Nation's Hope

No fewer than 44 all-weather fixtures (up to and including racing on Tuesday, December 16) have been held in Britain and Ireland since the most recent edition of Winter Watch was penned on November 20, with the end-of-year sales swing dictating that the recent focus for us bloodstock journalists has been less Newcastle and Dundalk, more Newmarket and Deauville. But now, with the sights and sounds of Arqana quickly becoming a distant memory, it's time to get back to what will be our bread and butter until Flat racing returns...

Winter Watch will have its time between now and the return of the Flat for real next March, but first let us bask in a snapshot of summer, celebrating our diamonds in the rough who graduated from all-weather unknowns to titans of the turf in the space of 12 months. Last winter's action might not have given us another Classic winner, à la Notable Speech, but once again the flourishing all-weather programme lived up to its reputation as a breeding ground for black-type performers of the future. At the very top...

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. Monday's Observations features a newcomer from the Charlie Appleby yard. 13.30 Kempton, £20,000, Mdn, 2yo, 8f (AWT) Godolphin's hitherto untested NATION'S HOPE (IRE) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) is a half-brother to GI Saratoga Derby, G1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis, GI Canadian International and GI Arlington Million hero Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire})....