Starspangledbanner (Aus)

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 dual Classic winner Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 5.05 Naas, Mdn, €18,000, 2yo, f, 5f 205yT SIMPLY ASTOUNDING (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is a significant presence in a significant maiden, being the fourth foal out of the 1,000 Guineas and Oaks heroine Minding (Ire) (Galileo...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Lady Claypoole in the Santa Ana Stakes at Santa Anita earlier in March.   Santa Ana Stakes For Lady Claypoole Abbondanza Racing and Omar Aldabbagh's Lady Claypoole (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) earned her first stakes win in the GIII Santa Ana Stakes at Santa Anita on Mar. 15 (video). Trained by Richard Baltas, the 5-year-old mare was bred by Aston House Stud. The eighth...

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Aterradora at the Fair Grounds. Starspangledbanner Filly Strikes Gold At Fair Grounds Pura Vida Investments' Aterradora (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), second in her first two starts at Fair Grounds in November and January, got off the mark on the first day of February at that track (video). Bred by The Last Partnership, the filly was purchased for 150,000gns out of Book 2 of the Tattersalls...

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Duvet Day at Grade III level beneath the Twin Spires.   Duvet Day Breaks Graded Duck In Cardinal Stakes Jane Bacharach, William DeBurgh and Richard Schatz's Duvet Day (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) won the GIII Cardinal Stakes at Churchill Downs on November 28 (video). It was the first graded win for the five-year-old mare and first victory since January of 2023 in the Listed Astra...

Ralph Beckett and Rossa Ryan's purple patch continued relentlessly at Newmarket on Saturday as Starzintheireyes (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}--Crystal Hope {GB}, by Nathaniel {Ire}) proved the strongest stayer in an attritional renewal of the 10-furlong G3 Palace Pier Zetland Stakes. Runner-up to the subsequent G3 Solario Stakes winner Field Of Gold (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) over seven furlongs on debut at the July Festival here, Marc Chan's 160,000gns Tattersalls December Foal purchase had opened his account over that trip at Leicester last month and raced under restraint early at the back with...

A total of 775 lots have been catalogued for the Arqana October Yearling Sale, including a Romanised (Ire) half-brother to this year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), who was bought by Alessandro Marconi for €78,000 at this very sale in 2022. The five-day fixture takes place from Tuesday, October 22 to Saturday, October 26. The Romanised colt (lot 23) will be one of the early lots to go under the hammer during Part 1 of the October Yearling Sale, with lots 1 to 208 set...

Saturday's G2 City of York Stakes was primed for an upset with its dual winner Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) withdrawn and the exciting 3-year-old Lake Forest (GB) (No Nay Never) also exiting stage left after becoming upset in the stalls and so it proved with Breege (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) delivering the surprise outcome at 33-1. Without a win since capturing Epsom's G3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes over an extended mile, the John and Sean Quinn-trained Chasemore Farm homebred benefitted from a suicidal pace up front to come through under Colin Keane...

Sunday's €380,000 G1 ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest shares this weekend's European top billing with Dusseldorf's 166th G1 Henkel-Preis der Diana (German Oaks) and, while the field for that Classic was finalised on Wednesday, declarations for the Deauville highlight were not confirmed until Friday morning. There were no defectors from the overnight set of 16 nominees as all main characters--G1 Prix Jean Prat victor Puchkine (Fr) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), G1 July Cup hero Mill Stream (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire} and dual G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes winner Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel...

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. Wednesday's Observations features a half-brother to a Group 1-winning juvenile filly. 6.55 Sandown, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, 7fT KING'S CHARTER (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) is a significant newcomer for Godolphin, being their €650,000 Goffs Orby Book 1 purchase who is a half-brother to the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Skitter Scatter...

Springing a 35-1 shock in Sunday's G1 Haras d'Etreham Prix Jean Prat at Deauville, Alain Jathiere's TDN Rising Star Puchkine (Fr) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}--Vadyska {Ire}, by So You Think {NZ}) led his peers a merry dance with everything falling perfectly into place up the seven-furlong straight. Tacked on to the tail of the Juddmonte pacemaker Zandy (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) from the outset by Ioritz Mendizabal, the homebred was allowed rope by the remainder who sat and waited but two out the damage was already done. Left in front there, the Jean-Claude...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Tax Implications in the Eatontown Stakes last weekend. Mehmas's Tax Implications Lands Eatontown The duo of Chad Brown and Klaravich Stables combined to send out Tax Implications (GB) (Mehmas {Ire}) to win the GIII Eatontown Stakes at Monmouth Park last Saturday (video). Bred by Aoife Kent, the chestnut filly was originally a 75,000gns foal when put the Tattersalls December Foal Sale by Mickley...

Saturday's G1 Al Quoz Sprint resulted in a track record-setting victory for Hong Kong, with one of their star gallopers--CALIFORNIA SPANGLE (IRE) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}--Pearlitas Passion {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire})--running out an emotional winner in more ways than one. Originally racing for Howard Liang, the Michael Enright-bred 6-year-old gelding now races for Liang's estate, as he died several months ago. It was also the first victory for Hong Kong in the race since Amber Sky (Aus) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) captured a 1000-metre version 10 years previously. The winner cruised...