Niarchos Family

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. Monday's Observations features a full-brother to MG1SW Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). 1.10 Curragh, Mdn, €25,000, 2yo, 6fT SIMPSON'S PARADOX (IRE) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) is the 10th foal out of the Niarchos Family's now-legendary Alpha Lupi (Ire) (Rahy), whose prior offerings by this sire are the Group 1-winning distaffers Alpha...

Del Mar, CA--Racing is a sport of great drama, but it is a fair bet that Charlie Appleby wouldn't have minded a bit less of it this weekend. The trainer enjoyed a banner meeting, recording his fourth, fifth AND sixth wins at the Breeders' Cup with the Dubawi (Ire) colts Modern Games (Ire), Space Blues (Ire) and Yibir (GB), all under William Buick in the Juvenile Turf, Mile and Turf, respectively. Appleby also saw two of his runners scratched at the gates-well, three, technically, with Modern Games sensationally re-instated before...

The Niarchos Family was awarded the 2021 Longines and IFHA International Award of Merit at Del Mar during the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Champions on Friday, Nov. 5. Started in 2013 by Longines and the IFHA and given to horsemen and horsewomen who make lifelong contributions to Thoroughbred racing, the award was accepted by Maria Niarchos-Gouaze on behalf of her family. More than 125 Group or Grade 1 winners have been bred and/or campaigned under their banner, and they have been long-time supporters of the Breeders' Cup. Representatives from Longines,...

The Niarchos Family will be honoured with the Longines and IFHA International Award of Merit for 2021. The award recognises distinguished horsemen and horsewomen for lifelong contributions to Thoroughbred racing, with previous winners including the Magnier Family and Aidan O'Brien; the Romanet Family, Jim Bolger, Alec Head and Seth Hancock. The late Stavros Niarchos, a Greek naval officer in World War II who made his fortune in the shipping business, first became involved with Thoroughbred racing in the 1950s before taking a break and returning with a major commitment in...

The Niarchos Family's Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), a full-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), will not step out again in 2021 and will instead wait for the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas next year. Sunday's G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine, also a half-sister to G1 Coronation S. winner Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), does hold an entry in the Oct. 8 G1 bet365 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket. Connections were also considering a trip to France on Arc weekend or a run in the Breeders'...

The Curragh's G2 Debutante S. is always a key pointer to the course-and-distance G1 Moyglare Stud S. and Sunday proved no exception as the one-two-three again filled those places headed by the Niarchos Family's Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). Only third to Agartha (Ire) (Caravaggio) in that seven-furlong precedent Aug. 21, the Jessica Harrington trainee has abundant room for improvement within as a full-sister to Alpha Centauri (Ire) and half to Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) and was able to turn that around on this slicker surface. Sent up...

Cheveley Park Stud's Ulysses (Ire) (by Galileo {Ire}) was the latest first-season sire to be represented by a first winner on Monday as Flaxman Stables Ireland's Piz Badile (Ire) took Killarney's opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over a mile. The first foal out of the Listed Prix Zarkava winner and G2 Prix Corrida runner-up That Which Is Not (Elusive Quality), the Donnacha O'Brien-trained colt tracked the early pace in second and travelled easily to the fore passing three out along with The Aga Khan's Karakoul (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}). Headed...

When an ageing emperor has as many sons extending his dominion as Galileo (Ire), the eventual succession is bound to be fiercely contested. The onus, then, is on each of his sons entering stud to establish the credentials that set him apart. In the case of Circus Maximus (Ire), the latest to set up shop as a more accessible alternative alongside his sire at Coolmore, two things stand out straightaway--and so does the link between them. One is that Circus Maximus, unlike those thorough staying types who have made Galileo...

The Curragh announced that the Niarchos Family will sponsor the Aug. 22 G2 Debutante S. to acknowledge the racing career of Niarchos homebred Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who was named Cartier champion 3-year-old filly and Irish Horse of the Year in 2018. During her racing career, she won six of 10 starts, including the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Coronation S., G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard. "The Niarchos family are synonymous with racing at the Curragh with their name associated with numerous high-quality...

Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}), winner of the Coronation S. in June, will not race again this year and instead enjoy some time off. The Niarchos Family runner was runner-up in three consecutive Group 1s following her Ascot score-the July 5 Prix de Diane Longines, the Aug. 16 Prix Jacques le Marois and the Prix de l'Opera Longines on Arc Day, Oct. 4. "She ran another blinder in the Opera," said the Niarchos family's racing manager Alan Cooper of the Jessica Harrington trainee. "She's a tough, honest and...

Group 1 winner Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), who won the G1 Coronation S. for the Niarchos Family and trainer Jessica Harrington in June, is under consideration for the Sept. 12 G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown. A winner of the G2 Debutante S. at two, the chestnut kicked off her season in the Coronation, before runner-up performances in the G1 Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly and the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville, on July 5 and Aug. 16, respectively. "At the moment, Mrs. Harrington...

The moon is often contrasted with the sun: see St Francis' Canticle of the Creatures ("Brother Sun, Sister Moon"), Greek mythology (siblings Selene and Helios), innumerable popular songs (like Paul Revere and the Raiders' "Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon"). And now, the pedigree of Exomoon (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a fighting  3-year-old winner of a competitive maiden at Clairefontaine last Monday. An "exomoon" is a natural satellite that orbits an exoplanet, that is: a planet outside the solar system. This tenacious colt's dam (who also has a 2-year-old filly called New...