Cairo Returns in the Knockaire

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 Observations features a son of Quality Road returning at Leopardstown seeking an initial stakes win.

14.10 Leopardstown, Listed, €40,000, 3yo/up, 8fT
CAIRO (IRE) (Quality Road) makes his return to the track after a five-month absence in this Listed Bahrain Turf Club Knockaire S., with his last start being a second to stablemate Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas. Also successful in the G3 Killavullan S. here 12 months ago, the relative of Gustav Klimt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) faces nine rivals tackling deep ground that will test his fitness.

HOW THEY FARED

16.46 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, c/g, 8fT
Blackpool (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the first runner for the G1 1000 Guineas, G1 Nassau S. and G1 Matron S. heroine Legatissimo (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), put up a sound debut effort in fourth behind his mightily impressive stablemate Ocean Of Dreams (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}).

13.20 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, f, 7f 23yT
Azada (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), the half-sister to Australian champion and sire The Autumn Sun (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), earned TDN Rising Star status with this taking debut in difficult conditions.

13.55 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, c/g, 7f 23yT
Moyglare Stud's Dermot Weld-trained debutant Spoken Truth (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), a full-brother to last year's G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Homeless Songs (Ire), made headway from off the pace in the straight and finished one length and two heads behind the winner in fourth.

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Saint-Cloud: Juvenile Features Dominate Sunday Action

Saint-Cloud stage the key fayre on Sunday, with the G1 Criterium International and G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud offering the juvenile crop a late opportunity to flaunt Classic pretensions. In the 10-furlong Criterium de Saint-Cloud, Ballydoyle look for their first winner since 2010 with the impressive Curragh maiden winner Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) while the Joseph O'Brien-trained compatriot Islandsinthestream (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) will provide clues as to the merit of his G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. conqueror Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Godolphin's unbeaten Andre Fabre-trained TDN Rising Star Casapueblo (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}) is also in the mix along with Bernardine and Sean Mulryan's Haynes, Hanson & Clark S. winner Bracken's Laugh (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). His trainer Richard Hughes said, “It's a big ask going into such a race on just your second start, but that's why I ran him in a winner's race at Newbury. He needed to run in a proper race to prove himself and I feel he did that on the day, he made up a two or three lengths on a couple of winners and won well at the line and he proved he goes on the heavy ground.”

“When you spend 200,000gns on a horse you hope you are buying a superstar and I stuck my neck on the line for this fella,” Hughes added. “He's a huge horse and he did a very good breeze back in May when he shouldn't have been able. He's got an abundance of pace and he's bred to stay a minimum of a mile and a half. I feel I have ticked all the boxes other than having only run once.”

In the Criterium International, another TDN Rising Star from the Fabre stable is Baron Edouard De Rothschild's Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}), who beat the re-opposing Saganti (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) and Havana Cigar (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) in the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon over this mile trip and track last month. Guy Pariente, Thomas Lines and Qatar Racing's G2 Champagne S. runner-up Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) is a key opponent and trainer David Menuisier believes he has a measure of the merit of Alcantor. “It's the form line of the Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud, when we finished fourth with Devil's Point and Andre Fabre's horse looks really good,” he said. “We respect the opposition but the horse is really well and I'm counting on him for a big run.”

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Ancient Wisdom To Be Supplemented To The Kameko Futurity Trophy

Godolphin's Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), who cost €2 million as a juvenile at Arqana, will be supplemented for the G1 Kameko Futurity Trophy on Saturday, Oct. 28.

A winner of the G3 Autumn S. last out, the colt is reportedly doing well. His record stands at three wins from four starts for trainer Charlie Appleby, and he pleased connections in a Saturday morning workout.

“Ancient Wisdom, brilliant winner of the G3 Autumn S. on Future Champions Day at Newmarket, worked well this morning and the intention is to supplement him for next weekend's Group 1 Futurity S. at Doncaster,” Godolphin tweeted on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.

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Final Leg of 2023 Corinthian Challenge in the Books

Kilkenny man Michael O'Neill, aboard Slate Lane (Ire) (Ask {GB}) for trainer Emmet Mullins in the colours of owner Paul Byrne, took the third and final leg of the 2023 Corinthian Challenge at Leopardstown on Saturday. The overall winner of the series, Damien Moore, was also crowned having won the opening leg at Naas Racecourse and placed in the other two legs to accumulate the most points.

The Corinthian Challenge is an annual charity race series run by Irish Injured Jockeys Fund to raise awareness and much needed funds for organization. Challengers are essentially volunteers who apply to participate in the three-race series, they each get the chance to experience first-hand what it is like to be a jockey from training and fitness to race preparation right through to riding on the track at Naas, the Curragh, and Leopardstown Racecourses respectively. To date, it has raised over €500,000, with this year's crew within reach of their collective target of €100,000.

“This is unbelievable, I absolutely loved it!” O'Neill said. “I tried to follow Emmet Mullins's instructions to the tee and he was spot on and the horse delivered for me in great style. I am so grateful to Emmet, the owner Paul Byrne and all the team in the yard for their support. The whole challenge has been amazing to be part of and I'd encourage anyone thinking about it to just go for it, it's for a great cause!”
For those interested in riding in the 2024 renewal or to donate, visit the Corinthian Challenge website.

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