St Mark's Basilica (Fr)

Five-time Group 1 winner St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}--Cabaret {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) has been retired from racing and will stand at Coolmore Stud in Ireland in 2022. A fee will be announced later. Bred by Bob Scarborough in France, the Norelands Stud-consigned bay brought 1.3 million guineas from MV Magnier during Book 1 of the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. Trained by Aidan O'Brien for Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor, the half-brother to two-time Group 1 winner, G1 2000 Guineas hero and young Coolmore sire...

Saturday's G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown may have been short on quantity, but was certainly not lacking in quality as Coolmore's St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) maintained his winning streak at the highest level with a fifth such triumph in a thrilling finale to the €1,000,000 10-furlong contest. Backing up a juvenile high in Newmarket's G1 Dewhurst S., the 3-year-old bay has carried all before him during a banner sophomore campaign,  which has also witnessed victories in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, G1 Prix du Jockey Club...

Ballydoyle's St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) will take on The Aga Khan's Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and Jim Bolger's Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and just one other in what is certain to be a tactical renewal of Saturday's G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown. As he suggested earlier this month, Aidan O'Brien has taken out all other entries for the 10-furlong contest, which is made up by last year's G3 Meld S. winner Patrick Sarsfield (Fr) (Australia {GB}). At Doncaster the same afternoon, the G1 Cazoo St Leger will see Godolphin's G1 Irish Derby and...

Aidan O'Brien has declared Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for Wednesday's G1 Juddmonte International at York after revealing that St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) has suffered a setback in training. "Yesterday morning he lost a front shoe and it came back and hit his hind leg--his near-hind joint," the Ballydoyle handler explained on Monday. "We didn't think a lot of it, but this morning there was a little bit of swelling in it and when we took bloods off him, his bloods came back and it was a little bit...

G1 Cazoo Derby hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) has joined dual French Classic winner and G1 Coral-Eclipse hero St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) on top of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings. Both are now rated 127 after the Godolphin silksbearer won the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), third behind St Mark's Basilica and Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) (121) in the Coral-Eclipse, moved up to a mark of 124 after running second to Adayar in the Goodwood feature. Palace Pier (GB)...

William Haggas provides a twin assault on York's Aug. 19 G1 Juddmonte International with Mohaafeth (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and stable companion Alenquer (Adlerflug {Ger}). Mohaafeth, winner of the G3 Hampton Court S. at Royal Ascot in June, lost his unbeaten record for the season in the G2 York S. over the course and distance July 24. Most recently, Alenquer won the G2 King Edward VII S. at the Royal meeting before finishing third in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris over a mile and a half July 14. Alenquer is...

Dual Classic heroine Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won the G1 Prince of Wales's S.  at Royal Ascot in June, is in good form in advance of the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. on July 24. The Coolmore partners runner claimed the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas, G1 Investec Oaks, and G1 Yorkshire Oaks in a three-for-three campaign in 2020. "The plan at the moment is that we're looking at running Love in the King George," trainer Aidan O'Brien said from The Curragh. "Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and...

Dual Classic winner St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who won the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. on July 3, improved his rating from 120 to 127 to top the latest edition of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings. In the process, the Coolmore partners-owned colt defeated MG1SW Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) (121) and the 122-rated Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}). Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}), the previous leader at a mark of 125, sits second, while Australian sprinter Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) is third on 123. G1 St James's Palace...

There were only four runners, but what Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse lacked in numbers it more than made up for in sheer buzz as the 3-year-old St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) was in scintillating form in Sandown's prestige contest. Heavily-backed into even-money favouritism beforehand, Ballydoyle's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero tracked Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) throughout and when launched by Ryan Moore passing the two-furlong pole quickly subdued his elders en route to an emphatic 3 1/2-length...

Tactical nuance will be the order of the day in Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse, with Sandown's prestige affair hosting a trio of male thoroughbreds who have been tested and proven internationally and just one other very much on the fringe. With the big three of Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) responsible for nine top-level victories between them in this country, France, Dubai and Australia, this renewal really does offer something different. All of them have a largely consistent profile with...

Seven horses, five Group 1 winners, have stood their ground for the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. at Sandown on July 3. Prince A. A. Faisal's Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) is favoured, and enters off wins in the $20-million Saudi Cup in Riyadh in February and a neck victory over Sunday's G1 Takarazuka Kinen victress Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on Mar. 27. The John and Thady Gosden trainee faces a stiff three-pronged entry from Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners' dual...

As far as passages around Chantilly's circuit go in the 10 1/2-furlong G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) enjoyed one as perfect as is possible on Sunday as he toyed with his rivals in the 181st edition of the Classic. Hardly breaking sweat to become the fourth colt to complete the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains-Prix du Jockey Club double since 2005, Ballydoyle's 14-5 favourite was slotted behind the pace-setting Normandy Bridge (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) from his ideal draw by Ioritz Mendizabal and...