Grosvenor Square (Ire)

There was a tragic postscript to Wednesday's G3 Boodles Chester Vase as Godolphin's Hidden Law (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) broke down shortly past the line having registered an emphatic success in the often-crucial Derby trial. Racing in fourth for the most part under William Buick, the Charlie Appleby-trained son of Secret Gesture (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) stormed by Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Agenda (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) 150 yards out en route to a three-length success before his cruel fatal injury. Runner-up on debut to Juddmonte's Cadogan Place (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at Southwell...

After the shell-shock of City Of Troy's performance in Saturday's 2000 Guineas still reverberating, the Derby has a much more open look than it did last week and so the focus on Chester's May Festival will be even keener than usual. Wednesday's G3 Boodles Chester Vase has supplied the Blue Riband hero twice since 2013 and with a record 10 successes it is clear that Aidan O'Brien has come to prioritise the trial for his Epsom hopefuls. Ryan Moore had the pick of a duo this time and has opted...

Aidan O'Brien representative Grosvenor Square (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Wadyhatta {GB}, by Cape Cross {Ire}), who possesses a similar profile to G3 Killavullan S. victor Atlantic Coast (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), followed up a Galway debut victory with a third in last month's G2 Beresford S. and justified odds-on favouritism with a daylight win in Saturday's G3 Eyrefield S. at Leopardstown. The crowd's 10-11 pick tanked forward from the stalls and settled into a smooth rhythm on the front end through halfway. Comfortably clear straightening for home, he held an unassailable lead approaching...

Bouncing out of a defeat in Leopardstown's G2 Champions Juvenile S. earlier this month, Vimal Khosla's Deepone (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}--Avyanna {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) put that behind him by dominating Saturday's G2 Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford S. at The Curragh. Only fourth behind Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) on Irish Champions Day, the Paddy Twomey-trained 3-1 joint-second favourite soon had control on the front end under Billy Lee and never looked like being reeled in as he secured a 1 3/4-length defeat of Chief Little Rock (Ire) (Galileo...

It is the time of year when ideas begin to form about the following season's Classics and with Derbys in mind, Saturday's G2 Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford S. at The Curragh offers food for thought. Aidan O'Brien's record in this mile staging post is plain remarkable, even by his standards, with a tally of 21 winners including St Nicholas Abbey (Ire), Saxon Warrior (Jpn), Japan (GB) and Luxembourg (Ire) and the fact that he has a trio engaged in the race he missed out in 12 months ago for the...

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. Tuesday's Insights features a half to G1 Irish Derby winner Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}). 15.50 Galway, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, 8f 123yT GROSVENOR SQUARE (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) starts out in the maiden in which fellow Ballydoyle representative Alexandroupolis (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) earned TDN Rising Star status 12 months ago and...