Europe

Half to Territories Starts at Compiegne

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. Tuesday's Observations features the half-sibling to Dalham Hall stallion G1SW-Fr Territories (Ire). 15.05 Compiegne, Mdn, €27,000, 3yo, f, 7fT MONTEMESOLA (FR) (Kingman {GB}) is the latest foal out of Taranto (GB) (Machiavellian) to debut for Godolphin and Andre Fabre, who enjoyed some big days with her son Territories (Ire)...

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Racing Together Community Day Aims for Record Numbers

Racing Together, the industry's community engagement partnership, will host the 2024 community day on Wednesday, May 8 to coincide with the Boodles May Festival at Chester Racecourse, the organisation announced on Monday via press release. British horseracing's national day of employee volunteering, the effort is supported by various charity and commercial partners with a focus on horseracing and bloodstock groups to give back as a team to their communities. Activities range from staff volunteering at local care homes to renovating stables, and picking up litter or collecting for local food...

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Gleneagles' Brilliant Best In The Park Express

Aidan O'Brien's 2024 Flat Turf campaign got off to a perfect beginning at The Curragh on Monday as the 3-year-old filly Brilliant (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}--Plying, by Hard Spun) flew the flag in the G3 Lodge Park Stud Irish EBF Park Express S. Runner-up in the G3 Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF S. over this mile trip and track and third in the seven-furlong G3 Weld Park S. also here last term, the 7-2 second favourite was steadied towards the rear early by Declan McDonogh and crept into contention once straightened for...

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Setback Puts Opera Singer's Guineas Challenge in Doubt

Opera Singer (Justify), winner of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and winter favourite for the Qipco 1,000 Guineas, may miss the first Classic of the season after meeting with a setback in training. Her trainer Aidan O'Brien confirmed the news in an interview on Racing TV. He said, "Opera Singer is a bit behind. She had a little setback, she had two weeks easy and might not make the English Guineas. She is likely to start in the Irish Guineas and we don't want to force her." Bred by the...

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'All Systems Are Go': Haynes Aiming Enhanced Team at Brocklesby and Beyond

The training game may be a tough one but that doesn't stop new young hopefuls  joining the ranks each year. Getting early winners on the board counts for everything and that is something Alice Haynes managed from the outset. Now, just over three years since she sent out her first runner, her string has grown steadily in number and she has taken on the historic Machell Place Stables in Newmarket in addition to her original base just across the road at Cadland Cottage Stables. Despite having all of Newmarket's expansive...

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Cancellation of the 2024 Peter O'Sullevan Lambourn Open Day Announced

The 2024 Peter O'Sullevan Lambourn Open Day--due to be staged on Good Friday, March 29--has been cancelled, it was announced on Monday. For over 30 years the annual charity event has offered a look behind the scenes of the racing industry, with various training yards and attractions opening their doors to the public. However, following an exceptionally wet spring, the decision has been made to cancel the hugely popular event in 2024 due to either flooded or unusable car parks. The Peter O'Sullevan Lambourn Open Day's chairman, Mark Smyly, said,...

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Six Roles Added to Government's New Immigration Salary List

British racing has welcomed the decision by the Government to add six crucial racing-related roles to the new Immigration Salary List (ISL), making it easier for training yards and studs to recruit workers from abroad. The ISL, which has replaced the former Shortage Occupation List, now includes racing grooms, work riders, stallion handlers, stud grooms, stud hands and stud handlers. The industry is currently facing a shortfall of 2,000-2,500 staff, but this development makes recruiting some of the best overseas talent a more realistic option for the sport. The addition...

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Sixpence Dominates Satsuki Sho Trial

In an electrifying display through the late stages, Sixpence (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) overwhelmed nine other rivals and proclaimed himself as one to watch for the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas), dominating the G2 Fuji TV Sho Spring S. on Sunday at Nakayama. Jumping well and close to the pacesetters, Sixpence tucked in neatly behind Allegro Brillante (Jpn) (Deep Brillante {Jpn}) and that one's closest pursuer Cosmo Buddleja (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}) as the pair showed the way. The placings remained consistent until the field passed the 800 metre mark...

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Meet The Under-The-Radar Trainer Out To Make A Splash At The Curragh

Barry Fitzgerald may be an under-the-radar trainer but he is by no means unheard of. The County Carlow-based handler registered five winners in Ireland last season and six the previous campaign. What's more impressive is that he was operating at a hugely respectable 10 and 14 per cent strike-rate for those respective campaigns. No mean feat when you're operating with just a handful of Flat horses and working with limited pedigrees every year.  But the quality is on the up in the yard and Fitzgerald, already off the mark this year...

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“I Needed A Change” – Seamie Heffernan Explains Ballydoyle Departure

For the first time since 1996, Seamie Heffernan will not be based at Ballydoyle--but Aidan O'Brien's long and trusted ally has revealed that he still hopes to be riding big-race winners in the Coolmore colours in the future.  It has been one of the worst kept secrets in Irish racing for some time that Heffernan, one of the constants at Ballydoyle for almost three decades now, would not be returning to the fold.  And on the eve of the opening day of the Flat season in Ireland, Heffernan lifted the...

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Duramente Filly Earns Flowers At Nakayama

 The late Duramente (Jpn) continues to pad his stallion resume, and his Mi Anhelo (Jpn) claimed the spoils in the 1800-metre G3 Flower Cup at Nakayama on Saturday. Sent off as the 5-2 second choice behind Cantiamo (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), the Silk Racing colourbearer found an ideal tracking position while glued to the fence, as Elf Struck (Jpn) (California Chrome) showed the way under mild pressure. Content to rate in midfield, Mi Anhelo began to wind up with 600 metres remaining while still saving every inch of real estate on...

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Maurice Colt Scales Falcon Stakes Heights

Danox, Inc.'s Danon McKinley (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) rallied to win the G3 Chunichi Sports Sho Falcon S. at Chukyo on Saturday. It was the first stakes victory for the son of G1 1000 Guineas heroine Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). Fourth last through the early going as Orchid Romance (Jpn) (Roger Barows {Jpn}) led, the 12-1 shot was able to relax behind a rapid pace, with the first 1000 metres reached in :57 flat. He gathered himself on the turn and fanned out into the centre of the...

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