Clairefontaine

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 Insights features Before Night Falls, a half to G1SW Onesto. 14.23 Clairefontaine, Mdn, €30,000, unraced 2yo, f, 7fT White Birch Farm's €460,000 Arqana August acquisition BEFORE NIGHT FALLS (Gleneagles {Ire}) is a half-sister to last term's G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and debuts...

Claiborne Farm's first-crop sire Demarchelier {GB) by Dubawi {Ire}) was off the mark at Clairefontaine on Friday as White Birch Farm's homebred colt De Sica (Fr) captured the Prix de Roncheville over a mile. Runner-up on debut at Dieppe last month, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained 4-1 shot raced behind the leading trio early and took time to warm up as the dash began in early straight. Building a head of steam to reel in Mister Fernando (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) inside the last 50 metres, the bay asserted for a 3/4-of-a-length success...

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. Wednesday's Observations features a returning 'TDN Rising Star'. 13.25 Clairefontaine, Cond, €34,000, 2yo, 8fT ALCANTOR (FR) (New Bay {GB}) is moved up to a mile from six furlongs by Andre Fabre, having lacked the raw pace to deal with the subsequent G3 Prix de Cabourg third Havana Cigar (GB)...

Undefeated Allied Powers (Fr) (Mekhtal {Ire}) will be offered at the upcoming Auctav online Flash sale on Friday, July 21. The 3-year-old broke his maiden over hurdles at Dieppe at the beginning of May and followed it up with a win by two lengths at Clairefontaine in early July. "Allied Powers is an athletic horse with speed, and he is a good jumper," trainer Davide Satalia said. "I believe he has shown that his physical abilities can lead him to win prestigious races. He is a very calm horse, and...

Offering the perfect reputation enhancement ahead of her impending online sale date in next week's Magic Millions, Spinning Memories (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}) swooped late to add Thursday's G3 Prix du Palais-Royal at Clairefontaine to her burgeoning tally. Having registered back-to-back successes in the Listed Prix Maurice Zilber over this seven-furlong trip at ParisLongchamp May 11, Sutong Pan Racing Bloodstock's bay had the ideal fast pace to run at courtesy of Azano (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Picking up from rear under Christophe Soumillon, the even-money favourite reeled in that aggressively-ridden long-time...

With Paris ruled out of racing action for the immediate future, Clairefontaine take on the G3 Prix du Palais-Royal on Thursday with Spinning Memories (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}) set to start at prohibitive odds. Fourth in this when staged at its usual home of ParisLongchamp 12 months ago, Sutong Pan Racing Bloodstock's 5-year-old went on to garner Deauville's G3 Prix de Meautry over six furlongs in late August after filling fourth spot in the 6 1/2-furlong G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest there three weeks earlier. She was impressive when taking the...

Defying the rain-softened ground and a trio from Ballydoyle, Khalid Abdullah's Siskin (First Defence) kept his unbeaten record intact as he prevailed from TDN Rising Star Monarch of Egypt (American Pharoah) in Friday's G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. at The Curragh. Held up in fourth early by Colin Keane, the 10-11 favourite cruised into a challenging position on the far side heading to two out where battle was joined with Monarch of Egypt who he had beaten in the course-and-distance G2 Railway S. Looking to be losing out in that tussle...