The Foxes (Ire)

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. Thursday's Observations features G2 Dante S. hero The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}). 13.00 Southwell, Cond, £25,000, 4yo/up, 11f 23y (AWT) THE FOXES (IRE) (Churchill {Ire}) may not have hit the heights last term following his G2 Dante S. success, but King Power Racing's class act is back with the...

French Classic winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) heads a total of 60 entries for the $1-million Bahrain International Trophy, which has this year been upgraded to Group 2 status and is set to be run on Friday, November 17. The list of international challengers features horses from eight countries, including France, Germany, Britain and Ireland, with 38 group winners among them. Other notable entries include Godolphin's dual Group/Grade 1 winner Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Horizon Doré (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}), recent winner of the G2 Prix Dollar, G2...

   When a horse like Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) comes along, the challenge is to find a new narrative as big-race win follows big-race win. There is no up-and-down to colour the story, no bouncing back from adversity, no heroic turnaround from setback. It is a clear case of superiority winning out each time, as it feels to watch Man City's relentless march through football's major tournaments on the other side of the Pennines. Sometimes, the truth is the horse does the talking and it is clear that we are...

Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) heads a field of four for the G1 Juddmonte International S. at York with Aidan O'Brien's star three-year-old bidding for a fifth success at the highest level. His chief threat is Shadwell's G1 Prince Of Wales's S. hero Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). The John and Thady Gosden-trained colt will be accompanied by stablemate Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who bids to rebound off a third-placed effort in the G1 Nassau S at Goodwood. King Power Racing's Derby fifth The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) will have his first...

A pair of Grade I events for 3-year-olds on grass will co-anchor a loaded 12-race program at Belmont Park Saturday. European invader The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), a narrow winner of the G2 Dante S. May 18 and fifth-place finisher after stumbling at the start in the G1 English Derby June 3, will make the trip across the pond for trainer Andrew Balding for the GI Belmont Derby Invitational. The 7-2 morning-line favorite, drawn widest of all in post 11, will square off against 10 rivals, including GII Pennine Ridge...

Following a draw conducted live in Epsom's hallowed circle, a final field of 14 has been confirmed for Saturday's G1 Betfred Derby. Ballydoyle number one Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has pulled "lucky" stall 10, still the most beneficial draw in Derby history having housed Shahrastani, Reference Point (GB), Nashwan, Quest For Fame (GB), Generous (Ire), Galileo (Ire), Sir Percy (GB), Ruler of the World (Ire) and Masar (Ire). Chief market rival Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will exit from next door in nine, while leading contenders Passenger (Ulysses...

There was as much uncertainty as to what would start favourite for Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. than what would emerge on top in York's time-honoured Derby trial, but in the end it was one of the benchmark horses The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}--Tanaghum {GB}, by Darshaan {GB}) who held the bragging rights. King Power Racing's G2 Royal Lodge S. winner had been undone by Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the G3 Craven S. at Newmarket last month but appreciated this step up to an extended 10...

Group winner The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), second in the G3 Craven S. to Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) last month, is likely for the G2 Dante S. at York mid-month, according to jockey Oisin Murphy. The King Power runner secured Newmarket's G2 Royal Lodge S. in September, and he will be trying the 10-furlong distance for the first time at York. "He's a lovely horse," said Murphy, who rode the colt in the Craven at Newmarket. "In hindsight I wish I had just followed Indestructible a bit longer. "We felt...

Beaten twice by Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at two but evidently unbowed, the aptly-named Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}--Shareva {Ire}, by Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) marked his debut for the Karl Burke stable with a win in Newmarket's G3 Craven S. to continue Amo Racing's strong start to the current campaign on Thursday. Able to get into some kind of fight with Andrew Balding's leading 2000 Guineas hope in York's G3 Acomb S., he was put in his place when last seen in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster in September...

After the Mar. 7 scratching stage, 83 horses remain signed on for the 2023 G1 Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 3. Worth £1.5 million, the 1 1/2-mile contest is the richest race in Britain. Of the 83, 45 are trained in Ireland and of that number, 29 are trained by Ballydoyle supremo Aidan O'Brien for various Coolmore partnerships. Top of the heap are Deep Impact (Jpn)'s G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy hero Auguste Rodin (Jpn) and the late Shadai kingpin's son's Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}). The last-named...

Just minutes after the fellow Listed Chesham S. flop Crypto Force (GB) (Time Test {GB}) had caused an upset in the G2 Beresford S., King Power's The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) did the same in Newmarket's G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge S. , a "Win And You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland in November. Only ninth in that June 18 Royal Ascot contest, the Andrew Balding-trained 440,000gns Book 1 graduate had come back to break his maiden in a Goodwood maiden also over seven furlongs July...