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Brother of St Mark’s Basilica Set For Curragh Bow

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 brother to five-time Group 1 winner St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}).

14.00 Curragh, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, 7fT
Bob Scarborough's prolific mare Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has excelled in the paddocks with her nine foals headed by MG1SW sire Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and five-time Group 1-winning phenomenon St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). Next in line is the Jessica Harrington-trained PARIS LIGHTS (IRE) (Siyouni {Fr}), a full-brother to the latter and a 650,000gns vendor buy-back at last year's Tattersalls October Book 1, who gets the assistance of Conor Hoban in this debut for a yard firing on all cylinders. He encounters three from Ballydoyle, and more, in an intriguing 17-runner affair. Coolmore and Westerberg's China Seas (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is a full-brother to elite-level winners Hermosa (Ire), Hydrangea (Ire) and The United States (Ire) and also hails from the family of Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. heroine Tenebrism (Caravaggio). Set to be partnered by Emmet McNamara, the bay is accompanied by Aidan O'Brien stablemates Cougar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), an unraced son of G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and G1 Criterium International placegetter Promise To Be True (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and Temple of Artemis (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is a full-brother to three stakes performers headed by G1 Irish Derby and G1 Gold Cup runner-up Kingfisher (Ire). Elsewhere on the cast list, Joseph O'Brien has nominated another debutant of note and introduces Alvaro Odriozola Arzallus' Sir Antonino (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is a 300,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 son of G3 Sceptre S. third and G1 Cheveley Park S. fourth Terror (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}).

14.20 Epsom, Nov, £19,000, 2yo, 8f 113yT
Godolphin's GOLDSPUR (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is a homebred son of G1 Prix Vermeille second Pomology (Arch), dished out a 6 1/2-length shellacking to Wolsey (Kitten's Joy), himself kin to last year's GI American Oaks heroine Duopoly (Animal Kingdom), when earning 'TDN Rising Stardom' in a Sept. 15 one-mile test at Sandown last time. Upped in trip and taking an early sighter of Tattenham Corner here, he is confronted by a field of four prior winners, headed by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's similarly unbeaten Merlin's Lady (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who is a 320,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 full-sister to MGSW GI Belmont Derby Invitational third Hunting Horn (Ire) and comes back off a seven-furlong Ayr debut score for the Kevin Ryan stable last month.

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Alpinista to Reach Summit Again

With ParisLongchamp's Arc weekend bonanza looming large on the horizon, European stakes activities gear down a notch for Sunday. However, the day doesn't lack for class and headlining the action is Cologne's €125,000 G1 59th Preis von Europa over 12 furlongs. Kirsten Rausing's homebred 4-year-old filly Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the lone international raider, is undefeated in three outings for Sir Mark Prescott this season and returns to Germany after annexing Hoppegarten's Aug. 8 G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin in her latest start. The reopposing Nerium (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), last term's G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern victrix Sunny Queen (Ger) (Camelot {GB}) and Kaspar (Ger) (Pivotal {GB}), runner-up in this contest last year, were left trailing in her wake last time.

Alpinista's chief threat comes from the younger generation, headed by this year's G1 Deutsches Derby hero and G1 Grosser Preis von Baden runner-up Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}). Darius Racing's Henk Grewe trainee had subsequent G2 Grand Prix de Deauville fourth Sea of Sands (Ger) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) back in 13th in the July 4 Hamburg Classic and is set to challenge for favouritism. Gestut Schlenderhan seeks a record-equalling fourth win and is represented by the sophomores Northern Ruler (Ger) (Ruler of the World {Ire}) and Walkaway (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). Northern Ruler, an Andreas Wohler trainee, prevailed in Chantilly's June 20 Prix du Lys and ran third in last month's G3 Prix de Reux at Deauville. Walkaway, from the Markus Klug barn, finished fourth in Dusseldorf's Aug. 1 G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) and lines up here off a second in last month's G2 T Von Zastrow Stutenpreis at Baden-Baden.

Earlier on the Cologne card, six 2-year-olds head postward for the 7 1/2-furlong Listed Ursula Rosendahl-Preis Winterkonigin Trial. As the name suggests, it's a stepping to Baden-Baden's Oct. 17 G3 Preis der Winterkonigin, Germany's leading event for juvenile fillies, and Gestut Park Wiedingen's homebred Dishina (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) will bid to add lustre to her resume after posting an impressive 2 1/2-length tally in a six-furlong Hoppegarten maiden last month. Her rivals include Antoine Griezmann's consistent G3 Prix d'Aumale sixth Txope (Fr) (Siyouni {Ire}), from the Philippe Decouz stable, and El Sur Racing's Munich maiden winner and Michael Figge trainee La Estrellita (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), who ran second to subsequent G3 Prix Eclipse runner-up Best Flying (Fr) (Pedro the Great) in a €102,500 BBAG sales-related race at Baden-Baden last month.

Group race action is also in store in Ireland with the seven-furlong G3 Weld Park S. and G3 Raa Atoll Loughbrown S., over two miles, standing out on The Curragh's eight-race programme. Heavy rain is forecast to hit the Co. Kildare venue in the afternoon and a slew of withdrawals will follow if the track's condition, rated as good for now, is significantly altered beyond its present status. Amo Racing's Hello You (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is highly unlikely to make the journey from England and carry a five-pound penalty in the Park S. for juvenile fillies–having won Friday's G2 Unibet Rockfel S. at Newmarket–and skipping the engagement will leave 10 standing for the €50,000 heat.

Lindsay Laroche's four-race maiden Sunset Shiraz (Ire) (Time Test {GB}), a £100,000 Mount Coote Stud graduate of last year's Goffs Orby sale, seeks a first win of any kind and her form in defeat bears scrutiny. The Gavin Cromwell trainee progressed from reversals at Roscommon and Bellewstown to finish a two-length second to Agartha (Ire) (Caravaggio) in the Aug. 21 G2 Debutante S., over this course and distance, and followed up over the same strip with a third behind Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and Agartha in the Sept. 12 G1 Moyglare Stud S. last time. Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), one of two Ballydoyle contenders, ran fourth in the Moyglare and was also behind Sunset Shiraz in the Debutante. Simon Munir and Isaac Souede's Listed Churchill S. victrix Seisai (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) comes back off a fourth in the Debutante and is accompanied by Joseph O'Brien stablemate Albula (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was second in the Aug. 27 G3 Flame of Tara S. tackling one mile here when last seen. Teme Valley Racing's Galway winner Tranquil Lady (Ire) (Australia {GB}) is the third of Joseph O'Brien's runners and is joined by maiden winners Trevaunance (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), a Moyglare Stud nominee from the Jessica Harrington stable, and Flaxman Stables Ireland's Cigamia (Karakontie {Jpn}), representing Willie McCreery.

The stamina-sapping Loughbrown has gone the way of Aidan O'Brien or Dermot Weld in five of the last eight renewals and the powerhouse stables are set to engage once more. Ballydoyle sends forth G1 Grand Prix de Paris fourth and G1 St Leger third The Mediterranean (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) while Rosewell House depends on dual G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For A Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who ran sixth in this month's latest edition of that Classic.

Click here for the group fields.

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Caravaggio’s Tenebrism Notches Landmark Score in the G1 Cheveley Park

Westerberg, Coolmore and Merriebelle Stables' 2-year-old filly Tenebrism (Caravaggio) was the first runner for her freshman sire (by Scat Daddy), attaining 'TDN Rising Star' status in an instant when posting an impressive 3 3/4-length success in a Mar. 28 five-furlong Naas maiden, and notched another first for the now Ashford Stud incumbent with another taking performance on her comeback in Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket. The March-foaled dark bay was under a patient ride through halfway and raced off the tempo in rear. Nudged along to close passing the quarter-mile marker, she quickened smartly to go third entering the final furlong and went through an array of gears on the rise to the line to inhale 'TDN Rising Star' Flotus (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in the dying embers for a one-length success. Kirsten Rausing's G3 Albany S. and G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. victrix Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten), coming back off a second to Zain Claudette (Ire) (No Nay Never) in last month's G2 Lowther S., ran on well to finish three lengths adrift in third. Zain Claudette never featured at the business end and ran 10th while Juddmonte's hitherto unbeaten G3 Round Tower S. winner Sacred Bridge (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) tanked into contention at halfway, but was unable to land a telling blow in the closing stages and finished eighth.

“I didn't think it was possible for her to do that, not because of ability but because of the [181-day] lay-off she'd had,” admitted trainer Aidan O'Brien after claiming a fourth renewal. “She had a setback after the last day and was off for a long time. She was just literally ready to come racing and I had a knot in my stomach whether it was fair to be running her or not. But there is only one Cheveley Park and you don't get horses with the speed and the turn of foot she has very often. That's why she's here really. Her dad had a terribly good turn of speed as well and that's what she has. I asked Ryan [Moore] to just get her to relax and find herself and see what's going to happen. She did the very same thing in her maiden and it's a rare thing when you see them able to quicken like that. How far would she stay is the next thing. I had her entered over seven furlongs at the weekend and, usually, if they get seven they might get a mile. Wherever she is, you'll be riding her for speed. You have to train her now as a [G1 1000] Guineas filly and you can come back in trip any time.”

O'Brien, looking to the immediate future, indicated a trip Stateside is an option. “I would say if she's going to go again this year it will be in America,” he said. “The lads will decide if they want to go to the Breeders' Cup and it will depend how she comes out of today. To go travelling would be a great experience for next year and I'd say, if she comes out of it well and the lads want to do it, we'd be delighted to go. It's definitely something we'd have to think about.”

Flotus appeared set fair for victory when bursting clear inside the final quarter mile, but first lady status was denied by the unrelenting surge of Tenebrism in the dying strides. “I thought there was nothing coming out of the pack to catch her, and then you just saw Aidan's filly coming and I thought 'oh, no!',” said trainer Ed Crisford. “She's a proper filly, she ran a huge race and showed what we've been seeing at home. We'll see how she is, there's not that many options left this year. Whether we go to America or not, I'm not sure. She's definitely got the size and scope to make a 3-year-old, which is exciting.”

Tenebrism, half-sister to a yearling filly by Justify, becomes the second pattern-race and first top-level winner for her first-crop sire (by Scat Daddy). She also becomes the first black-type and Group 1 winner for her dam Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), whose career highlights include victories in the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois. Immortal Verse is the leading performer for Listed Prix La Camargo victrix and G3 Prix Fille de l'Air runner-up Side of Paradise (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), whose descendants include stakes-winning G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. runner-up Roseman (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). Side of Paradise is a full-sister to Listed Rose Bowl S. winner Flowerdrum (Ire) as well as being a half-sister to MG1SW sire Last Tycoon (Ire) (Try My Best), G3 Prix du Bois victrix The Perfect Life (Ire) (Try My Best) and dual G3 Goldene Peitsche-winning sire Astronef (Ire) (Be My Guest). Side of Paradise is also kin to the stakes-placed dam of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Valentine Waltz (Ire) (Be My Guest) and G1 Matron S. victrix Sense of Style (Thunder Gulch). Black-type descendants of Tenebrism's third dam Mill Princess (Ire) (Mill Reef) also include top-level winners Hermosa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), The United States (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Tie Black (Ire) (Machiavellian).

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
JUDDMONTE CHEVELEY PARK S.-G1, £283,750, Newmarket, 9-25, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:11.00, g/f.
1–TENEBRISM, 126, f, 2, by Caravaggio
1st Dam: Immortal Verse (Ire) (Hwt. 3yo Filly-Eng at 7-.5f, G1SW-Eng & Fr, $1,053,873), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Side of Paradise (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Mill Princess (Ire), by Mill Reef
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Westerberg, Coolmore & Merribelle Stables; B-Merriebelle Stables, Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £160,915. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $229,777. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Flotus (Ire), 126, f, 2, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Floriade (Ire), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). (€65,000 Wlg '19 GOFNOV; 125,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-J-E Dubois, B Kwok, E Babington, et al; B-Newtown Stud & T J Pabst (IRE); T-Simon & Ed Crisford. £61,006.
3–Sandrine (GB), 126, f, 2, Bobby's Kitten–Seychelloise (GB), by Pivotal (GB). O/B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £30,532.
Margins: 1, 3, 3/4. Odds: 14.00, 11.00, 3.00.
Also Ran: Guilded (Ire), Desert Dreamer (GB), Illustrating (GB), Have A Good Day (Ire), Sacred Bridge (GB), Eve Lodge (GB), Zain Claudette (Ire), Corazon (Ire), Thunder Love (GB). Scratched: Velocidad (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Wootton Bassett’s Royal Patronage Swoops In Royal Lodge Thriller

Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's 62,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) shed maiden status in style when routing his rivals by five lengths and more in a July 29 Epsom novices' event and the Mark Johnston trainee defied odds of 25-1 when value for his 2 1/4-length score in York's Aug. 18 G3 Acomb S. when last seen. The April-foaled bay had previously encountered Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) when second to that subsequent G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. hero in a June 11 Sandown maiden. Digging deep in Saturday's G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket, he made every yard count in his first try at the one-mile distance and swooped late to deny the hitherto undefeated Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the dying strides for a career high and punch his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar in November in this “Win and You're In” qualifier. The 7-2 third choice was swiftly into stride and held sway at a steady tempo through the initial fractions. Unflustered at first when headed by Coroebus past halfway, he came under pressure approaching the quarter-mile marker as that rival surged clear soon after and stayed on relentlessly for continued rousting up the hill to wear down that floundering 85-40 joint-favourite by a neck nearing the line. Fellow joint-favourite Masekela (Ire) (El Kabeir) was unable to land a telling blow and finished 5 1/4 lengths off the winner in fourth, 2 1/2 lengths behind Atlantic Thoroughbreds' 33-1 outsider Unconquerable (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in third.

“The Godolphin team were standing beside me watching the race and, with a furlong to go, they thought they'd won and I thought they'd won,” revealed Mark Johnston. “I was actually very happy with the run at that point as I could see he was starting to stay on away from the pack. I was thinking to next year and thinking 'this will be one for the Derby trials early' on. Jason [Hart] said he was a bit free early on, but as soon as he hit the rising ground he just found another gear. We had some doubts about stepping up to the mile early on as he has a lot of speed and we almost supplemented him for the [seven-furlong G2] Champagne S. at Doncaster. It literally went to the wire, deciding whether to supplement or not. We decided against it in the end, which we regretted after it broke up so much, but we were reasonably convinced that going further was going to be better. He certainly proved that today.”

Looking ahead, the trainer added, “I don't know if he will run in the [G1] Vertem Futurity Trophy [at Doncaster], but I'll speak to [Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's] Harry [Herbert] and see what he has to say. He looks like a Derby horse and it's great when you've got a horse who you're thinking might stay a mile-and-a-half. He is showing so much speed early on as well and that's ideal.”

Runner-up Coroebus looked to have gone beyond recall when displaying impressive acceleration on the front end inside the final quarter mile, but a lack of experience told on the climb to the line as Royal Patronage zeroed in on the perfect target. “It's always hard when you pass them all and then get passed again,” said trainer Charlie Appleby. “We've been pleased with him at home, he's a beautiful-looking horse and he'll have learned plenty today. I think he's just got a bit lonely out in front there in the end. He only had one run under his belt and got picked up by a horse who has had plenty of racing now. Take nothing away from the winner, he'd won an Acomb and he's obviously a good horse.”

Royal Patronage, half to a weanling colt by Magna Grecia (Ire), is one of 14 group-race winners by his sire and the first of two foals out of a multiple-winning sibling of G1 Irish Derby third Shalapour (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) and the dam of the dual stakes-winning Palm Springs {Ind}) (Placerville). Royal Patronage's third dam Shademah (Ire) (Thatch), herself kin to elite-level winners Shakapour (Ire) (Kalamoun {GB}) and Sharannpour (Ire) (Busted {GB}), produced G1 Epsom Derby and G1 Irish Derby-winning sire Shahrastani (Nijinsky II) and the excellent producer Sharata (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}). The latter is responsible for five stakes scorers including MGSW GII Garden City Breeders' Cup H. victrix Pharatta (Ire) (Fairy King), herself the second dam of G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and G1 Prix d'Ispahan hero Recoletos (Fr) (Whipper).

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
JUDDMONTE ROYAL LODGE S.-G2, £100,000, Newmarket, 9-25, 2yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:38.06, g/f.
1–ROYAL PATRONAGE (FR), 126, c, 2, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Shaloushka (Ire), by Dalakhani (Ire)
2nd Dam: Shalama (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire)
3rd Dam: Shademah (Ire), by Thatch
(62,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Highclere Thoroughbred Racing (Woodland Walk); B-Emma Capon Bloodstock (FR); T-Mark Johnston; J-Jason Hart. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, $165,815. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Coroebus (Ire), 126, c, 2, Dubawi (Ire)–First Victory (Ire), by Teofilo (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £21,500.
3–Unconquerable (Ire), 126, c, 2, Churchill (Ire)–Rien Ne Vas Plus (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB). (210,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Atlantic Thoroughbreds; B-Rien Ne Vas Plus Syndicate (IRE); T-Donnacha O'Brien. £10,760.
Margins: NK, 2HF, 2HF. Odds: 3.50, 2.13, 33.00.
Also Ran: Masekela (Ire), Howth (Ire), Oneforthegutter (GB), Seattle King (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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