Wootton bassett

The first yearling to break seven figures during the Arqana August Yearling Sale was lot 104, an elegant son of Wootton Bassett and the Invincible Spirit mare High Celebrity, a winner of the G3 Prix d'Arenberg. Bred by Jean-Philippe Dubois and consigned by Haras des Capucines, he was knocked down to MV Magnier for €2.3 million. His dam, already responsible for the stakes-placed Galileo duo of Friendly Face and G2 Queen's Vase second Highbury, was also second in the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes and third in the G1 Cheveley...

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. Thursday's Observations features a pricy breeze-up purchase. 4.38 Deauville, Debutantes, €160,000, 2yo, c/g, 7fT NORTHERN CHAMPION (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is the stand-out among the baker's dozen assembled for this valuable Arqana Series Des Poulains, being TBT Racing's €820,000 purchase from the Arqana May Breeze Up. Ed Walker has...

Dual Group 1 winner Camille Pissarro has been retired after he suffered an injury at Sandown last month when finishing fourth in the G1 Coral-Eclipse. "Camille Pissarro pulled a shoe at Sandown and was quite sore afterwards," said trainer Aidan O'Brien in a press release issued by Coolmore. "We had him X-rayed and a fissure fracture was found in his fetlock. The decision was then made to retire him. "Camille Pissarro was an extremely classy colt; he had speed and class. He won the Lagardere on Arc weekend last year...

Legendary BBA Ireland bloodstock agent Adrian Nicoll relives some of his greatest days in the business They say that stories lived are better than stories told. And by God, Adrian Nicoll has lived through his share of good times. The former BBA Ireland bloodstock agent has purchased his share of Group 1 winners, too. Think Dark Angel, Kooyonga, Alexander Goldrun, Serenade Rose and more. He also played a part in the shuttling of the stallions to Australia which was the brainchild of his close friend John Magnier. More recently, he...

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. Saturday's Observations features the well-bred Hawk Mountain. 1.45 Curragh, Mdn, 2yo, 7fT HAWK MOUNTAIN (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) debuts for Ballydoyle in a maiden which has been won in recent times by Delacroix, Diego Velazquez, Al Riffa and Thunder Moon and is a key player as a son of...

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. Thursday's Observations features a son of Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita. 5.20 Leopardstown, Mdn, 2yo, c/g, 8fT CLARET (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is one of two Ballydoyle runners in this and the second-string, but as the sixth foal out of the Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita has much to commend him....

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. Wednesday's Observations features a seven-figure auction darling. 6.35 Kempton, Novice, 2yo, 7f (AWT) NATIONAL HISTORY (Maxfield) debuts for Godolphin in the race which played host to Silver Knott in 2022 and is the subject of much intrigue having fetched €1 million at the Arqana May Breeze Up. Charlie Appleby...

The hunt for the next Group 1 star is now officially on after Tattersalls released the Book 1 catalogue for the October Yearling Sale, which has produced high-class horses like Camille Pissarro, Dynamic Pricing, Royal Patronage, Al Riffa, Believing and many more in recent years. This year alone, there have been three Group 1-winning graduates from Book 1 and 22 Group winners all told. There is no shortage of potential top-notchers in this year's sale with 30 Frankels, 11 Dubawis, 30 Wootton Bassetts and 35 horses by Sea The Stars...

By Dane McLeod/TTRAusNZ Zoustar, standing at Widden Stud, has been crowned Champion Australian General Sire for the first time. After finishing runner-up to I Am Invincible last season, the tables turned this year. Zoustar was represented by 198 individual winners of 335 races from 375 runners. His progeny earned A$26,318,590 in total prize-money, with 15 individual stakes winners winning a total of 23 stakes races. His standout performer, Joliestar, won the G1 Newmarket Handicap and G1 Kingsford Smith Cup, contributing a substantial A$2,813,500. I Am Invincible finished second with A$22,779,421,...

The newly-published catalogue for the Goffs Premier Yearling Sale features entries from many of Europe's leading sires, as well as first-season sensation Starman, who is responsible for 17 of the 409 "athletic, precocious Doncaster yearlings" set to go under the hammer on Wednesday, August 27 and Thursday, August 28. Last year Starman was responsible for two of the top five lots, including the subsequent G3 Fillies Sprint Stakes heroine Lady Iman, one of 16 individual winners for her leading first-season sire in 2025. The notable yearlings by Starman featuring in...

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. Friday's Observations features a seven-figure yearling. 4.10 Newmarket, Mdn, £25,000, 2yo, c/g, 7fT DISTANT STORM (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) bids to become Charlie Appleby's fourth winner of this important maiden since 2017, having topped the Arqana May Breeze-Up when selling for €1.9 million. A son of George Washington's...

On the day that Kevin Prendergast was remembered at the Curragh in the naming of the International Stakes, and a day after Peter Easterby was laid to rest, another great of the training ranks was lost with the passing of Barry Hills. Then came the news from America that D Wayne Lukas had too departed. To read the tributes paid to these men, who did so much to enrich the colour of this storied sport, is something of a treat in itself - their parting gift, if you like -...