Charyn

We've been waiting so long for the proper Flat to start that it seems almost criminal to veer straight off to the other side of the world, but there was plenty of interest for breeders from this side at Rosehill in Sydney on Saturday morning.  One person who managed to stay awake past 2am to watch the highly impressive last-to-first romp of Post Impressionist (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the G3 N E Manion Cup was his breeder Henrietta Egan, who is based at Corduff Stud with her husband David.  Now...

Nurlan Bizakov has made his presence felt in France in recent years, purchasing Haras de Montfort et Preaux and Haras du Mezeray to combine these two established studs under his Sumbe banner. Sumbe is now a name becoming increasingly familiar throughout Europe and the team behind it was rewarded with a Group 1 winner from the first crop of horses bred in France by Bizakov when Belbek (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) landed the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc day. The Andre Fabre-trained colt will take the next step forward in his...

Twelve years have passed since Roger Varian became a licensed trainer as the health of his much-loved former boss and mentor, Michael Jarvis, declined. One softly-spoken but calmly assured man took over from another after Varian had served a decade as Jarvis's assistant. By that stage he had clearly proved himself a worthy successor, and the rise of the Varian stable in the intervening years has only served to underline Jarvis's judgement in this regard. Last year was Varian's best to date. There haven't been many seasons during his term...

NEWMARKET, UK--There has been no respite for the hardy consignors and their staff since last week's heady renewal of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. No sooner had the hammer fallen on lot 549 than the next batch of yearlings came prancing onto the sales ground, ready for three days of inspections ahead of Book 2, which begins its three-day run from 10am on Monday. This is the week that really requires stamina from all participants: three new books to complete the October sale by Saturday, with the...