Europe

   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 Lady Claypoole in the Santa Ana Stakes at Santa Anita earlier in March.   Santa Ana Stakes For Lady Claypoole Abbondanza Racing and Omar Aldabbagh's Lady Claypoole (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) earned her first stakes win in the GIII Santa Ana Stakes at Santa Anita on Mar. 15 (video). Trained by Richard Baltas, the 5-year-old mare was bred by Aston House Stud. The eighth...

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. Sunday's Observations features the return of a 'TDN Rising Star'. 5.30 Naas, Cond, €17,000, 3yo, 8fT ACAPULCO BAY (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) ended his juvenile campaign as one of Ballydoyle's plethora of TDN Rising Stars and has recently drawn favourable mention from Aidan O'Brien when quizzed about his crop of...

by Josh Spasaro/TTR AusNZ Snitzel's domination this season continued with his third G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner as the filly Marhoona (Aus) won a dramatic race. Snitzel is currently leading the Australian Sires' Table by stakes winners and leading the Australian Broodmare Sires' Table by stakes winners with 14 individuals in each table. It was also the third Golden Slipper scorer for owner/breeder Emirates Park after Estijaab (Aus), also by Snitzel, and Mossfun (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}). Early in the race, Bjorn Baker filly Within The Law (Aus) (Lucky Vega {Ire})...

Rising star of the training ranks Ollie Sangster says he is eyeing a tilt at the 1,000 Guineas with Simmering (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and revealed that his chances of bagging a breakthrough success at the highest level this season have been bolstered by the return of 2023 Fillies' Mile runner-up Shuwari (Ire) (New Bay {GB}). Simmering came to the boil with a Group 2 success in the Prix du Calvados at Deauville before confirming herself a genuine top-notcher when chasing home Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the...

The Irish National Stud's first-season sire Nando Parrado (GB) (by Kodiac {GB}) was off the mark on Saturday with the sharp filly Golden Breeze (Fr) providing an instant breakthrough winner from his initial crop. Debuting over five furlongs at La Teste, the Ecurie de Launay homebred was quickly into stride and prominent under Fabrice Veron. Edging clear inside the last two furlongs, the Kevin Tavares-trained 3-1 shot hit the line strong to score by four lengths from Lady'Armor (Fr) (Armor {GB}). "We're thrilled to see the first runner by Nando...

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 a half-sister to a GI Natalma Stakes winner. 14.15 La Teste-Bassin Arcachon, Mdn, €21,000, 3yo, f, 8fT Godolphin's hitherto unraced HONEYFLOWER (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is a homebred daughter of stakes-winning G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest fourth Tulips (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and thus kin to GI Natalma...

Eliza Bradbeer and Stan Begley have been named foaling manager and broodmare manager, respectively, at David Cox and Tamso Doyle Cox's Baroda Stud. Bradbeer has been with the stud for two years and started as a foaling assistant. She attained her degree in rural studies from Newcastle Unversity in the UK, graduated from the Irish National Stud course and spent time in Australia at Segenhoe Stud before joining Baroda. A grandson of noted vet Stan Cosgrove, Begley was previously an assistant breeding manager at the Irish National Stud and is...

It doesn't take too deep a dive into the pedigree of Northern Dancer to understand the Italian influence in so many racehorses in training these days. Italy's significance in the annals of racing and breeding history reaches beyond Nearco of course, but in recent years there has been a very real fear that the country is losing its place in the Thoroughbred world order.  Indeed, its black-type races have been gradually downgraded. The Derby Italiano and Oaks d'Italia lost Group 1 status in 2009 and 2007 respectively, and Italy lost...

Multiple group winner Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) pleased his connections with a strong gallop at Saint-Cloud on Thursday, according to trainer Francis-Henri Graffard. The Aga Khan runner is pointing toward the $6-million G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on Apr. 5. "All winter we decided he was a horse for the Sheema Classic," the trainer told Dubai Racing Club. "Unfortunately we have trial races at Chantilly on the polytrack and the difference between the two races was too big and I would have had to rush him coming out of...

With six winners from 13 runners in the past fortnight, few stables are in better form at present than that of Adrian Murray, who now has his sights set on bigger targets in the coming weeks with three of those winners, including last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint runner-up Arizona Blaze (GB). The son of Sergei Prokofiev kicked off his three-year-old season in the best possible fashion at Dundalk last Friday, when giving weight and a comprehensive beating to his five rivals in the Horse Racing Every Friday...

The Group 1 fixture at the Curragh on Saturday, May 24, featuring the Irish 2,000 Guineas, has been added to the World Pool schedule for 2025, with all races on the card set to be globally commingled. Another change to the schedule comes at Newbury on Saturday, May 17. All seven races on the card, including the G1 Lockinge Stakes, will now be part of World Pool, up from five in 2024. The World Pool, the largest globally-commingled horse racing pools, was created and is powered by the Hong Kong...

Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) has received a £321,000 grant from the Racing Foundation and the John Pearce Foundation for its project, 'Improving the Framework to Support Horses' First Step Out of Training', the charity announced on Thursday. The project is being delivered in partnership with HEROS and the funding will cover its costs for one year, allowing RoR to continue its work in ensuring the welfare of former racehorses transitioning to second careers. David Catlow, managing director of RoR, said, "We are extremely grateful to the Racing Foundation and the...