G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud

Anyone who doubted what a class act Calandagan (Gleneagles) is following some excusable defeats got an emphatic reply on Sunday in the feature G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. Relishing the genuine pace and lively surface, the Aga Khan Studs representative brushed aside last year's Arc runner-up Aventure (Sea The Stars) in scintillating style to record a deserved first top-level win. "He's such a consistent horse who always runs his race and we were a bit upset when people started talking about cheekpieces and blinkers after his last run," racing manager Nemone Routh...

Sunday, Curragh, post time: 16:10, DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH DERBY-G1, €725,000, 3yo, c/f, 12f Field: Green Impact (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Lambourn (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Lazy Griff (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger}), Pride Of Arras (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Puppet Master (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Serious Contender (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Shackleton (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Sir Dinadan (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Tennessee Stud (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Thrice (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). TDN Verdict: There is nothing not to like about the chances of Lambourn completing the Derby double, with this track sure to...

Cock Of The North at Ballydoyle in the present moment, Lambourn heads to Sunday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh looking to emulate his sire Australia in completing the notable double. A most unlikely Blue Riband hero at this stage last term, the ever-improving colt now sits pretty having mastered the ultimate test. Providing a blueprint of how to perform in a Derby three weeks ago, he is likely to be even better suited by this more conventional galloping track and has few if any weaknesses. With...

"Always the bridesmaid, never the bride" is perhaps an apt way of describing the racing career of Calandagan thus far, even if he does have a Royal Ascot victory to show for his efforts, having been a runaway winner of last year's G2 King Edward VII Stakes. Since then, the son of Gleneagles has been campaigned exclusively at the top level and it's been a case of close but no cigar, with four consecutive runner-up finishes in the Juddmonte International, Champion Stakes, Dubai Sheema Classic and Coronation Cup. Beaten just...

Arc Races, a new eight-race initiative that will grant each winner a spot in the €5-million G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in the autumn, was launched by France Galop on Sunday. Highlighting some of the best of French racing, the aim of the series is to raise the profile of the Arc, which takes place at ParisLongchamp on October 5 this year. Spread across the calendar, the Arc Races include the following contests: the G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club on June 1 and the G1 Prix de...

The G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud is often a battle of the stalwarts, those that fall a notch under the elite, and it was the turn of Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}--Mondelice {GB}, by Montjeu {Ire}) to enjoy his moment in the European limelight after Sunday's renewal. Running over a barely-tried mile and a half having finished third over the trip last time in the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly, Mohamed Obaida's 6-year-old was buried under cover early by Tom Marquand awaiting the instruction. Given the office approaching...

Juddmonte's G1 Irish Derby hero Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Mirabilis, by Lear Fan) failed to contend with subsequent G1 Coral-Eclipse runner-up Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in last month's G1 Coronation Cup, but regained the winning thread in emphatic style with a record-breaking performance in Saturday's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. Westover raced in a handy third behind Ralph Beckett-trained chaperone Malabu Drive (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was usurped for the lead by last term's G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern victor Tunnes (Ger) (Guiliani {Ire}), and eased into second...

Looking at the history of the G1 Coral-Eclipse, it is clear that fillies and mares have had a hard time against the colts in Sandown's jewel. While the illustrious Pebbles (GB) managed to prevail in 1985 and Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) did so three years ago with the lesser-heralded Kooyonga (Ire) victorious in between in 1992, the list of beaten elite stars among the sex is extensive. It includes Time Charter (Ire), Triptych, Indian Skimmer, In The Groove (GB), Bosra Sham, Ouija Board (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), The Fugue (GB)...

Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse is down to just four after one of the main protagonists Anmaat (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) was ruled out at the 11th hour due to a foot abscess. TDN Rising Stars Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Ire}), Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and West Wind Blows (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) are joined by this year's G1 Ranvet and G1 Queen Elizabeth S. hero Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) as Shadwell's G1 Prix d'Ispahan winner was forced to skip the contest. "It's just a matter of timing, he'll...

Classic winner Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is pointing to either Royal Ascot's G2 Hardwicke S. later this month, or the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on July 8, according to Juddmonte's racing manager Barry Mahon. "The Hardwicke is a possibility," said Mahon of the Ralph Beckett trainee. "It's probably coming too soon, but it's a possibility. It's a toss-up between that and the [G1] Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, he'll run in one or the other of those hopefully." Last year's G1 Irish Derby hero ran fifth in the G1 King...

Kirsten Rausing's Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was making her comeback in Sunday's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, but there was no sign of rustiness as she overwhelmed a deep field for a fourth consecutive top-level victory. Now unbeaten in her last six starts including the G2 Lancashire Oaks, G1 Grosser Preis Von Berlin, G1 Preis Von Europa and G1 Grosser Preis Von Bayern, the Sir Mark Prescott-trained grey was held up early travelling notably strongly for Luke Morris in rear of mid-division. Unleashed wide at the top of the straight,...

It can't always be said that the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud is the strongest of the Group 1 races in Europe, but Sunday's line-up stands up to inspection with Godolphin's Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) looking to build on his respectable if uninspiring return effort in the G2 Hardwicke S. While excuses can be made on account of the prevalent fast ground at Royal Ascot and the fact that he would have needed his seasonal bow, there is always a concern when such a luminary fails to spark during such...