Shared News Europe | Horse Racing Free Tips

Son of Bateel Starts at ParisLongchamp

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 Sea The Stars (Ire) son of Bateel (Ire) in a Debutantes at ParisLongchamp.

14.33 ParisLongchamp, Debutantes, €50,000, 2yo, c/g, 9fT
MAP OF STARS (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) debuts for her breeder Al Asayl France and the Francis-Henri Graffard stable who combined with the G1 Prix Vermeille-winning dam Bateel (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Others with high-class connections are Gerard Augustin-Normand's Anastasia Wattel-trained Lessard (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}), a half-brother to the G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Mont Ormel (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Ire}), and the Wertheimers' Sea The Stars duo Internaute (Ire) and Gamestars (Ire), with the former a Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained son of their Arc heroine Solemia (Ire) (Poliglote {GB}) and the latter a half-brother to last year's G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere runner-up Gamestop (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) representing the Andre Fabre stable.

The post Son of Bateel Starts at ParisLongchamp appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

ParisLongchamp: Iresine Back in the Conseil de Paris

The Arc's missing piece Iresine (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}) returns to action in that feature's hosting venue on Sunday, with the far-lesser spoils on offer of the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris scant consolation for messrs Milliere, Gauvin and Velon. Denied an entry in his country's finest race due to his gelded status, the reigning G1 Prix Royal Oak and G1 Prix Ganay winner may have had place claims there given his love of this circuit at which he has also won and been second in a G2 Prix Foy and been runner-up in a G2 Prix d'Harcourt.

Andre Fabre offers the main opposition to Iresine courtesy of the Wertheimers' G3 Prix de Reux winner Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}) and Godolphin's unbeaten Marquisat (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}), with the latter the real unknown of the 11-furlong contest as a 3-year-old on the rise after confidence-building wins at Deauville and here in recent weeks. Baden-Baden's G3 Preis der Winterkonigin is the other race of intrigue on Sunday, with the Listed Koln-Winterkonigin Trial second and third Shagara (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}) and Lady Mary (Ger) (Lawman {Fr}) met by Gestut Brummerhof's promising Hannover debut winner Anna Riva (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

The post ParisLongchamp: Iresine Back in the Conseil de Paris appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Traces of Frankel as City Of Troy Rules Old Rowley

NEWMARKET, UK–Friday's biblical rains had cleared by the early hours of Saturday to ensure City Of Troy's coronation was brightly lit against the big East Anglian sky. And make no mistake, however good Vandeek had been across most of the same turf just a fortnight earlier, this was the two-year-old performance of the year.

Across the Devil's Dyke, City Of Troy had already stormed the July Course to take the Superlative S. in imperious fashion, with braking the only problem for Ryan Moore as he attempted to pull up the young son of Justify. More superlatives were needed after the Dewhurst, and co-owner Michael Tabor perhaps had the most enticing of them when he said, “I really think he is our Frankel.” No pressure then.

City Of Troy did actually win the Dewhurst by a wider margin than Frankel did 13 years ago, and though not physically imposing in stature, he has that ease and length of stride that sets him apart from other decent colts in his class. As if to emphasise his athleticism, he delivered a flying change just shy of the winning line, but that was really his only nod towards flamboyance. In the parade rings, and walking in to greet his public, City Of Troy was a model, almost meek, pupil. A professional mindset to match his moves.

He is of course by a Triple Crown winner of the American variety and, let's face it, it's high time we had another one of our own on these shores. MV Magnier wasted no time in uttering the words that some of us still want to hear. With the 2,000 Guineas already being regarded as a shoo-in for City Of Troy, and most bookmakers offering evens about his chances back in Newmarket next May, talk turned to the Derby.

“It's what everyone wants to do,” said Magnier. “It's all about the Derby, it's all about the Triple Crown.”

He went on to outline the positive pedigree elements that point towards City Of Troy at least being able to get the trip at Epsom: his sire won the Belmont over 1m4f, while his dam, Together Forever, boasting that rather special Derby winner Galileo as her sire, and a winner of the G1 Fillies' Mile herself, is also a sister to the Oaks winner Forever Together.

He added, “Put it this way, we won't stop trying to win the Triple Crown.”

These are not empty words. There is little doubt that had Auguste Rodin not flopped in the Guineas he would have made an assault on the St Leger after winning the Derby. Instead Aidan O'Brien won the latter with Continuous, while Auguste Rodin's season consisted of a different triple of the Derby, Irish Derby and Irish Champion S.

Before we get too carried away, the Derby is still more than seven months in the future. And there were other pretensions made towards that race at Newmarket on Saturday with two impressive performances from runners trained by Charlie Appleby, whose stable appears to be returning to the form we have become accustomed to seeing. Both sons of Dubawi, Ancient Wisdom took the G3 Autumn S., followed by a third victory this season for Arabian Crown, in the G3 Zetland S.

Overlooking the anomaly that was a 10-year-old hurdler winning the Cesarewitch on Dubai Future Champions Day, Saturday really did feel all about next spring, which is a heartening prospect as the wind starts to blow colder across Newmarket Heath.

For three wonderful years in Newmarket we had Frankel to warm the cockles. It is scarcely believable that he's already been gone for more than a decade, through his prowess at stud means that he will never be forgotten.

What now for City Of Troy?

“Let's hope he is as popular as Frankel was,” said Tabor. “He will only get that popularity as time goes on. And hopefully, as time goes on, he will win all those big races and get those accolades given to him. It is easy to talk. But I like to talk before they achieve and that is what we believe.

“Maybe down the line we will have egg on our face. But I really believe it: this horse could be anything.”

The frailties of the Thoroughbred have indeed left many a bold predictor looking foolish. But for now at least, the eyes don't deceive, and we too can believe.

The post Traces of Frankel as City Of Troy Rules Old Rowley appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Golden Horde Colt Leads Final Day Of October Yearling Sale At Tattersalls

A Golden Horde (Ire) colt topped Book 3 of the October Yearling Sale at 35,000gns bringing the two-week selling bonanza to a close on Saturday.

The top lot was sourced by Middleham Park and was described as “a standout” on the day by the operation's Tom Palin.

“We loved him, we thought he was a standout,” said Palin of lot 1919. “He walked around there with a bit of presence. He goes to Eve Johnson Houghton, he's our first horse with her and he's a strong, racy, two-year-old sort and looks to be the type that she'll do well with. Golden Horde was such an impressive racehorse and his stock looks racy. We're delighted to get him.”

Of this week's business Palin added: “We've got stuck in, we got eight since the start of Book 1. It's been competitive for the better lots and we've had to stretch a bit on some of them but it hasn't been silly. It's been sensible but strong. We're delighted with what we've bought.”

Golden Horde is best known for scorching to G1 Commonwealth Cup glory for Clive Cox in 2020. He stands for €8,000 at Montfort et Preaux and his first yearlings have been well received by the market.

Of the 1,862 yearlings offered across Book 1, 2, 3 and 4, 1,531 were sold at a clearance rate of 82%. That represented a drop of 4% on last year.

The aggregate was down 20% to 158,567,500gns while the median fell 10% to 52,000gns and the average by 18% to 103,571gns.

Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony commented, “More than 165 million guineas has been spent on yearlings at Tattersalls in the past few weeks which, although some way below last year's runaway record-breaking returns, is a substantial sum that has only been bettered once.

“There have been some memorable highlights in amongst those impressive sums, including the 2,000,000gns October Book 1 sale-topping Frankel colt, who is the highest-priced yearling to be sold in Europe this year, the 725,000gns Dubawi filly, who headed Book 2 and is the second highest-priced filly ever sold at Europe's largest yearling sale, and some astounding pinhooking triumphs throughout the past two weeks which, as ever, reflect the professionalism and commitment of the consignors.

“The pre-eminent status of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sales owes everything to the support of the breeders and consignors, primarily from Britain and Ireland, but also from France, Germany and Italy, who entrust us with the cream of the European yearling crop year after year.

“Evidence of this support and the peerless quality of the yearlings is to be seen on racecourses around the world with Tattersalls yearlings consistently winning at the highest level on the global stage. To date in 2023 Tattersalls yearlings bought for as little as 5,000gns have won Group 1 races in Britain, Ireland and France, as well as Australia, Hong Kong and the US. It is this unrivalled level of achievement which brings buyers to yearling sales at Tattersalls from throughout the world, alongside the domestic British and Irish buyers for whom the Tattersalls October Yearling Sales are unmissable.

“While the total 2023 yearling spend at Tattersalls has been the second highest ever, we should recognise that there has been a recalibration from the dizzy heights of last year and we should pay heed to this.

“With specific regard to Books 3 and 4 it has not been ideal to have coincided with the top-class racing at Newmarket, but this will not be the case again for the foreseeable future. With a wider perspective, our industry faces challenges which we all acknowledge.

“Nevertheless we should not lose sight of the fact that we have an outstanding internationally admired product, much of which has been showcased over the past two weeks at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sales and which we will continue to work tirelessly to promote.”

The post Golden Horde Colt Leads Final Day Of October Yearling Sale At Tattersalls appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post