Yeguada Centurion

Christopher Head won his first Classic last season with Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) and he is now eyeing a possible run un the Qipco 1,000 Guineas for Ramatuelle (Justify), who was the top-rated juvenile in France in 2023. The winner of the G2 Prix Robert Papin, and runner-up in the G1 Prix Morny, Ramatuelle is also entered for the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and she will begin her preparations for the Classics in Deauville on April 9. "Ramatuelle has been a tremendous filly for us as a...

Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), the joint-top-rated 3-year-old filly in Europe last year and a Group 1 winner in both of her seasons to race, has been moved from the stable of Christopher Head to that of his fellow Chantilly trainer Maurizio Guarnieri. The news was first reported by Jour de Galop.  Blue Rose Cen races in the colours of her breeder Leopoldo Fernandez Pujals of Yeguada Centurion, who, along with Head, also had the second-top-rated horse in Europe last year in Big Rock (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire})....

   Continuing the profiles of the favourite horses of TDN Europe's editorial team in 2023, Emma Berry selects the French raider who took QIPCO British Champions Day by storm. I'd been impressed by Christopher Head since the day I first visited his stable in July 2019 and found him on the end of a broomstick sweeping the floor outside the rented boxes of the five horses he had in training at that time. His ascent has been rapid, and by now his string must be 20 times that size. And,...

Christopher Head's two star three-year-olds of 2023, dual Classic winner Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) and Saturday's sensational Queen Elizabeth II S. winner Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), will both remain in training for next season. Timeform has awarded Big Rock a rating of 129 for his six-length romp on QIPCO British Champions Day, which is the highest figure recorded by a miler in Europe this season. The winner of two Group 3 Classic trials in the spring, Big Rock was second to Ace Impact (Fr) in...

Leaving his G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. rivals strung out down Ascot's straight mile, Yeguada Centurion's Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}--Hardiyna {Ire}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}) produced a masterclass from the front under Aurelien Lemaitre in one of the great displays throughout the history of this prestigious affair. Quickly out on his own, the Christopher Head-trained 3-year-old who had not won since looking a force in the mud in the G3 Prix la Force and G3 Prix de Guiche this spring was always way beyond the reaches...

Multiple Group 1 winner Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), who won the G1 Prix de l'Opera and booked her ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf as a result, will skip that engagement and is being freshened prior to being prepared for a 4-year-old campaign, Jour de Galop reported on Friday. The Yeguada Centurion homebred is trained by Christopher Head. In 2022, she won the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, and then completed a rare triple when adding the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G1 Prix...

Yeguada Centurion's Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}--Queen Blossom {Ire}, by Jeremy) had failed to fire in two starts after notching a Classic double in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G1 Prix de Diane, but was pitch-perfect in Sunday's G1 Prix de l'Opera Longines at ParisLongchamp to secure for a fourth elite-level triumph in game fashion. Last term's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine was supported down to favouritism in the betting market and broke on the lead from the inside stall before accepting a tow in third in...

There is something wonderfully refreshing about John Hayes. He stands at least 6'6'' tall with size 15 'lucky boots' and a towering personality to match. Prior to watching Jannah Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), the filly he bred from his beloved mare Sophie Germain (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), win the G1 Coolmore St Mark's Basilica Prix Saint-Alary, he serenaded guests of her owner Al Shira'aa Farms with a ditty about a cross-dressing gold-digger. It's the kind of theme that could so easily see people cancelled these days, but there could be...

France Galop has boosted a series of 21 premium races for unraced 2-year-olds with increased prizemoney and the first such event, Tuesday's €50,000 Prix du Premier Pas at Chantilly, was bolstered by a 'TDN Rising Star' performance from Christopher Head incumbent Ramatuelle (Justify--Raven's Lady {GB}, by Raven's Pass), a €100,000 Arqana August purchase, who debuted with a stunning display in the straight five-furlong test. Ramatuelle, sporting the Infinity Nine Horses silks, broke well from an outer stall and raced prominently throughout. Looming large on the bridle approaching the final furlong,...

Thank goodness for France. While Britain and Ireland mostly pause the serious Flat action in Grand National week, the French Classic trials rolled on with the return of racing at Longchamp on Sunday, which will be backed up by another strong card this coming Sunday. It was hard not to be impressed by the seasonal debut of Jannah Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who has raced only twice for two wins, and looked a proper Classic prospect for Al Shira'aa Farms and Carlos Laffon-Parias when winning the G3 Prix Vanteaux. When...

Yeguada Centurion's 3-year-old colt Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}--Hardiyna {Ire}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}), who failed to nose ahead in each of his first three outings, graduated in a Feb. 2 handicap at Chantilly and repeated the dose back there in last month's Mar. 3 Listed Prix Maurice Caillault. Sent forward for a sterner test in Sunday's G3 Prix La Force at ParisLongchamp, he dented a host of lofty reputations with a game performance in the nine-furlong French Derby trial to register a career high. Big Rock...

Yeguada Centurion's homebred 2-year-old filly Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}--Queen Blossom {Ire}, by Jeremy), who followed up wins at Saint-Cloud in June and at Clairefontaine in July with a runner-up finish in Deauville's Aug. 20 Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage in her latest start, made her experience tell in Thursday's G3 Prix d'Aumale at ParisLongchamp and surged to a career high in the one-mile fillies' test. The 13-5 second favourite was steadied to track the leaders in third after an alert getaway. Coming under pressure to reduce...