The Antarctic (Ire)

Last year's G3 Prix de Cabourg victor The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Anna Law {Ire}, by Lawman {Fr}) opened this term with a third in Navan's Listed Committed S. and led from pillar to post in Sunday's G3 Goffs Lacken S. at Naas. His eight-race juvenile campaign included three encounters with Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never), hitting the board behind that now-retired former stablemate in the G2 Prix Robert Papin, G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park. The Antarctic broke sharply and led along the far-side rail from flagfall. In...

Last seen being inched out by Treasure Trove (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) in The Curragh's G3 Round Tower S. in August, Ocean Quest (Ire) (Sioux Nation) returned with a vengeance at Navan on Saturday to stamp her authority on the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Committed S. Held together early by Shane Foley racing freely in third, the 10-1 shot brushed aside Aesop's Fables (Ire) (No Nay Never) passing two out en route to a categoric six-length dismissal of that G2 Futurity S.-winning TDN Rising Star, with the 4-5 favourite The...

Confirming the form of the G1 Prix Morny on Saturday, Ballydoyle's Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) dominated Newmarket's G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S. as The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) delivered a one-two for the stable. Not content with a haul that already included the G3 Marble Hill and G2 Prix Robert Papin as well as the Deauville juvenile feature, the 10-3 joint-second favourite tracked the fast pace set by the Morny runner-up Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and was coaxed to that rival approaching the furlong pole with Ryan...

Coolmore, Westerberg & Brant's G2 Prix Robert Papin second The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Anna Law {Ire}, by Lawman {Fr}), a 750,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 full-brother to Battaash (Ire), rebounded off that Chantilly defeat to secure a first stakes success in Tuesday's G3 Darley Prix de Cabourg at Deauville. The February-foaled grey had earlier backed up two early-season wins with a seventh in Royal Ascot's June 16 G2 Norfolk S. before hitting the board in June's Listed Tipperary S. in his last-but-one start. Missing a beat at the kick,...

In as tight a finish as it gets, the result of Wednesday's Listed Tipperary S. was decided merely by the way each of the trio Wodao (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}), Ardad's Great (GB) (Ardad {Ire}) and The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) were bobbing as the photo was taken with the former getting the luck as his nose thrust briefly in front of his two rivals. Admirably consistent since his introduction when fifth in the hot six-furlong Curragh maiden Apr. 10 contested by Tough Talk (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Little Big Bear (Ire)...

If Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) could talk, and by now it's almost as if he can, he would probably sound like Ali as he approaches his own version of the legendary "Rumble In the Jungle" at an Ascot with a suitably high reading on the thermometor. "I'm gonna dance!" he would shout. "There's nothing to be scared of." Whether he's been busy handcuffing lightning or chopping down trees ahead of his great hour fighting to regain his title in Thursday's G1 Gold Cup only connections know, but his...