Opera Ballo (Ire)

Wednesday, Newmarket, Britain, post time: 15:00, BLANDFORD BLOODSTOCK ABERNANT STAKES-G3, £85,000, 3yo/up, 6f 0y Field: Apollo One (GB) (Equiano {Fr}), Grand Grey (Ire) (Havana Grey {GB}), Lethal Levi (GB) (Lethal Force {Ire}), Royal Zabeel (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Run To Freedom (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), Sajir (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and Romantic Style (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). TDN Verdict: One of those Fabre specials is in evidence here at the track he so loves, with the burgeoning sprinting talent Sajir bidding to add to his G3 Prix Sigy success of last...

The return of Seven Days earlier this week allows us to close the book on the stopgap that was Winter Watch. Before you know it the first Classics of the season will be upon us, leaving the cold, dark months that spanned 13 editions of this column since it first came into being in November as nothing but a distant memory. Albeit not too distant, I hope. After all, the whole reason why we embarked on this journey in the first place was with those very Classics in mind, informed...

The entries for the first two British Classics of the season have been released, with 57 horses entered in the Betfred 2,000 Guineas and another 43 in the Betfred 1,000 Guineas. Aidan O'Brien is responsible for eight possible runners as he seeks a record-extending eleventh success in the 2,000 Guineas, which is scheduled to take place at Newmarket on Saturday, May 3. They include the ante-post favourite The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was unbeaten in two starts as a two-year-old, including the G3 Acomb Stakes...

"An eagle-eyed former Timeform employee, Adam guarantees that if the next Notable Speech is out there, about to make his debut on the all-weather this winter before marching on to Classic glory, then he will spot him. No pressure, then." Those were the words of TDN colleague Emma Berry when she penned her final Seven Days column of 2024, teeing up what was to come in the column introduced in its stead for the winter. Now, in this 12th edition of Winter Watch, we've reached the stage where it's time...

Those thinking that lightning can't strike twice may have to think again after Godolphin's TDN Rising Star Opera Ballo (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}--Dubai Opera {GB}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}) trod a familiar path for Charlie Appleby at Kempton on Wednesday evening. Introduced in the same course-and-distance maiden last month won in 2024 by the yard's subsequent 2,000 Guineas hero Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), the €600,000 Arqana Deauville August graduate had not let the side down with an emphatic 8 1/2-length success on that occasion and was duly sent off 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. Wednesday's Observations features the return of a 'TDN Rising Star'. 7.30 Kempton, Cond, £60,000, 3yo, 8f (AWT) OPERA BALLO (IRE) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) takes in this "European Road To The Kentucky Derby" Conditions Stakes which tends to have little or no bearing on that monument but which 12 months ago...

The WhatsApp group titled TDN Europe was abuzz on Wednesday evening of last week, after the Charlie Appleby-trained Opera Ballo (Ire) had announced himself as potentially something out of the ordinary with a jet-propelled performance in the first division of the one-mile maiden at Kempton. "Big day for Ghaiyyath!!" pinged the first message from Brian Sheerin, barely seconds after Opera Ballo had powered past the line in a different postcode to his eight rivals, becoming the second first-time-out winner for his Kildangan Stud-based sire in the space of a few...

The Godolphin/Charlie Appleby axis has dominated recent renewals of Kempton's Unibet Supports Safer Gambling Maiden Stakes, winning last year's edition with subsequent G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Sussex Stakes hero Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). The operation struck gold once again as Opera Ballo (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}--Dubai Opera {GB}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}) emulated that stablemate in division one of Wednesday's one-mile contest and collected a 'TDN Rising Star' of his own with an impressive wide-margin success. He joins Chantilly maiden scorer Mandanaba (Fr) on Ghaiyyath's list of Rising Stars....