Santiago (Ire)

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. Tuesday's Insights features a half to G1 Irish Derby winner Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}). 15.50 Galway, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, 8f 123yT GROSVENOR SQUARE (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) starts out in the maiden in which fellow Ballydoyle representative Alexandroupolis (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) earned TDN Rising Star status 12 months ago and...

Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}), a G1 Irish Derby victor and winner of G2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot, sired his first reported foal when Bestow (GB) produced a filly at Ballincurrig House Stud on Monday night. "She's a gorgeous bay filly with quality, bone and size," said owner Michael Moore. "We are delighted with her." Bestow is a daughter of Presenting (GB) and a half-sister to Operating (GB) (Milan {GB}), winner of the €100,000 Aon H. Novice Chase at Punchestown. Santiago, who stands at Coolmore's Castlehyde Stud, is a Derby...

Classic winner Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}--Wadyhatta {GB}, by Cape Cross {Ire}) will stand under the Coolmore National Hunt banner at Castlehyde Stud in 2022. A fee for the G1 Irish Derby hero will be announced later. "Santiago is a Derby winner with a pedigree full of Derby winners and leading sires," said Coolmore's Cathal Murphy. "He's a big, quality individual with a fantastic action, and I'm sure National Hunt breeders will be very impressed when they see him." Purchased for €275,000 in utero at the Arqana July Sale in 2016,...

Aidan O'Brien will send a strong Ballydoyle challenge to the Qatar Goodwood Festival next week, and has a trio of colts ready to step forward in the G1 Qatar Sussex S.-Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), Order Of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Battleground (War Front). Runner-up in the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot, the MG1SP Lope Y Fernandez won the Listed Heritage S. at Leopardstown in April. GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Order Of Australia was last seen in action taking the G2 Minstrel S....

With Ascot's G1 Gold Cup now less than two months away, the road to the prestigious feature of the Royal meeting begins on Sunday as Ballydoyle's Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) returns in Navan's G3 Vintage Crop S. Last seen finishing fourth in the G1 St Leger at Doncaster in September, the G1 Irish Derby hero races under a penalty for his triumph in that Curragh Classic last June and faces one who has already been in the mix in the 2 1/2-mile marathon in Master of Reality (Ire) (Frankel {GB})...

With Saturday's G1 Pertemps St Leger attracting a dozen runners and Frankie Dettori booked for Ballydoyle's G1 Irish Derby hero Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}), Doncaster's action has its customary focus but before that is a card on Friday that features races at the extremes. In the G2 Bombardier Flying Childers S., 2-year-olds will be flying over five furlongs before the older stayers get their chance to shine in the G2 bet365 Doncaster Cup over almost two and a quarter miles. Such is the rich diversity of the meeting and although...

Trainer Aidan O'Brien sends a well-credentialed trio-including G1 Irish Derby hero Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire})-to the G1 Pertemps St Leger S. at Doncaster on Saturday. Third in the G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup S., the bay is joined by Irish Derby third Dawn Patrol (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud third Mythical (Fr) (Camelot {GB}). Another Galileo colt, Irish Derby runner-up Tiger Moth (Ire), will contest the Sept. 13 Grand Prix de Paris in France or closer to home, Leopardstown's G3 Kilternan S. the day prior. "We're going...

MGSW Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) is vying for favourtism in the G1 Pertemps St Leger S. at Doncaster, as he is one of 15 horses to stand their ground in the final British Classic of the season on Saturday. A listed winner at two, Pyledriver was second in the June 3 G3 Classic Trial S. over the Kempton all-weather to open his 3-year-old account and captured the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot by two lengths on June 16. The July 5 G1 Investec Derby did not...

G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) could clash with three-times G1 Ascot Gold Cup hero Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in next month's G1 Qatar Goodwood Cup. Victorious in the 14-furlong G2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot, Santiago dropped back to a mile and a half at The Curragh just eight days later and fended off stablemate Tiger Moth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to take the Classic honours. Aidan O'Brien's charge is the ante-post favourite for the G1 St Leger at Doncaster in September, but...

It was labelled as wide-open, but in the end Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh proved anything but as Aidan O'Brien was in dominating form yet again with Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) leading home a remarkable stable one-two-three-four. Sent off the clear 2-1 favourite coming back eight days after his emphatic win in the G2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot, the bay was always travelling with supreme ease anchored towards the rear by a confident Seamie Heffernan. Cutting through the pack and getting an ideal split...

A field of 15 have been declared for Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh, with Aidan O'Brien responsible for six. The master of Ballydoyle's main chances appear to be last week's G2 Queen's Vase winner Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) and G2 King Edward VII S. runner-up Arthur's Kingdom (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the largest field since 1977. Santiago has been done no favours by the draw, having been posted wide in 11 while Joseph O'Brien has a trio engaged headed by Scott Heider's unbeaten G3 Gallinule...

Ryan Moore will probably not ride an easier winner than Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) all week after the Ballydoyle's latest Classic prospect spreadeagled the field in the G2 Queen's Vase. Signing off 2019 with a defeat of the useful Sunchart (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) over a mile at Listowel in September, the bay was always on an even keel here settled worse than mid-division throughout the early stages before coming on strong as the pressure intensified. Moving to the lead with grace two out, the 10-3 shot stayed on powerfully after...