Sottsass

With the massed ranks of Coolmore, Godolphin and Amo Racing in behind, owner-breeder Julia Rosier and her son Charlie sealed the dream of a lifetime to have a major winner at their local track during Glorious Goodwood.  The Rosiers bred Dr Rascal from their unraced Zoffany mare Little Miss Rascal, a purchase Charlie said was made "in the pub in Waterloo after a few beers, after a boozy client lunch". It is already looking like a shrewd decision, even if it wasn't made with the clearest of heads.  He continued,...

Sunday's G2 Premio Oaks D'Italia at San Siro in Milan has drawn a quality field of 16 fillies, and sire Saxon Warrior will have four chances to take home the top prize led by G3 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1000 Guineas) runner-up Lizzana. Second fiddle to Just Call Me Angel (Dark Angel) last out in that early May contest, Lizzana will look to improve on that effort yet again in this Italian Classic for trainer Marco Botti. Never out of the money, she's as consistent as they come and will...

In this corner of the bloodstock world we like to keep our glass half-full, if not topped up to the brim. With that in mind, it is sometimes preferable to look back, rather than forwards. A dive into history via the pages of the Bloodstock Breeders' Review is always entertaining, if not a regular reminder that the more things change the more they stay the same. Take, for example, Lord Rosebery's speech as TBA president in 1947 when he said, "I was perturbed at the Yearling Sales at Doncaster when...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This column is highlighted by the victory of Silawi at Woodbine. Dubawi Gelding Claims The Canadian International Wathnan Racing's Silawi (Dubawi) earned his first top-tier win in the Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine on October 4 (video). Bred by Wertheimer and Frere, he is trained by Hamad Al Jehani. Sold for €380,000 out of the Arqana Arc Sale in 2023, the five-year-old gelding is also a winner of the G3 Winter Hill...

A colt and a filly by Sioux Nation and Gleneagles, respectively, each brought €70,000 on Saturday to share topper duties during the SGA Yearling Sale in Milan. Sold as lot 15, the Gleneagles filly was snapped up by John Kalmanson from the Razza del Velino consignment. A half-sister to two stakes horses anchored by G2 Derby Italiano hero Keep On Fly (Rip Van Winkle), the chestnut is a full-sister to G2 Oaks d'Italia heroine Shavasana, who also prevailed in the G3 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1000 Guineas). The trio are...

Since 1955, Japanese breeders have received unwavering support from the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association (JBBA). To outside eyes, the evolution of Japanese racing as a global force tends to go hand-in-hand with the Yoshida family's cultivation of Sunday Silence and latterly his son Deep Impact under their Shadai umbrella. Yet that would be doing a disservice to the number of other operations who have put in the effort and investment over the decades to improve the breed. Chief among them is the JBBA, whose primary stallion base is situated in...

Arqana's August Sale bursts from the stalls next Friday which means it will be Christmas before we know it. It also means that over the three days which follow the spotlight will be shone on some of the finest yearlings from France and beyond as the European yearling season gets underway in its customary fashion of part-holiday/part-serious business in Deauville. In the days building up to the sale, we will be profiling some of the largest drafts at Arqana, beginning with Anna Sundstrom's Coulonces, which has 20 set to go...

Next week, when the international sales scene shifts to France for the Arqana August Yearling Sale, a good chunk of American agents, owners, and trainers will head on over for the party. No one ever needs an excuse to go to Deauville, but if you're looking to justify your trip to your principals or partners, look no further. We've got you covered. The selected sessions of the Arqana sale run from the 16th to the 18th, Friday to Sunday, and are followed by the V2 sale on Monday. "This is...

We're at the top end now when it comes to stallion fees, but there is quite a range to those prices, which for this feature is anything above £/€20,000. There is of course a massive difference, certainly when it comes to value, in a stallion standing at £35,000 and one at £350,000. In fact, we have two at that latter fee, which makes Frankel (GB) and Dubawi (Ire), the champion sires of the last two years in Britain and Ireland, the most expensive stallions in the world. Those two representatives...

Anyone who bets on racing will know too well the perils that come with predicting the outcome of a sporting event. But what if we take it a couple of steps further and, for a bit of fun, try and gaze into the crystal ball and see what could be in store for 2024? From Frankie Dettori returning to the saddle in Europe to Wathnan Racing continuing its march in Britain, here are 10 predictions-some fun and some serious-for the new year.  Dettori's Groundhog Day To Continue Into 2024 We've...

There was a familiar theme to develop at Park Paddocks on Wednesday as, for the second time in the space of 24 hours, the progeny of Havana Grey (GB) dominated at the December Foal Sale with a colt by the Whitsbury Manor Stud-based stallion fetching 250,000gns to unknown entity Rumstar Bloodstock.  A brother to G3 Cornwallis S. winner Rumstar (GB), lot 638 was one of two foals by the sire to clear six figures on the day, with five more foals by Havana Grey selling for at least 80,000gns. Whitsbury's...

Starlet's Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the dam of Sottsass (Fr) and Sistercharlie (Ire), has died at Ecurie des Monceaux after an attack of colic at the age of 14. Bred by Prestonwood Farm from the Green Tune mare Premiere Creation (Fr), Starlet's Sister was winless in four starts when trained by Alain de Royer Dupre but has nevertheless left her mark on racing in Europe and America, as well as in the Arqana sale ring in Deauville.  Her first mating with Myboycharlie (Ire) resulted in Sistercharlie (Ire), whose Group 3...