Observations: All Eyes on Ballydoyle Pair in the “Tough Talk” Maiden

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. Sunday's Insights features the well-bred River Tiber (Ire) at The Curragh for Ballydoyle. 

1.25 Curragh, Mdn, €17,000, 2yo, 6fT
RIVER TIBER (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) appears the pick of the two juvenile colts from Ballydoyle making his debut in this maiden which proved such a fertile source of group performers 12 months ago as Tough Talk (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) led home Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and other useful types. A 480,000gns Book 1 purchase, the February-foaled bay hails from the family of the 2013 G1 Phoenix S. winner Sudirman (Henrythenavigator) and Star Of India (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who captured last year's Listed Dee S. for this stable. Also here is Democracy (Ire) (No Nay Never), a full-brother to last year's G3 Oh So Sharp S. scorer Midnight Mile (Ire) from the family of Quarter Moon (Ire) (Sadler's Wells).

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Observations: Half to Sioux Nation is First Juvenile for Ballydoyle

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. Saturday's Insights features a half sibling to Group 1-winning sire Sioux Nation (Scat Daddy).

3.30 Cork, Listed, €42,500, 3yo/up, 6fT
TENEBRISM (Caravaggio) makes her seasonal bow in this Cork S. as she embarks on a pure sprinting campaign having tried her hand over a mile for most of last term. Successful in the 2021 G1 Cheveley Park S. at this trip, Westerberg and Coolmore's daughter of the high-class Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) added to her tally over seven in the G1 Prix Jean Prat in July and the world is her oyster now that she is concentrating purely on the speed tests.

4.05 Cork, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, 5fT
ALABAMA (IRE) (No Nay Never) carries the distinction of being the first juvenile of 2023 to step out from Ballydoyle and also carries some expectation, having been singled out by Aidan O'Brien at last week's press morning. Kin to the G1 Phoenix S. and G2 Norfolk S.-winning sire Sioux Nation by No Nay Never's sire Scat Daddy, the January-foaled bay will be one of the early Royal Ascot hopefuls among the Rosegreen youngbloods.

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Observations: Justify Duo Debut For Ballydoyle

Observations web blurb: 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 pair of Justify colts debuting for Ballydole at Leopardstown.

1.55 Leopardstown, Mdn, €15,000, 3yo, f, 10fT
ALL TIME GREAT (Justify) is the third foal out of the GI E. P. Taylor S. and G2 Ribblesdale S. heroine Curvy (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who has produced the GIII Cecil B. DeMille S. runner-up Caisson (War Front). From the family of the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas-winning sire Power (GB), the February-foaled chestnut is partnered by Seamie Heffernan as Ballydoyle continue to put their Classic hopes under the microscope.

2.30 Leopardstown, Mdn, €12,500, 3yo, c/g, 10fT
THE BLACK TIGER is another progeny of Justify to represent Rosegreen on the card, with Ryan Moore opting for this unraced half-brother to the G3 Prix des Chenes scorer and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Criterium International-placed Ancient Rome (War Front) and his full-sister Etoile, who captured the G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies' Sprint S. on her debut. The dam Gagnoa (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), who was twice a group 3 winner and was placed in three Classics including when second in the G1 Prix de Diane, is kin to the Derby hero Pour Moi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). Also from Ballydoyle is The Prairie (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a son of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Again (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) who was fourth at Killarney in October, while Jessie Harrington introduces Yuesheng Zhang's Dubawi Delight (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a gelded son of the famed Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}) who was a 425,000gns Book 1 purchase.

 

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Saturday Preview: The Flat Is Back

Ireland's Flat action may have already started and France's has been rumbling on for several days, but for many the real beginning to the season on the level is Doncaster's Lincoln H. on a Saturday which wrests the attention from the national hunt in no uncertain terms. Whether there is a horse of the calibre of Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) lurking in the prestigious mile handicap remains to be seen, but there is a strong vibe surrounding another member of the William Haggas tribe in 'TDN Rising Star' Al Mubhir (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who is the mount of Doncaster specialist Andrea Atzeni now operating as a freelance in a 2023 that will define his future riding career. “I thought he was going to be a good horse,” Haggas said of Al Mubhir, who had looked pattern-class all over when entered in the G3 Craven S. 12 months ago. “He won his maiden very nicely at Newmarket as a two-year-old and then I thought he was going to be a nice three-year-old. Then he was very disappointing. He was pretty unruly as well and lost his way a bit, but he finished the season well. I don't know how good he is, but he's always been a nice horse and I think he's in good shape.”

Donny Delights…

Also at Doncaster are the Listed Cammidge Trophy, which sees the return of the still-unexposed G2 Sandy Lane S. winner El Caballo (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) returning for the first time since beating only two home as the joint-favourite for the G1 Commonwealth Cup, and the Listed Doncaster Mile while the 2-year-olds assembled for the opening Brocklesby Conditions S.

 

Plat Du Jour…

'TDN Rising Star' Pensee Du Jour | Scoop Dyga

It is at Saint-Cloud that the high-stakes action takes place, however, with Andre Fabre seeking a third straight success with TDN Rising Star Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the G3 Prix Penelope. Staged over the 10 1/2-furlong trip of the Prix de Diane, the renowned trial has surprisingly not been won by a subsequent heroine of that Classic since Pensee Du Jour 's distant relative Pawneese (Ire), the Wildensteins' champion of 1976. Fabre already holds the record of nine in this and the way the Ballymore Thoroughbred representative went through her maiden at Chantilly in February and the Listed Prix Rose de Mai here early this month suggests that number 10 is imminent.

Come On, Get Happy…

Ballydoyle have begun the year with gusto and the presence of two of the stable's runners in the Penelope is certain to be an indicator of what is to come as Rosegreen look more to France than ever before. Ryan Moore is here and not on the aforementioned favourite for the Lincoln, so it is up to another daughter of Camelot in Be Happy (Ire) to make up for that missed opportunity. Impressive at Cork on debut in September, the relative of the Prix du Jockey Club hero Anabaa Blue (GB) and of the great Urban Sea was only fifth in The Curragh's G3 Staffordstown Stud S. the following month but this is a new year and her rider is quietly confident. “Be Happy will enjoy the expected soft ground and she is a filly we like,” he said. “She probably didn't get the run of the race at the Curragh and this longer trip will suit.” Jean-Claude Rouget saddles Denford Stud's dual Cagnes-Sur-Mer scorer Iznik (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), while Gainesway Ventures' Arqana December purchase Speirling Beag (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) adds weight having won Leopardstown's G3 Eyrefield S. and been in front of Be Happy when third in the Staffordstown.

Old Habits Die Hard…

In the G3 Prix Edmond Blanc, Al Asayl France's stalwart The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) has everything in his favour as he bids for a third renewal following his win in the course-and-distance Listed Prix Altipan three weeks ago, with the G3 Prix Perth one-two Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) and Tribalist (GB) (Farhh {GB}) and the 2021 G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Criterium International hero Angel Bleu (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) offering stern opposition. Unbeaten at this venue in five starts on ground that rode softer than good, the 8-year-old former QEII hero still sets the standard in this type of company.

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