Luxembourg

The first reported foal for four-time Group 1 winner Luxembourg is a colt born at Cleaboy Stud and Coppice Farm. Out of Raffles Monte (Martaline), the bay was bred by Sean Gorman. The dam is a half-sister to Grade 3-winning hurdler Raffles Sainte (Saint Des Saint), out of listed-winning chaser Loxlade (Sholokhov) and from the family of French Champion Hurdle winner Vaporetto (Lear Fan). "Right colour, right physical, we couldn't be happier with him," said Gorman. Luxembourg, by Camelot, was a Group 1 winner every year from two through five,...

For the third time in four years, Sioux Nation was the busiest Flat stallion at stud in Britain and Ireland in 2025, according to the Return of Mares, which has been published by Weatherbys. The son of Scat Daddy, who stands at Coolmore's Castlehyde Stud in County Cork, was usurped last year by his ill-fated stud-mate, Calyx, but he returned to the top of the charts during the latest breeding season, having covered 282 mares. The busiest stallion of any description was Whytemount Stud's Affinisea on 314, ahead of Boardsmill...

Luxembourg (Ire), a four-time Group 1 winner at ages two, three, four and five, has been introduced on Coolmore's National Hunt roster at a fee of €7,000. The son of Camelot (GB) will stand at The Beeches Stud in Co Waterford. Bred by Ben Sangster, who sold him as a yearling for €150,000 to MV Magnier, Luxembourg's top-level wins came in the Futurity Trophy, Irish Champion Stakes, Tattersalls Gold Cup and Coronation Cup. Coolmore's team of jumps stallions runs to 16 and includes the 2015 co-Horse of the Year Crystal...

Entering Sunday's G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase, the first of the four Group 1 events at the Longines Hong Kong International Races, trainer Marco Botti and jockey Oisin Murphy were a combined naught for 10 at the meeting, but the 5-year-old stayer GIAVELLOTTO (IRE) (h, 5, Mastercraftsman {Ire}--Gerika {Fr}, by Galileo {Ire}) overcame some trouble turning in, weaved his way between horses inside the final furlong and streaked clear to take the 2400-metre contest. Settled behind midfield and saving ground as Japan's Pradaria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) galloped them along...

One of the more remarkable characteristics of Hong Kong racing is that for a jurisdiction that is home to roughly 1,200 Thoroughbreds, invariably the torch gets passed and the town is never wanting for world-class athletes. Going back to the turn of the century, gallopers to have captured the imagination of not only those in and around Hong Kong, but also of an increasingly sophisticated worldwide audience have included the likes of Fairy King Prawn (Aus), the legendary Silent Witness (Aus), Good Ba Ba, Vengeance of Rain (NZ), Ambitious Dragon...

A total of 56 horses from eight racing jurisdictions--some 26 of which have struck at the Group 1/Grade I level--including 31 overseas gallopers, have been extended invitations to the Longines Hong Kong International Races, to be staged Sunday, Dec. 8 at Sha Tin Racecourse. With Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire})--a top-level winner in Hong Kong earlier this season and last seen taking out the GI Breeders' Cup Turf--passing the meeting, Resolute Racing's Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) is the biggest name among those invited from abroad. The on-the-bridle winner of the...

Four-Time Group 1 winner Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), whose finest hour came when landing the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown in 2022, has been retired and will join Coolmore's National Hunt roster at Castlehyde Stud. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, Luxembourg won seven times and amassed career earnings in excess of £2.7 million. He retires having earned a career-high rating of 123. "We're delighted to have Luxembourg join our team here in Castlehyde," said Cathal Murphy. "He has a very similar profile to the much-missed Fame And Glory, in that he...

DEL MAR, USA -- Ahead of the big day on Saturday, Friday's Breeders' Cup card is all about the youngsters, and the European trainers have come mob-handed with two-year-olds.  After last year's triumphs for Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the Juvenile Turf Sprint and Juvenile Turf, expectations are again high that these trophies can be smuggled out of the country.  In the former, the form of the G2 Flying Childers Stakes could well be key, as the first three home at Doncaster...

EPSOM, UK--With squally showers and a freezing wind, it wasn't really the day for a 99, unless you're the Aga Khan.  Ezeliya (Fr), the bonny bay filly from a family replete with class and stamina, made the Oaks her own from a long way out, and in so doing broke the Epsom hoodoo of her sire Dubawi (Ire) in becoming the 99th individual Group 1 winner for her stalwart of a breeder. "Days like this are why we all do it," said a beaming Pat Downes, manager of the Aga...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- Headed by the first appearance from the seven World Cup night horses from the yard of Aidan O'Brien, there was a buzz of activity on both the dirt track and turf course Tuesday morning at Meydan proper as well as back on the Tapeta track a couple of furlongs down the road. The Ballydoyle septet slowly ambled out of the tunnel near the 1600-metre starting point on the the dirt surface, led by G3 Red Sea Turf H. hero Tower of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire},...

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has long been a racehorse owner but he has also become immersed in the breeding world since his retirement from football. On Saturday, his homebred Spirit Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who Ferguson races in partnership with Ged Mason and Peter Done, lines up in the $2-million G2 Howden Neom Turf Cup on the Saudi Cup undercard. The seven-year-old, trained by Richard Fahey, has been wintering in the Middle East, where he won the G2 Bahrain International Trophy in November before finishing fourth in...

The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA) has published the likely fields for the Saudi Cup meeting to be held Saturday, Feb. 24, at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. The United States is set to be represented by a five-strong entry in the $20-million richest race in the world, a team headed by White Abarrio (Race Day), who will be making his first start since besting Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Nov. 4. The 5-year-old, trained...