Palace Pier

We're sliding down the scale slightly for this second part of our look at the sires standing across Europe to those with an advertised fee of £15,000 to £50,000 (approximately €17,000 to €57,000). And how can we not start with the champion sire of 2024, Dark Angel? At €45,000, his fee is the lowest it has been for a decade, and of course the years are marching on, but if there is one thing we have learnt about Dark Angel in his 18 seasons at Yeomanstown Stud it is that...

A 1/50th share in Zarak headlined Tuesday's Arqana Online December Sale when knocked down to an unnamed British-based buyer for €740,000. Of the 20 lots offered, 14 sold (70% clearance rate) for total turnover of €1,287,000, with the full results available to view on the Arqana Online website. Based at Haras de Bonneval, Zarak has enjoyed notable success with his first four crops and will stand for an unchanged fee of €80,000 next season. The Aga Khan Studs homebred is the sire of last year's Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner...

A 1/50th share (lot 125) in multiple French champion sire Siyouni sold for 175,000gns to TCT Bloodstock on Thursday to top the Tattersalls Online December Sale. The Aga Khan Studs' stallion has sired 13 stakes winners in the Northern Hemisphere this term anchored by Aga Khan homebred Zarigana, the winner of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, multiple graded winner Bellezza, third in the GI New York Stakes and G2 Neom Turf Cup hero Shin Emperor. The sire of 46 group winners in his career, he will stand for €150,000...

A selection of stallion shares and breeding rights feature among the first 15 lots catalogued for the Arqana December Online Sale, which takes place between the hours of 3pm and 5pm (local time) on Tuesday, December 16. Headline lots include a 1/50th share in the Haras de Bonneval resident Zarak, who has enjoyed notable success with his first four crops and will stand for an unchanged fee of €80,000 next season. The Aga Khan Studs homebred is the sire of last year's Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Metropolitan, along with...

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 a 'TDN Rising Star'. 6.30 Kempton, Novice, 2yo, 8f (AWT) NATION'S HOPE (IRE) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) was an instant hit here last month, earning TDN Rising Star status with a dazzling debut display and Charlie Appleby has opted to return for further education at the...

A share in Siyouni headlines the catalogue for the Tattersalls Online December Sale, which takes place on December 10-11. A total of 126 lots will be offered, including 55 horses in and out of training, 20 foals, 19 broodmares, 18 yearlings, six breeding rights, four stores, two point-to-pointers and two stallion shares. Aga Khan Studs homebred Siyouni is the sire of 46 Group winners to date, including the multiple top-level scorers Laurens, Paddington, Sottsass and St Mark's Basilica. The Haras de Bonneval resident will stand at a fee of €150,000...

Richard Knight and Salhia Stud paid 100,000gns to secure a breeding right in group stallion Palace Pier (lot 185) during the Tattersalls Online November Sale on Wednesday. Already the sire of eight black-type horses, his best progeny so far are G2 Lowther Stakes heroine Royal Fixation and G3 Solario Stakes winner A Bit Of Spirit. Knight commented following the sale, "We are delighted to secure the breeding right to Palace Pier. He is a stallion that appears to be on the up and we very much had him in mind...

The catalogue for Arqana Online's November Sale, featuring 19 lots including a breeding right in Group 1 sire Mehmas (lot 1) is now online. The sale will be held from 4-6 p.m. French time on November 27 and features stallion shares and breeding rights. A total of 15 shares and breeding rights are Flat oriented, with a breeding right to fellow Group 1 sire Space Blues (lot 4) also on offer, beside a breeding right to group sire Palace Pier (lot 8). Mehmas has 47 stakes winners, nine of them...

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. Tuesday's Observations features a well-bred newcomer by first-season sire Palace Pier. 16.25 Wolverhampton, £7,300, Mdn, 2yo, f, 7f 36y (AWT) Godolphin's PIERCHIC (GB) (Palace Pier {GB}) is a half-sister to three black-type performers headed by G3 Oh So Sharp victrix and G1 Oaks runner-up Dance Sequence (GB) (Dubawi {Ire})....

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. Saturday's Observations features a daughter of Dubawi. 1.42 Curragh, Mdn, 2yo, f, 7fT TOGETHER NOW (Dubawi {Ire}) missed her intended debut at Dundalk last month and re-routes to the track at which her illustrious half-brother City Of Troy made his debut before scaling the heights. Also a half to...

The victory on Monday of Royal Chapel in the Listed Criterium de Bordeaux brought up the 100th stakes winner for the filly's sire Kingman. His speed in reaching this landmark century since retiring to stud a decade ago has been beaten only by Kingman's fellow Banstead Manor resident, Frankel. There can be few finer tributes to the vision of the late Prince Khalid Abdullah than these two third-generation homebreds standing alongside each other and continuing to fly the flag for the Juddmonte brand through their achievements at stud. The record...

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 daughter of a G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine. 2.43 Leicester, Mdn, 2yo, f, 7fT PALACE ARTOIS (GB) (Palace Pier {GB}) debuts for Mike and Michelle Morris and is the fifth foal out of their 1.7million gns purchase Intricately (Fastnet Rock), the Moyglare Stud Stakes winner....