Sergei Prokofiev

There was much consternation when only three new Flat stallions retired to stand in Britain for the 2025 season. It remains to be seen whether this was a blip, but if it becomes a trend then obviously it is cause for concern. It is easy to understand why, in an increasingly commercial sphere, breeders would either flock to the proven elite (for those with mares good enough and pockets deep enough) or to the next first-season sire on the block who may be forgiven for a year or two until...

Thoroughly deserving of his first Group 1 success on Sunday, AMO Racing Limited and Giselle De Aguiar's Arizona Blaze (Sergei Prokofiev) justified David Egan's call to partner him in The Curragh's Bar One Flying Five Stakes. Taking a lead from the owners' other live contender Bucanero Fuerte (Wootton Bassett), the 11-2 shot stayed on strongly to edge ahead a furlong out and land the five-furlong prize by a length from Nighteyes (Night Of Thunder) with Bucanero Fuerte holding on for third. "I had to go with my gut feeling and I...

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. Thursday's Observations features the return of a Wootton Bassett 'TDN Rising Star'. 1.50 Doncaster, Cond, 2yo, 6f 111yT BRUSSELS (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) takes a class drop for this Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes in which stablemate Camille Pissarro managed to get beaten 12 months ago before going to...

Clive Cox's love affair with York's Harry's Half Million By Goffs showed no signs of abating after Middleham Park Racing's Song Of The Clyde (Sergei Prokofiev) delivered a third straight edition of the valuable contest for the trainer. "Harry Beeby was a good friend of mine, it's such a good incentive and even better to win it three times running," said Cox. "He had a bit of size and scope as a yearling and we've always liked him. He's got a wonderful mind and it was really pleasing when he...

The newly-published catalogue for the Goffs Premier Yearling Sale features entries from many of Europe's leading sires, as well as first-season sensation Starman, who is responsible for 17 of the 409 "athletic, precocious Doncaster yearlings" set to go under the hammer on Wednesday, August 27 and Thursday, August 28. Last year Starman was responsible for two of the top five lots, including the subsequent G3 Fillies Sprint Stakes heroine Lady Iman, one of 16 individual winners for her leading first-season sire in 2025. The notable yearlings by Starman featuring in...

A breeding right in 2024 Champion First-Season Sire Sergei Prokofiev (lot 123) is one of the highlights of the 123-strong Tattersalls Online June Sale. The Whitsbury Manor Stud resident already has 42 winners to date, led by multiple group winner and Group 1-placed Arizona Blaze. Misty (Oasis Dream) (lot 122), the sale's lone broodmare and a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Kinross (Kingman), is also in foal to Sergei Prokofiev. Other lots of note include the Grade 2-placed jumper Paggane (Muhaarar) (lot 87); the 102 Timeform-rated sprinter Kendall Roy...

5th-Newmarket, £30,000, Cond, 4-17, 3yo, 7fT, 1:26.29, gd. PELLITORY (GB) (c, 3, Sergei Prokofiev--Daphinia {GB} {SP-Eng}, by Kuroshio {Aus}), allowed to start at 25-1 despite having signed off his juvenile campaign with a win in a competitive Doncaster nursery in October, was anchored under heavy restraint in rear off the steady early tempo. Unleashing a 10.78 penultimate furlong to hit the front and a 11.91 finale to wrap it up, he had half a length to spare over Anno Domini (GB) (New Bay {GB}) at the line. "He had done...

Making every yard in Monday's G3 Prix Sigy at Chantilly, Amo Racing and Giselle De Aguiar's battle-hardened Arizona Blaze (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev) proved too tough and classy for a fascinating cast. Dropping back to 5 1/2 furlongs having finished a game third to Henri Matisse (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in Leopardstown's seven-furlong G3 Ballylinch Stud Red Rocks Stakes, the 10-3 shot was out of reach as the 9-5 favourite Polyvega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) encountered traffic attempting to come from behind. At the line, the Adrian Murray-trained G3 Marble...

Adrian Murray trainee Arizona Blaze (Ire) (Sergei Prokofiev--Liberisque {GB}, by Equiano {Fr}), who closed a nine-race juvenile campaign with a runner-up finish in November's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint when last seen, made a winning return to action in Friday's Horse Racing Every Friday Until 11th April Race at Dundalk. Amo Racing and Giselle De Aguiar's March-foaled bay got the better of subsequent G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere hero Camille Pissarro (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in May's G3 Marble Hill Stakes and broke swiftly to gain an early advantage in...

Godolphin has been announced as the winner of the Queen's Silver Cup for leading British-based Flat breeder for the 11th time in the TBA's statistical awards for 2024. Starting the season well with 2,000 Guineas winner Notable Speech (GB), Godolphin was also represented by the dual Group 1-winning juvenile Shadow Of Light (GB), who landed the Middle Park Stakes, followed by the Dewhurst Stakes a fortnight later. The operation's flagship sire Dubawi (Ire) was crowned the leading British-based stallion for the tenth time in 11 years with total progeny earnings of £4,425,502....

It may be the season to be jolly, but it's also a time of reflection, and there are many ways one can look back on a first-season sires' championship in Britain and Ireland that was ultimately dominated from start to finish by Whitsbury Manor Stud's Sergei Prokofiev.  The cool thing to say about this year's championship was that none of the new stallions seemed to be standing out from the crowd like Blue Point (Ire) and Havana Grey (GB) had done in previous years.  That may well be true, but...

Havana Grey (GB)'s Cuban Tiger (GB) brought a sale-topping 72,000gns from FMQ Stables to top the Tattersalls Online November Sale on Thursday. Consigned by Spigot Lodge Stables, lot 29 is out of Shirley's Kitten (Kitten's Joy) and won the Listed Burradon Stakes in March. Karl Burke's operation also offered lot 43, Imperial Sovereign (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). The 3-year-old gelding sold to Philip Kirby for 49,000gns. He is out of G1 Prix Saint-Alary third Imperial Charm (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). A breeding right in Sergei Prokofiev (lot 195) brought 31,000gns on the...