Miss Amulet returns to Kentucky, where she was third in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland in November, to face a field of males in the 6 ½-furlong test for 3-year-olds. Last year, the Irish-bred daughter of Sir Prancelot trained by Ken Condon brought a growing reputation with her to the U.S. This time, she is looking to bounce back from a pair of disappointing performances in Europe. Julien Leparoux, who was up for the Breeders' Cup, has the mount from post 5 in the full field of 12.

Mark Bourke, a member of Condon's staff, brought Miss Amulet back to the commonwealth this week.

“She's a rags-to-riches filly,” Bourke said. “She did very well as a 2-year-old. She won the Lowther (the G2 six-furlong Sky Bet Lowther at York) was second and third in two other Group 1 races, including the third here in the Breeders' Cup in November.”

The big performances in the graded stakes made her a valuable racing and breeding prospect and she was purchased by Coolmore partner Michael Tabor in late summer 2020. She runs in the name of Tabor's wife. Doreen and has stayed with Condon, who has had her throughout her career.

This year, Miss Amulet has not been as effective. She was 13th of 14 in the G1 one-mile Irish 1,000 Guineas over heavy ground on May 23. A planned run in the G1 Commonwealth Cup on June 18 at Royal Ascot was scuttled by heavy rain. In her most recent start, she was well back in the G1 July Cup on July 10 at Newmarket.

In an interview with The Racing Post, Condon said: “She hasn't been at her best in her couple of runs this season, but it'll be interesting to see how she gets on because she's in great form and has been doing well of late. She's only run twice and there were certainly mitigating circumstances on her first start of 2021 in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.”

Condon also said: “I'd imagine she's going to be covered by an Ashford stallion in the spring, but if she showed up well over there you'd think she could end up running again over there. There are opportunities for a filly like her in the States.”

Miss Amulet was purchased as a weanling at auction for $1,134 and purchased as a yearling by Colm Griffin for $9,259. The Tabor group acquired her in a private sale after the Lowther victory. She was beaten a half-length in the G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park at Newmarket before going on to the Breeders' Cup.

Bourke has twice had Miss Amulet out on the Kentucky Downs track, which resembles European courses and is unlike any other in North America. She is scheduled for another visit Friday morning.

“It rides lovely,” he said. “It's a rare opportunity that you can do this here in America, a turf-only course. They've done a great job here. They've been very welcoming and helpful. Hopefully we'll have a little bit of luck.”

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“We got a lot more rain than we anticipated overnight. We were forecast 15 millimetres at the most in the last 24 hours,” he explained on Friday. “It's come completely out of left field, unfortunately. The track would not be raceable today. We'll just have to monitor things as we go along. If more rain came than was forecast, that would give us a problem. We're hopeful, but we will have a precautionary inspection tomorrow morning.”

In the event the fixture takes place, an ability to handle testing ground is obviously a given and with the easy surface in part to blame for the eclipse of Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) in Sunday's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, it is hard to see Jim Bolger welcoming the deluge for the seeker of the prestigious G1 English-Irish 2000 Guineas double. He does have a proven lover of the ground as back-up in Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), who relished similar conditions when taking the G1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster in October. If he is none the worse for his infection suffered when fourth in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown May 9, the homebred is made for the stamina test this race will provide.

Another with Group 1-winning form on testing ground is Van Gogh (American Pharoah), who was very much at home on it when taking Saint-Cloud's G1 Criterium International by four lengths in October. Out of the 2001 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Imagine (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), he ran eighth in the May 1 G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on contrasting ground and Aidan O'Brien expects improvement.

“He was very close to being fifth in the Guineas, he just got tired in the last 50 yards,” he said. “Maybe our Newmarket horses were a couple of weeks behind where we thought they were. He came out of the race very well. He is a big, strong traveller. He had very good form at the back end of last year and we have been very happy with him since as well. I don't think he is a horse that needs soft ground. His form ended up on soft ground at the end of the year, but that was just because of the weather.”

Runner-up in a soft-ground G1 Dewhurst S., Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is the pick of Ryan Moore and he is looking for a much-improved performance from him and another Newmarket Guineas disappointment in Battleground (War Front). The latter ploughed through the soft when winning the Listed Chesham S. at Royal Ascot last June, but there is more evidence that Wembley will be able to give his best on this type of ground.

“Our three colts are on a retrieval mission after the 2000 Guineas, though to be fair I thought Van Gogh shaped very well there on ground that would have been too quick for him and this deeper surface will really play to his staying strengths,” he said. “Clearly, Wembley and Battleground didn't run up to expectations at Newmarket, but we know both are much, much better than that and Wembley is another colt who will prefer this softer ground. He just wasn't himself at Newmarket and I wasn't hard him on there once his chance had clearly gone at the two-furlong pole. It was soft when he finished second to the French Guineas winner St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the Dewhurst, and we clearly anticipate better from him and Battleground here.”

It is hard to be categoric about the ground for Zhang Yuesheng's Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), as he took this track's G1 Phoenix S. on good-to-yielding in August and is by a sire whose progeny excel when there is cut underfoot. Handling a quick surface when third in the 2000 Guineas, he will have his stamina stretched by this examination and trainer Jessie Harrington is far from confident about his ability to handle conditions.

“The ground won't suit him, but it's going to be the same for all of them,” she said. “I've been very happy with him since Newmarket.”

Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' La Barrosa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) is another unproven on this going, having flopped when fifth in the Criterium International but he was back to form when runner-up to Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in Newmarket's G3 Craven S. over this mile trip last time Apr. 15.

“La Barrosa disappointed on testing ground at Saint-Cloud, but we feel there were other contributing factors that day,” Charlie Appleby explained. “It was the end of the season and he scoped dirty post-race, so I think you can put a bit of a line through that run. His preparation has gone well and he put up a very good performance behind Master of the Seas on his three-year-old return. A repeat of that effort should make him very competitive.”

There has to be doubts as to whether the Ballydoyle support cast will turn up in their expected numbers, with the Apr. 10 Dundalk maiden winner Cadamosto (Ire) (No Nay Never) already a non-runner on five occasions this term. He is due to take part in the G3 GAIN Marble Hill S., where stablemate The Entertainer (Ire) (Caravaggio) is also engaged having scored on his sole start at Navan last Saturday. Deep ground is an unknown in general for juveniles and it will be interesting to see if the well-regarded Donnacha O'Brien-trained Masseto (GB) (Territories {Ire}) lines up against the colt he beat on debut at Navan Apr. 25, Celtic Times (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}).

Also on the card is the G2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands S., where the Hambleton Racing colourbearer Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) reappears under a three-pound penalty for his success in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. in similar conditions in October. Also forced to carry a penalty is Teruya Yoshida's Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) in the G2 Lanwades Stud S., with the G1 Matron S. scorer hardened by a return fourth in the seven-furlong G3 Athasi S. at The Curragh May 3.

At a similarly rain-hit Haydock, the six-furlong G2 Sandy Lane S. and G2 Temple S. over five will represent wars of attrition for the sprinters. Slow, sapping ground is a question mark for Yoshiro Kubota's unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) in the Sandy Lane, given how electric he was on good-to-firm at Hamilton May 2.

“He has done everything right so far this year and he answered everything that we have asked of him since his debut on the all-weather,” trainer Archie Watson said. “He is going back up to six furlongs and we are hopeful that he will handle the softer ground up there, as the ground was quick last time out at Musselburgh. This is a big step up in class and it should give us an idea of where we are with him.”

Shadwell's G3 Horris Hill S. winner Mujbar (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) loves it deep and is a proven stayer at this trip, so everything is set up for a big effort from the half-brother to the G1 Commonwealth Cup hero Eqtidaar (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

“He is obviously proven on soft ground, as he won his Group 3 in those conditions at Newbury last year,” trainer Charlie Hills said. “I was slightly disappointed with his run in the Greenham, but I've been really pleased with him since and he is training a lot better now. For some reason at Newbury he just ran a bit fresh with the choke out and that probably cost him.”

In the Temple, a clutch of classy sprint fillies and mares trained in the North clash with Liberty Beach (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}), Lady In France (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) and Keep Busy (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) having been third, fourth and fifth respectively in ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix de l'Abbaye in October. John Quinn trains Liberty Beach and Keep Busy and said of them, “They are two good fillies and you have got to run them somewhere, it would be unfair not to run one of them so we're just hoping for a bit of luck. I don't think any extra rain would be a problem for either of them. They've form in good ground and they have shown they go in soft ground, which is important. Liberty Beach was a very good 2-year-old and showed very strong form last year while Keep Busy was a very tough two year old and has just kept on improving.”

At the other end of the stamina spectrum, Koji Maeda's G3 Prix Belle de Nuit winner Believe In Love (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) returns in York's G3 William Hill Bronte Cup Fillies' S. over a near-14-furlong trip.

In Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas, John Oxley's 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) heads 14 fillies with soft ground holding no fears based on the evidence of her impressive success in Newmarket's G1 Fillies' Mile in October. Denied the chance to contest the May 2 Newmarket Classic due to an unsatisfactory scope, she will not be renewing rivalry with her G1 Moyglare Stud S. conqueror Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) after that peer was a significant scratching at the confirmation stage on Friday. Drawn widest of all, she encounters Doreen Tabor's G2 Lowther S. winner Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}), who was taken out of Sunday's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at ParisLongchamp but has fared little better with the draw here in 12. Also wide in 11 is Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor's May 9 G3 Irish 1000 Guineas Trial scorer Joan of Arc (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), while the May 2 G1 1000 Guineas third Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) is in nine.

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The inaugural Marwell S., contested in early August 2020, was won by the Ken Condon-trained Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}), who won the G2 Lowther S. in her next appearance before placing in the G1 Cheveley Park Stud S. and in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf.

The announcement comes ahead of next week's Arqana Breeze-Up Sale, which has been relocated from Deauville to Doncaster due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“We are delighted to renew our partnership with Naas Racecourse, which provides a great opportunity to showcase Arqana in Ireland,” the company's executive director Freddy Powell said. “The country has a very important place in the industry, both for breeding and racing, and it is a way for us to thank the Irish buyers and vendors who put their confidence in us throughout the year by being present at the Deauville sales. Many pinhookers will offer 2-year-olds at the Breeze-Up next week, several of whom invested in them as yearlings at Arqana.”

Added Eamonn McEvoy, general manager of Naas Racecourse: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with Arqana, a sales company that continue to go from strength to strength judged on the calibre of graduates coming from their sales. Arqana is a globally recognized power house, a brand Naas Racecourse are very proud to partner with. The team at Arqana are wonderful to work with and we thank them for their continued support.”

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“Miss Amulet will hopefully start back in the French 1000 Guineas,” Condon said. “She'll go straight there on May 16. She had a very good year last year and kept progressing. She finished off with a third in the Breeders' Cup over a mile.

“Longchamp might be the most suitable place for her to run in a Classic. In future she may come back in trip. Hopefully she has trained on–you never really know until they run. She's done well physically, she looks well and is training nicely. All the signs are pretty good. She'll take her chance and we'll make a plan after that.”

Condon revealed that David Kelly's Thunder Beauty (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), a Curragh maiden winner last summer before running fifth in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. and seventh in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, heads straight to the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 2.

“She seems to be very well and is forward in her coat,” the trainer said. “Her fast work up to this point has gone very well. She'll take her chance in Newmarket.

“She's relatively lightly-raced. She won her maiden at The Curragh nicely and I thought she ran a lovely race in the Moyglare from an outside draw. I'd forgive her France; it was very bad ground and there was a bit of barging and scrimmaging in the straight. Billy [Lee] looked after her when her chance had gone. She'll be a big price, but she's by a nice sire and we're happy with her.”

Condon likewise has 3-year-olds Teresa Mendoza (Ire) (Territories {Ire}) and Law Of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}) to look forward to. The Moyglare Stud S. tenth Teresa Mendoza makes her reappearance in Cork's Listed Polonia S. on May 7, while Law Of Indices may take in the G3 Lacken S. on May 16 en route to the G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot.

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The dark clouds had gathered come Ireland’s opening turf fixture of the year at Naas in March, with the meeting held behind closed doors and giving rise to now customary scenes. As the curtain was raised, an oft-repeated sketch unfolded with Jim Bolger homebred Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) annexing the first juvenile event of the year, a feat which the trainer had previously achieved on multiple occasions including with Poetic Flare’s sire in 2012. Normal service resumed but, then again, not. The global pandemic soon tightened its grip and a wide-ranging lockdown left much of Europe at a standstill, Scandinavia being a notable exception, until Germany set the powerhouses rolling again in May.

Germany doesn’t schedule early juvenile contests as a matter of course and so France led the way in that sphere. Haras de la Gousserie and Guy Pariente’s Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) registered a comfortable two-length score over six furlongs at Saint-Cloud in the first such event as the season, belatedly, geared up once more. He’d go on to claim an emphatic eight-length tally in ParisLongchamp’s G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc day before posting a commendable fifth in Keeneland’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. One day later, Haras de Colleville-based Goken (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) became Europe’s first freshman sire off the mark when subsequent Listed Prix La Fleche and G3 Prix du Bois victrix Livachope (Fr) annexed a five-furlong dash at Chantilly.

Fellow freshmen Dariyan (Fr) and Bow Creek (Ire), both sons of Shamardal, followed suit at Lyon-Parilly and Baden-Baden, respectively, before the year’s breakout star Mehmas (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) notched a quickfire double in early June. Bridge Dress Me (Ire) became the Tally-Ho Stud resident’s first-of-many at Rome’s Capanelle venue and fellow Goffs graduate Muker (Ire) repeated the dose, within the hour, at Newcastle. Chemeh (Ire)‘s Boxing Day victory over 8 1/2 furlongs at Siracusa extended his European record haul to an astounding 56 individual first-crop winners for the shortened season.

The usual run to early June heralds last calls for Royal Ascot preparations, but this year became the hunting ground for gameday time and many heats were oversubscribed and primed for splitting. In a welcome move, the Royal meeting’s 2-year-old contests were scheduled for the latter part of a subdued week and opportunity knocked in the Listed Windsor Castle S. for The Queen’s Tactical (GB) (Toronado {Ire}), who added Newmarket’s G2 July S. before finishing off the board in three starts at the highest level. Listed Chesham S. victor Battleground (War Front), the first foal out of Arc heroine Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Ballydoyle’s lone juvenile success of the week, fared better in the aftermath by annexing Goodwood’s G2 Vintage S. in some style and running second in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Dandalla (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), another Karl Burke diamond mined for little outlay, produced the younger generation’s best Royal performance with a six-length G3 Albany S. win, doubling up in Newmarket’s G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. and closing her campaign with a G1 Cheveley Park S. fifth.

“I think he’d look better running in someone else’s silks,” joked trainer Michael Bell after The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) provided his Ballyhane Stud freshman with a first winner in the process of lowering the all-aged track record at Great Yarmouth at the beginning of June. He franked that form and emulated his sire’s 2016 G2 Norfolk S. success, doing so in the Qatar Racing colours second time out. Runner-up finishes in the G2 Prix Robert Papin and G1 Phoenix S. followed and preceded off-the-board efforts in the G1 Middle Park S. and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Frequent flyer Wesley Ward is usually outta there come former ‘Heath Day’, but his enforced delay was rewarded with a fourth renewal of the G2 Queen Mary S. when Stonestreet Stables’ Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) backed up a Gulfstream Park debut score in the five-furlong dash. She also annexed Deauville’s G1 Prix Morny and closed out the year with a fourth in Keeneland’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Marie McCartan’s Nando Parrado (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) had given little indication of future highs when a debut fifth at Newmarket earlier in the month and outstripped that form, and then some, by claiming G2 Coventry S. glory at the meeting’s new record high odds of 150-1. Tried at the highest level in two subsequent starts, he ran second to Campanelle in the G1 Prix Morny and then to Sealiway in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

Royal Ascot winners claimed three of the six Newmarket July and Glorious Goodwood juvenile fixtures, with outliers headed by subsequent G1 Vincent O’Brien National S. fourth Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G2 Superlative S. at HQ and subsequent G1 Middle Park S. hero Supremacy (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) making all in the G2 Richmond S. at Goodwood.

Richard Hannon trainee Ventura Tormenta (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) tarnished The Lir Jet’s record in the G2 Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly while Laws of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}) subdued Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in the G2 Railway S. at The Curragh. Lucky Vega exacted revenge, three weeks later, in the G1 Phoenix S. over the same six-furlong course and distance. The Co. Kildare venue also played host to a hot renewal of August’s G2 Futurity S., which went the way of Jim Bolger’s newest standardbearer Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) at the expense of subsequent G2 Golden Fleece S. winner Cadillac (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Golden Fleece runner-up and G1 Criterium International hero Van Gogh (American Pharoah).

Other August highlights include the G3 Acomb S. win of subsequent G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud victor Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}); the G2 Gimcrack S. score for subsequent G1 Middle Park S. third Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}); the G2 Prix du Calvados victory of subsequent G1 Prix Marcel Boussac unlucky-in-running fourth Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}); and the early rounds of the Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) versus Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) ding-dong, with the former, trained by Donnacha O’Brien, drawing first blood in the G3 Silver Flash S. and the Joseph O’Brien-trained latter gaining revenge in the G2 Debutante S. at The Curragh. They’d meet again down the line with Shale reasserting in September’s G1 Moyglare Stud S. and Pretty Gorgeous levelling up in October’s G1 Fillies’ Mile.

September presented an informative edition of the G1 Vincent O’Brien National S., with Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) exhibiting rare acceleration to rise above a hot field featuring subsequent G1 Dewhurst S. first and second St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), as well as the aforementioned Master of the Seas, Lucky Vega, Laws of Indices and Mac Swiney. Thunder Moon closed his year with a third in the Dewhurst.

In common with Thunder Moon, Jeff Smith’s Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) had not appeared until August and backed up a Newbury debut score for the Andrew Balding stable with a second to the battle-hardened dual sales-race winner Happy Romance (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) in early September’s G3 Dick Poole Fillies’ S. at Salisbury. She reversed that form at the end of the month when defeating G2 Lowther S. victrix and subsequent GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf third Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) in the G1 Cheveley Park S., with Happy Romance fourth.

Other notable performances during the month included George Strawbridge’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Indigo Girl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a homebred full-sister to G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares heroine Journey (GB), snagging Doncaster’s G2 May Hill S. en route to a second in the G1 Fillies’ Mile; Michael Pescod’s G1 Dewhurst ninth Chindit (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) securing a third G2 Champagne S. for Richard Hannon; and the G2 Beresford S. victory of the hitherto unbeaten ‘TDN Rising Star’ High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Suffering just one reversal in her first seven starts, Charley Rossi trainee Tiger Tanaka (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) notched a trio of claiming scores in the provinces and scaled the heights when steered by Rossi’s partner Jessica Marcialis to a popular success in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day. She closed her year with a fourth to Gear Up in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud later in October. Best of Lips (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}), who had saluted in Cologne’s G3 Preis des Winterfavoriten, was another left in Gear Up’s wake at Saint-Cloud. Elsewhere in Germany, Manfred Schmelzer’s Noble Heidi (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) edged Baden-Baden’s G3 Preis der Winterkonigin and entered winter quarters having won three of her four races. Sealiway, Pretty Gorgeous, St Mark’s Basilica and Van Gogh also enjoyed their elite-level moments during the month, but, with ever-tightening controls coming into force, the season concluded as it began and resumed: under something of a cloud.

However, Jim Bolger trainee Poetic Flare opened up the year in style and was on parade in the final days, winning Leopardstown’s G3 Killavullan S. a week before Mac Swiney’s G1 Futurity swansong. Thus, Bolger bookended the season with a hint of nostalgia and the Coolcullen maestro once again has a live contender for the Derby. Maybe, just maybe, hope of a return to some form of normality is not forlorn.

Dark Horses

Britain: Michael Tabor’s Star Seeking (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) was a shade testy during the preliminaries when making her debut in a seven-furlong novice fillies’ heat at Leicester in September. However, she displayed an impressive turn of foot before being heavily eased for a one-length win in the process of earning ‘TDN Rising Star’ status. The Sir Michael Stoute trainee, unseen since and light on entries, hails from a family featuring MG1SW sire Linngari (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Mont Ormel (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Ire}) and 2020’s G2 King Edward VII S. and G2 Great Voltigeur S. victor Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}).

Ireland: Coolmore’s Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), a half-sister to GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Iridessa (Ire) (Ruler of the World {Ire}), is another once-raced ‘TDN Rising Star’ and posted a highly encouraging 2 1/2-length debut score in a mile maiden at The Curragh in September. Held in high regard by rider Seamus Heffernan, the March-foaled bay retains entries for the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and G1 Irish Oaks. She is a granddaughter of GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare and GI Matriarch S. heroine Starine (Fr) (Mendocino).

France: Juddmonte homebred Petricor (GB) (Frankel {GB}) caused something of a stir when powering to a taking 1 1/2-length success in a 7 1/2-furlong debutantes’ heat at Deauville, but has remained under wraps since that ‘TDN Rising Star’ display in August. The Andre Fabre trainee hails from a family featuring MG1SW sires Brian Boru (GB) (Sadler’s Wells), Workforce (GB) (King’s Best) and Best Solution (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}).

Germany: The dying embers of Germany’s turf schedule yielded two late-season efforts of note. Klaus-Henning Schmoock’s homebred Wintermond (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) encountered testing conditions in a nine-furlong maiden at Hoppegarten in November and made light of soft-to-heavy going en route to an impressive eight-length rout. The Stefan Richter trainee is kin to MGSW G2 International Topkapi Trophy victor Wonnemond (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) from the family of MG1SW sire Windwurf (Ger) (Kaiseradler {Ger}) and 2019 G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).

No less impressive was Stall Lucky Owner’s Kir Royal (Ger) (Lord of England {Ger}), who also caught the eye on debut in November and outclassed his rivals in a seven-furlong maiden on soft ground at Munich. One of eight winners for his stakes-placed dam, the Henk Grewe trainee is from the family of G2 German 1000 Guineas heroine Kali (Ger) (Areion {Ger}).

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“The mile was always a question mark, but to my eyes she got it well, and we were delighted with her,” said Condon. “She’s had a busy season, but she’s retained her form well, and there is plenty to look forward to next year.

“I think her main aim early on will be the French Guineas–we think that might suit her better. I know all the Guineas are run over a mile, but some tracks are stiffer than others. The winner the other night [Aunt Pearl] is obviously very good–she set sensible fractions, and we knew then it would be difficult to come from behind, but we were delighted with how our filly finished off and put a bit of daylight between the fourth, who won the Prix Morny [Campanelle].

“She’s been on the go since the first week racing resumed. She’s been to England twice–that was her eighth run, so credit to her, she has exceeded all expectations. We know if she doesn’t stay a mile we have the option of coming back in trip, but I had a quick exchange with Michael Tabor after the race and I think the French Guineas is where we are going.”

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That was indeed the case for Domenico Zammitti, a regular visitor to Newmarket from his native Sicily, who sat in the ring that Thursday morning and decided he liked the look of lot 2279, a scopey grey mare by Oasis Dream (GB) offered by Ringfort Stud. The fact that she had won four races herself and was already the dam of two winners makes it scarcely believable that she was sold for just 1,200gns, but it is an example of just how tough the market can be at the lower end. The then 10-year-old mare Shena’s Dream was carrying a foal by Haatef and was subsequently exported to Sicily to Zammitti’s residence, where she duly foaled a filly the following April.

Just over two months later, the pedigree of both mother and daughter received a boost when the mare’s 2-year-old filly Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) broke her maiden on her third start at Cork in July. One update led to another, when Miss Amulet beat the evens-favourite Frenetic (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the listed Marwell S.at Naas in August, and so it went on. Just over a fortnight later she romped home on the Knavesmire to give Ringfort Stud a memorable York Ebor meeting when Miss Amulet’s G2 Lowther S. win followed the G2 Gimcrack S. victory of Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), providing plenty of reflected glory for her breeder in consolation for her having been sold as a foal for just €1,000.

Miss Amulet’s subsequent exploits for trainer Ken Condon, with Group/Grade 1 placings in the Cheveley Park S. and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, have not just enhanced her own profile, but that of her dam and her half-sister, who will be making a reappearance at Tattersalls this December. For Shena’s Dream, her daughter’s success means an instant upgrade in catalogue placing from Thursday to Tuesday, when she will be offered as lot 1602. She should know her way around Park Paddocks by now, as she will be stabled back in the Wall Boxes, just one row down from where she was last year but this time being sold by Luca and Sara Cumani’s Fittocks Stud, who will also offer her Haatef filly as lot 817 on the Friday of the December Foal Sale.

“We were contacted by Franca Vittadini, who is the Italian representative for Tattersalls, to ask if we would sell the mare and foal for Mr Zammitti and they arrived with us in early October,” said Sara Cumani.

“The owner’s normal modus operandi is to buy inexpensive mares at Tattersalls, take them back to Sicily and then race the foals they produce at Siracusa.”

Luca Cumani added, “Nico Zammitti was a top-class tennis player and he’s very excited about this. He follows all the racing and updates on the internet. He has about six acres and basically he keeps the horses in his back garden.”

The sales fortunes of Shena’s Dream’s offspring have already been lifted by the success of Miss Amulet. In September, Ringfort Stud sold her El Kabeir filly at the Tattersalls Ascot Yearling Sale for £45,000, the fourth-top price of the one-day sale.

“The yearling has joined Michael Bell in Newmarket, which is great news,” said Sara Cumani. “Shena’s Dream herself is a very straightforward and attractive mare and is a great walker. We are very pleased to be bringing her and her foal to the sale on behalf of Mr Zammitti.”

Shena’s Dream, who wasn’t covered this year, is one of two Oasis Dream mares bred by Pat O’Kelly’s Kilcarn Stud to have produced a group winner this season. The Jim Bolger-bred Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment is out of the Kilcarn graduate Dream On Buddy (Ire), who also makes an appearance on one of the pages of the December Mare Sale as her daughter Bandiuc Eile (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) is being sold through Bolger’s grand-daughter Clare Manning of Boherguy Stud.

Fittocks Stud is also selling a homebred daughter of Oasis Dream (lot 1548), the 3-year-old Blue Dawn (GB), who is out of a half-sister to G3 Nell Gwyn S. winner Fantasia (GB) (Sadler’s Wells), and the Cumanis will offer just two foals at Tattersalls, both during Friday’s session.

The second to take to the ring will be lot 944, one of three Dubawi weanlings in the sale and a half-brother to Australian Group 1 winner Best Of Days (GB) (Azamour {Ire}), who also won the G2 Royal Lodge S. in Britain.

Out of the German listed winner Baisse (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}), the colt is being sold on behalf of his breeder Gerhard Schoeningh, the owner of Germany’s Hoppegarten racecourse. His full-sister was offered as a weanling at Tattersalls two years ago and was the second-top lot of the sale when sold to Godolphin through Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for 725,000gns.

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“Those kinds of flagship horses are crucial for any sale,” said Matt Prior, Tattersalls Ascot’s head of sales. “Last year we sold approximately 150 horses and within that we’ve got a real flagship colt and a flagship filly. It’s been an ideal showcase for the sale-Steel Bull was bought for £15,000, won the Molecomb hugely impressively and looked unlucky in his last start and like one to keep an eye on in the later Group 1s in the year.

“Miss Amulet has been a revelation for a filly that cost £7,500. She’s a great bargain buy type of advert, which is what Ascot has the reputation for. Summer Sands was that the year before. Miss Amulet looks like she’s going to take all the beating in the Cheveley Park having won the Lowther, so she’s a dream filly to have come out of the sale. I think that will give people confidence to come back this year, and they should know that there is no doubt that some of next year’s high-class juveniles are in the catalogue and they can go out there with confidence and find them.”

With siblings to 96 2-year-old winners and 69 yearlings out of 2-year-old-winning mares catalogued, buyers won’t have to dig too deep to find precocious types, and two that should make most short lists are Ringfort Stud’s half-sister to Miss Amulet (lot 143) from the first crop of Yeomanstown’s Scat Daddy son El Kabeir; and Linacre House Stud’s full-sister to prior stakes-winning Ascot yearling graduate Flaming Princess (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) (lot 116) (more on her in yesterday’s TDN). They are among 20 siblings to black-type performers catalogued.

“I think it says a lot about where the sale has come in four years that now we’re starting to offer the siblings to black-type winners that we’ve sold, such as James Kelly’s Linacre House Stud’s smashing Gutaifan full-sister to Flaming Princess,” Prior said. “It’s a really good filly family and she looks like she could be a Queen Mary filly next year; she’s that kind of filly. As an individual people won’t be disappointed when they see her; she’s by a stallion that’s really kicked on this year with Fev Rover coming out recently. I think she’s going to be on people’s short lists.

“And Derek Veitch of Ringfort Stud, who bred Miss Amulet, he’s returning this year with a filly from the first crop of El Kabeir, so there’s a bit of residual value as well. Reports are she’s a really nice individual that I think is going to be popular and could go to any sale, so we’re lucky to have them in our sale. It’s a real feather in the cap for the sale this year to have those vendors that have been rewarded by selling nice horses with us to come back and have confidence to bring the siblings to the market.”

Whitsbury Manor Stud has been a regular supporter of the Ascot Yearling Sale, and the Harper family’s nursery brings eight yearlings this year including a colt from the second crop of Goken (Fr) (lot 245), the leading first-crop sire in France this season and second only to Mehmas (Ire) currently among all European first-crop sires. Goken sired Sunday’s G3 Prix la Rochette victor Go Athletico (Fr). Lot 245 is a three-quarter brother to Kendargent (Fr) stakes winners Kendam (Fr) and Kenfreeze (Fr) and is the only progeny of his sire thus far offered at a UK yearling sale. Ed Harper purchased the dam, Damdam Freeze (Fr) (Indian Rocket {GB}), for €50,000 carrying this colt at Arqana December in 2018 and, with the addition of some updates from Kendam’s G3 Prix La Rochette victor Kenway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}), she was sold to Mags O’Toole at Tattersalls July this year for 70,000gns in foal to Showcasing (GB).

“I had an inkling that Goken might surprise a few people amongst the first season sires so I was keen to buy the best quality mare I could that was in foal from his second season,” Harper explained. “We’ve been fortunate the mare has provided us with an athletic colt, he’s compact but has a lovely way of going and there’s also been a nice update on the page with Kenway picking up more group race placings under the first dam. He should attract good attention from anyone that has seen how well Goken’s runners have been performing.”

With Showcasing as its flagbearer, Adaay (Ire) and Due Diligence having gotten off to promising starts and the G1 Flying Five S. winner Havana Grey (GB) also coming up through the ranks, Whitsbury Manor has laid its foundations with speed, and thus the Tattersalls Ascot Sale is a natural fit.

“This sale has been specifically positioned to offer precocious 2-year-old types, which is exactly the section of the market that we aim to focus on with our stallions,” Harper confirmed. “In addition, the usual location of the sale at Ascot is only an hour from Whitsbury which is considerably closer to home than all the others. Therefore, if this sale is able to continue as a good outlet for our stock it provides us with a very efficient market as far as travel, staff, hotels, etcetera are concerned.”

Whitsbury Manor offers two of the three yearlings by Showcasing in the sale-a filly, lot 69, and a colt, lot 127-and Harper described them both as “great walkers.” Another he pointed to in the consignment was a Due Diligence filly who is the first foal out of the unraced Eshq (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 7), a granddaughter of American champion mare Fleet Indian. Whitsbury Manor scooped her up for 1,500gns at Tattersalls December last year.

“She is the absolute image of what I think the sale is looking for: strong, compact, and a ready-made 2-year-old,” Harper said. “I just hope she goes to a trainer that won’t be afraid to push on with her as she’s ready to go.”

The likes of Showcasing and Gutaifan represent a strong sire profile at the burgeoning Tattersalls Ascot Yearling Sale. There are similarly three yearlings catalogued by young sensation Night Of Thunder (Ire), with representation as well from the likes of Acclamation (GB) and his red hot son Mehmas (Ire); Dandy Man, Holy Roman Emperor (Ire), Iffraaj (Ire) and Zoffany (Ire).

“We’re over the moon; three Night of Thunders tells you how far the sale has come,” Prior said. “He’s been a revelation as a sire and we feel very lucky that we have that calibre of stallion not only once but three times. That sire power makes such a difference. Mehmas is off to a flyer and we have nine of those so buyers will have plenty to go at there.”

As the third European yearling sale on a re-shuffled calendar in an unprecedented year, all eyes will be on Park Paddocks on Monday before the action shifts to Deauville on Wednesday. Last week’s Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale achieved a solid clearance rate of 84%, but with turnover nearly half of what it was last year and other markers significantly down, vendors will be hoping the desire for bloodstock grows as the season marches on.

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