Naas

Introduced in Albert Einstein's maiden at Naas on Saturday, Ballydoyle's costly colt Confucius (No Nay Never) upstaged that much-vaunted stablemate in terms of winning time to become his sire's 13th TDN Rising Star, Presented by Hagyard. Out quickly in the near-six-furlong test staged on ground probably quicker than the official description of good, the 1.7million gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase who was narrowly denied on debut at The Curragh last month was strong on the clock throughout as he saw off the smart Jack Davison-trained newcomer Alaskan Bear (Kodiac)...

The Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes, the richest race at Naas, has attracted 209 entries ahead of its running on Bank Holiday Monday, August 3, with €200,000 in prize money on offer.  The Ballyhane Stakes is a six-furlong contest for EBF eligible two-year-olds by a sire with a median price of no more than €75,000. Last year's contest was won by the €38,000 purchase Howd'yadoit, trained by Ger Lyons and ridden by Colin Keane. His owner Sean Jones looks set to mount a strong defence of the title, with nine horses...

If history is anything to go by, Drop Dead Gorgeous (Dubawi) is going places having won a key Naas maiden for Ballydoyle on Sunday. She becomes Dubawi's 48th TDN Rising Star, Presented by Hagyard. Debuting in the mile contest which the stable's subsequent Classic heroines Empress Josephine and Tuesday won in 2021 and 2022, the even-money favourite was notably smooth for Ryan Moore and after taking command 1 1/2 furlongs out eased to a comfortable success. "We're delighted with her, she's a lovely big filly. She's still a baby and...

Following on from Ballydoyle's earlier winner Accredited (Siyouni), Causeway (Wootton Bassett) made it a double for the yard on Naas's Sunday card as he emulated Paddington in winning the Madrid Handicap under top weight. Whether he goes on to hit the heights of his predecessor remains to be seen, but the Curragh maiden winner who hails from the family of Magical and Rhododendron showed grit to deny former stablemate Controlled (No Nay Never) in a photo for the seven-furlong contest. "Seven furlongs is on the tight side for him and...

Aidan O'Brien was getting serious for the first time at Naas on Sunday and the early tempo was set by the €1million Arqana May Breeze-Up buy Accredited (Siyouni). Fourth at Dundalk in October, the full-brother to last year's Greenham Stakes third Saracen stayed on to deny the well-backed Sindagan (Mehmas) in the seven-furlong maiden for colts and geldings. From the family of Mohaather (Showcasing), the 2 1/2-length winner is the stable's first turf winner of the current campaign. "He'd done very well throughout the winter and is very straightforward and...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Observations features a daughter of You'resothrilling (Storm Cat). 4.57 Naas, Mdn, 3yo, f, 8fT DROP DEAD GORGEOUS (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the day's biggest news as she makes her keenly-anticipated debut for Ballydoyle in the maiden the stable has won in recent times with their subsequent Classic heroines...

The Irish Flat season is a matter of weeks away, with the opening day of the season kicking off at the Curragh on March 15, where the €100,000 Irish Lincoln takes centre stage. There will be Classic clues aplenty on April 12, when the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas Trials, along with the Ballysax Stakes, a key Derby trial, takes place at Leopardstown. TDN Europe's Brian Sheerin has had a look at some of the under-the-radar three-year-olds who could have a big role to play that weekend and indeed for the...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features a son of dual Group 1 winner Amazing Maria (Mastercraftsman). 5.48 Naas, Debutantes, 2yo, 7fT PORT FERDINAND (IRE) (Camelot {GB}) is a son of the Falmouth, Prix Rothschild and Duke of Cambridge Stakes winner Amazing Maria (Mastercraftsman) and is one of two runners for Ballydoyle in...

Capping a golden mid-Sunday-afternoon hour that Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy will forever cherish, Sky Majesty (Blue Point) followed the exploits of their star juvenile Venetian Sun at Deauville with her own power play in Sunday's G3 Tally-Ho Stud Irish EBF Ballyogan Stakes at Naas. Last year's G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte and G3 Firth of Clyde winner, who had prepped with a course-and-distance win in last month's Listed Yeomanstown Stud Irish EBF Stakes, showed how much she had improved in the interim tackling a deeper contest. Always travelling easily under...

Continuing the fine form of Ger Lyons's two-year-old team, Sean Jones's Howd'yadoit (Nando Parrado) swooped to conquer in Monday's Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes. Coming into the valuable six-furlong median auction race on the back of a Down Royal maiden win last month, the 13-2 shot tracked the pace near side and stayed on best in the final 50 yards to beat Unbreakable Duke (Advertise) by 3/4 of a length. "I'm gobsmacked as I didn't think he'd be good enough," Lyons said. "What an honest horse, he's been doing it well. We...

Directly after the Eclipse, Aidan O'Brien was enjoying another notable success in his native Ireland as the 2-year-old colt Daytona (Wootton Bassett) captured the inaugural Listed Irish EBF Pat Smullen Stakes at Naas. Sent off the 4-5 favourite for the mile contest, the Gowran Park debut winner moved to market-rival North Coast (Starman) approaching the final furlong and soon had the race wrapped up. At the line, the Wayne Lordan-ridden 500,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate had 3 1/4-lengths to spare over that Joseph O'Brien trainee as Ballydoyle collected another...

This Saturday sees the inaugural running of the Irish EBF Pat Smullen Stakes at Naas, with the Listed contest having attracted eight runners from seven different stables.  Run over a mile, the race is part of the Smullen Series, launched this year by the Irish EBF and consisting of 18 middle-distance races for two- and three-year-olds. Daytona (Wootton Bassett), a winning debutant last month at Gowran Park, is among the field and his trainer Aidan O'Brien was keen to target the race which is named in honour of his late...