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. Friday's Observations features a son of Group 1 winner Grey Lilas (Ire) (Danehill).
13.55 Compiegne, Debutantes, €27,000, 3yo, c/g, 10fT GREY LUX (IRE) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is a son of the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp heroine Grey Lilas (Ire) (Danehill), whose best progeny to date was the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Prix d'Ispahan winner Golden Lilac (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Like those luminaries, Andre Fabre has charge of the Gestut Ammerland homebred who meets five peers at the track at which the trainer introduced his listed-winning half-brother Golden Guepard (Ire) (Hurricane Run (Ire).
14.25 Compiegne, Debutantes, €27,000, 3yo, f, 10fT ART MYTHIQUE (IRE) (Australia {GB}) is another Andre Fabre blueblood introduced on the card, being Ballymore Thoroughbred Racing's daughter of the Wildensteins' luminary Aquarelliste (Fr) (Danehill). The triple Group 1-winning Prix de Diane heroine has already produced the G1 Prix Jean Romanet runner-up Ame Bleue (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and listed scorer Any Time Soon (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and this May-foaled chestnut has time to add to the family's achievements, as does The Aga Khan's Ashalyka (Fr) (Dariyan {Fr}), a daughter of the dual Group 2 scorer Ashalanda (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}).
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 return of TDN Rising Stars Ramatuelle (Justify) and Beauvatier (Fr) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in a Saint-Cloud conditions event.
13.58 Saint-Cloud, Cond, €34,000, 2yo, 6fT
Christopher Head trainee RAMATUELLE (Justify) created a deep impression first time out when powering home by 4 1/2 lengths over five furlongs at Chantilly last month and the 'TDN Rising Star' makes her eagerly-awaited return upped in trip here. She encounters a trio of winners which includes fellow Rising Star Beauvatier (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who made an equally taking debut when routing his rivals by 5 1/2 lengths and more over the same five-furlong strip at Chantilly earlier this month.
13.45 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, f, 6fT
Coolmore and Westerberg's well-related MATRIKA (IRE) (No Nay Never) faces eight rivals in this debut. She is a full-sister to the dual Group 3-winning G1 Takarazuka Kinen runner-up Unicorn Lion (Ire) and a half-sister to G1 Prix Morny-winning sire The Wow Signal (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). Opposition to the Aidan O'Brien trainee includes Moyglare Stud Farm's homebred September Leaves (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), who is out of a full-sister to multiple Group 1-winning dual Hong Kong champion Designs On Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), from the Jessica Harrington stable; and $105,000 Keeneland September graduate Grand Job (Justify), who is kin to G3 UAE Oaks victrix Divine Image (Scat Daddy) and represents Joseph O'Brien.
On another big day for Shadwell, the 3-year-old bow of Enfjaar (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}–Tesoro {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) could easily have gone under the radar were it not for the deep impression the operation's latest TDN Rising Star created on Chelmsford's Polytrack. Having had the current Derby favourite Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) back in fourth when scoring on debut over seven furlongs at Newmarket in October, the Roger Varian-trained bay was the 4-7 favourite for the card's Racing Welfare Novice S. over a mile and broke smartly before being restrained.
A touch fresh tracking the leading pair throughout the early stages, the 240,000gns Tatts December Foal Sale graduate ranged alongside Lion Tamer (GB) (Roaring Lion) a furlong out and was soon in total command. Surging clear for David Egan, he had an impressive six lengths to spare over that Gosden representative at the line to become the sire's 13th TDN Rising Star. Among them are some big names such as Newspaperofrecord (Ire), Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) and Aunt Pearl (Ire).
The dam, a full-sister to the GI First Lady S. and GI Rodeo Drive S. heroine Photo Call (Ire), is also a half to the G2 Richmond S.-winning sire Land Force (Ire) (No Nay Never). They are out of the G3 Summer S. winner Theann (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), one of three group winners produced by the electric G2 King's Stand S. and G2 Temple S.-winning sprinter Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) including the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Nassau S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. winner Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}).
Halfway To Heaven was in turn responsible for the seven-times group-1 winning Magical (Ire) and triple group 1-winning Rhododendron (Ire) from matings with Tesoro's sire Galileo, with the latter responsible for last year's G1 Futurity hero and possible imminent Derby winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Cassandra Go's other pattern-race scorer is Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), whose career highs came in the G3 Abernant S. and G3 Sandown Sprint S. and who is now the dam of last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}). Tesoro's 2-year-old full-brother to Enfijaar named Nahy (Fr) caused a stir at the Book 1 Sale when going to Nawara Stud for 525,000gns, while her yearling colt by Almanzor (Fr) was a 72,000gns purchase by GHS Bloodstock at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.
4th-Chelmsford City, £11,000, Novice, 5-25, 3yo/up, 8f (AWT), 1:35.79, st. ENFJAAR (IRE), c, 3, Lope De Vega (Ire) 1st Dam: Tesoro (Ire), by Galileo (Ire) 2nd Dam: Theann (GB), by Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) 3rd Dam: Cassandra Go (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
(240,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA). Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $13,376. O-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd; B-James Wigan (IRE); T-Roger Varian. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Second impressive three-year-old victory of the day!
ENFJAAR defies a penalty and makes it 2 from 2 at Chelmsford under David Egan for @varianstable
In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by a pair of new stakes winners by No Nay Never on Saturday.
Coolmore sire No Nay Never sired a stakes double in America on Saturday, to bring his international total to 49 stakes winners.
First it was No Nay Mets (Ire), a colt from his 2021 crop, taking the Royal Palm Juvenile S. at Gulfstream Park (video), a Royal Ascot qualifier. Owned by Bregman Family Racing, LLC, the colt is trained by George Weaver.
Bred by Coolmore, the son of Etoile (War Front) was a €180,000 yearling out of the Arqana August Sale, and was a $335,000 buyback at the OBS Spring Sale in April. The first foal out of his Group 3-winning dam, No Nay Mets was making his racecourse debut. His granddam, Gagnoa (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), has produced group winner and G1 Criterium International second Ancient Rome (War Front), while this is also the family of G1 Derby winner Pour Moi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf heroine Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}).
Later in the afternoon, No Nay Never's No Nay Hudson (Ire) won the William Walker S. at Churchill Downs for trainer Wesley Ward (video). The 3-year-old colt is owned by Andrew Farm and For the People Racing Stable, LLC.
Part of the RJB Bloodstock breeding programme, the half-brother to the stakes-placed Tailor's Row (Street Cry {Ire}) was a $190,000 Keeneland September yearling when selected by Demi O'Byrne and Sean Grassick. His Grade II-winning dam has a juvenile colt named Old Flag (Ire) (U S Navy Flag) and a yearling full-brother to the winner still to come.
No Nay Never has sired 35 winners from 66 runners (53%) in the U.S. and has 17 stakes horses (26%). Of his nine stakes winners (13.6%) in that jurisdiction, GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Meditate (Ire) is his best runner so far.
NO NAY HUDSON takes The $225k William Walker Stakes with @James_D_Graham aboard for Wesley Ward!
No Nay Never was not the only stallion to sire a pair of winners in the U.S., as Ballylinch Stud's Lope De Vega (Ire) teamed up with Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables and his go-to trainer Chad Brown with 3-year-old winners Reflexivity (Ire) at Belmont Park (video) and Program Trading (GB) at Monmouth Park (video) this past week.
The Niarchos Family's Flaxman Stables Ireland bred Reflexivity out of their G3 Lacken S. heroine Only Mine (Ire) (Pour Moi {Ire}). Originally a €250,000 Goffs Orby yearling, the chestnut filly was bought back for $240,000 out of the OBS Spring Sale last month. Distant kin to Group 2 winner and multiple Grade I-placed Dream Peace (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) whose Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) won the G3 Musidora S. at York on Wednesday–she is followed by a yearling filly by Wootton Bassett (GB).
Fittocks Stud & Arrow Farm & Stud bred Klaravich's first-out Monmouth winner, Program Trading, who was bought by Mike Ryan out of Book 1 at Tattersalls October for 250,000gns. His half-sister Alabama Anna (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) has yet to race. From the family of G2 Park Hill S. winner Silk Sari (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}), who also ran second at Group 1 level, he is a half to a Pinatubo (Ire) filly born in 2022. Third dam Gossamer (GB) (Sadler's Wells) won the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas in 2002.
Lope De Vega has also sired 35 winners from 66 U.S. runners (53%). Of that batch, 16 are stakes horses (24%) and five are stakes winners (7.5%). Both Newspaperofrecord (Ire) and Aunt Pearl (Ire) won editions of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, the former for Brown and Klaravich.
