Camelot (GB)

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. Monday's Observations features the half-brother to a dual Classic winner. 17.18 Killarney, Mdn, €18,000, 2yo, 8f 20yT SARATOGA (IRE) (Camelot {GB}) is the 10th foal out of Dialafara (Fr) (Anabaa), who has proven such a rich font of class for Coolmore in producing Galileo's dual Classic winner Capri (Ire)...

Reversing Epsom form with Ambiente Friendly (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}--Frequential {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) relished the more straightforward nature of the galloping Curragh track on Sunday to provide Aidan O'Brien with a remarkable 16th G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. Third in the Derby, the 13-8 second favourite was always going to be better suited by this test particularly after all the rain on Saturday and enjoyed the perfect trip under Ryan Moore tracking the stable's two pace-setters. Briefly swamped by the 6-4 market-leader Ambiente Friendly...

Saturday's G1 Cairn Community Games Pretty Polly Stakes served up a thriller, with Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}--Emulous {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) running down Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the final yards for a deserved top-level breakthrough. With abundant rain falling on The Curragh throughout the day, the Ralph Beckett-trained 4-year-old who was herself cruelly denied late in last year's Irish Oaks held the upper hand in terms of ground preference and traded as the 11-10 favourite as a result. Settled in mid-division early...

Bringing genuine star quality to Saturday's G1 Cairn Community Games Pretty Polly Stakes, the Gosdens' Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) makes her belated Curragh debut having missed the 2022 Irish Oaks due to a freak aviation issue. What would have happened had her flight not been cancelled that July we'll never know, but her performance in last year's G1 Coronation Cup tells us she probably would have a Classic on her portfolio. Almost certainly guaranteed to be suited by this fair, galloping track, the 5-year-old may be peaking...

As brave as they come, Ballydoyle's Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}--Attire {Ire}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}) relished a supreme ride from the front by Ryan Moore to register a first mile-and-a-half career success in Friday's G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom. Having set steady fractions for the first half of the contest, the 9-4 second favourite was asked to stretch running to Tattenham Corner and was all heart in response to get to the line a length ahead of the beloved Haggas veteran Hamish (GB) (Motivator {GB}). Denied the chance to run...

France looks to have a new staying star after the hybrid Melbourne Cup contender Sevenna's Knight (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) confirmed the form of the G3 Prix de Barbeville in Sunday's G2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at ParisLongchamp. Bought by OTI Management prior to his breakthrough black-type win in Deauville's Listed Michel Houyvet in August, the Ammerland-bred colt had been kept back from big competition by Andre Fabre until his 4-year-old bow when sixth in Meydan's G2 Dubai Gold Cup. Showing the benefit of that patient approach when domineering Shembala (Ire) (Cracksman...

Abdulla Al Mansoori's Tabletalk (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) will be supplemented to the G1 Betfred Derby on Monday, May 27, according to published reports. Al Mansoori will pay £75,000 to enter his colt, who is trained by Tom Clover, while he also has the winner Kamboo (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) among the current Derby entries. Tabletalk finished third at Kempton in December before breaking his maiden over 1 1/4 miles over the Chelmsford all-weather by 1 1/4 lengths on May 9. He will be Clover's first Derby starter. Philip Robinson, Al Mansoori's...

Recent G2 Middleton S. heroine Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) is targeting the G1 Pretty Polly S. at the Curragh on June 29. The Juddmonte homebred, who is trained by Ralph Beckett, was also under consideration for the G1 Coronation Cup on May 31 at Epsom. In 2023, the filly was second in the G1 Irish Oaks and the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. "You're always hoping with a filly like her that she'll improve from three to four, that's not a given but I think we all felt...

Relishing front-running tactics, the Wertheimers' TDN Rising Star Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) returned to winning ways in Monday's G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud. Never in any serious danger once Maxime Guyon had committed, the Andre Fabre-trained 7-5 favourite who was runner-up in ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix Allez France last month gave generously to score by 1 1/2 lengths from Quantanamera (Ger) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). It was at this track that Prix Rose de Mai started to look like a genuine Classic prospect last Spring when winning the Listed...

Putting another piece in the Derby puzzle on Sunday, Ballydoyle's unbeaten Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}--Frequential {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) marked his return with a workmanlike but promising win in Leopardstown's G3 Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial S. Last seen winning the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud, the 4-5 favourite sat off the tempo set by stablemate Euphoric (GB) (Frankel {GB}) under Wayne Lordan and after getting to the front a furlong out stayed on to beat that rival by a length, with the Dermot Weld trainee Taraj (Ire) (Churchill {Ire})...

Completing the first part of trainer Gavin Hernon's masterplan, Dun Shing Lee's Dare To Dream (Fr) (Camelot {GB}--Debutante {Fr}, by Gold Away {Ire}) made her foray to ParisLongchamp a successful one on Sunday as she captured the G3 Prix Vanteaux. Third behind Ballydoyle's Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the same afternoon's Leopardstown group 3 runner-up Kitty Rose (GB) (Invincible Army {Ire}) in The Curragh's G3 Staffordstown Stud S. when last sighted in October, the 9-1 shot was held up in rear early by Alexis Pouchin. Delivered wide with a surge...

Aidan O'Brien had experienced a famine of sorts since annexing 2010's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud with Recital (Fr) (Montjeu {Ire}), but he was back in the familiar surroundings of Saint-Cloud's winner's circle after Ballydoyle second string Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}--Frequential {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) prevailed in a blanket finish to Sunday's latest renewal of the 10-furlong feature. The 67-10 chance found the necessary gears late on to register an ultimately impressive debut success tackling nine furlongs at Tipperary at the beginning of last month and was well away to...