Marcus Tregoning

Cast your mind back to the spring and summer of 2006. In many ways not much was different then to now. Aidan O'Brien had won the 2,000 Guineas with George Washington (Ire) (Danehill) and the Oaks with Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). It was the year in which Galileo (Ire) first came to prominence as a sire when his first-crop daughter Nightime (Ire) won the Irish 1,000 Guineas and his sons, led by Sixties Icon (GB), filled the first three places in the St Leger, though remarkably none of this quartet...

Sarayir (Mr. Prospector), a daughter of champion Height of Fashion {Fr}) (Bustino {GB}) and the dam of 2009 G1 1000 Guineas heroine Ghanaati (Giant's Causeway), has passed away, Sheikha Hissa Hamdan tweeted Friday. She was 29 years old. A half-sister to the likes of Nashwan, Unfuwain, Alwasmi, Mukddam and Nayef, Sarayir won her maiden and the Listed Oh So Sharp S. at two for Major Dick Hern and added a third career success as a 3-year-old in 1997. The first of her produce to make an impact at the races...

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. Today's Observations features a well-related Shadwell colourbearer. 1.15 Newbury, Novice, £7,000, 2yo, c/g, 6fT MOTASHAWEQ (IRE) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is a son of the G2 Queen Mary S. winner and G1 1000 Guineas third Maqaasid (GB) (Green Desert) who hails from the family of Ghanaati (Giant's Causeway) and the...

Group winner Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) has joined the Oct. 10 G1 Darley Dewhurst S. field after a late supplementation. Bearing the Shadwell colours alongside Owen Burrows trainee and G2 Champagne S. bridesmaid Albasheer (Ire) (Shamardal), he is one of 18 in the field for the Newmarket Group 1. The colt broke his maiden at second asking at Goodwood and doubled up with a win at Newbury in the G2 Mill Reef S. on Sept. 19. "He runs on Saturday and I've been very happy with him since Newbury," said...

Group 2 winner Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) is likely for the G1 Dewhurst S. on Oct. 10, but would need to be supplemented. A winner at Goodwood at second asking on July 28, the Shadwell colourbearer won the G2 Mill Reef S. by 3/4 of a length at Newbury on Sept. 19. "We were absolutely thrilled with him," said Sheikh Hamdan's racing manager Angus Gold of the Marcus Tregoning trainee. "He showed a really nice turn of foot and won very nicely. The Mill Reef/Middle Park double has never really...

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's twice-raced Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) broke through tackling six furlongs in a July 28 Goodwood maiden and continued his upward path with a decisive victory returning in Saturday's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. at Newbury. The February-foaled bay, who had posted a close-up fourth in a July 19 novice heat over Newbury's straight six in his only other start, was 3/4-of-a-length too good for King Power Racing's 475,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling Fivethousandtoone (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), with G1 Prix Morny third...

Mohaather (GB) (Showcasing {GB}-Roodeye {GB}, by Inchinor {GB}), a group winner at two, three and four who earned his first Group 1 victory last out in the Sussex S., has been retired to stud due to bone bruising in his near hind fetlock joint. "Towards the end of last week it was noticed that Mohaather was not moving as well as he had been immediately after the Sussex S.," said Angus Gold, racing manager to owner Sheikh Hamdan. "Precautionary x-rays were taken over the weekend which have revealed significant bone...

Last week's G1 Sussex S. winner Mohaather (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) is aiming for the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. on Champions Day as his next big target, with trainer Marcus Tregoning as-yet undecided as to whether the 4-year-old will have another start prior. "His end-of-season target will be the QEII," said Tregoning. "Whether something slots in before that we're not sure yet, but Ascot is his main target. "We could have really done with the [G1 Prix Jacques le] Marois being a week later than it is. There isn't anything...

Denied a clear run when seventh in Royal Ascot's G1 Queen Anne S., Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Mohaather (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) gained some measure of compensation in the G2 Summer Mile back at the Berkshire venue earlier this month and produced an explosive turn of foot to secure a career high in Wednesday's G1 Qatar Sussex S. at Goodwood. The well-backed 3-1 second choice was handily placed in fourth after an alert getaway, but slipped one spot at halfway. Shuffled back to last of the seven runners when...

Marcus Tregoning, who trained Sir Percy (GB) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}) to win the 1996 G1 Epsom Derby, said he thinks the blue riband staged on a different date or at a different racecourse cannot go down in history as the Derby. Last week, the Jockey Club Racecourses announced that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Guineas and Derby Festivals would be postponed to dates yet to be decided. The Guineas Festival was set for May 2 and 3, and the Derby Festival June 5 and 6. Racing...