fr}--Toinette, by Scat Daddy) provided her Prix du Jockey Club and Arc-winning first-crop sire with a sensational breakthrough winner turning the Prix des Marettes into a procession. Well found in the market as the 7-5 favourite, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained daughter of the four-times graded-stakes winner travelled strongly for Christophe Soumillon in the wake of the early leader Marques (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}). Looming to that stablemate two out, she was...