The first, a colt out of Eterea (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr})–herself a winning half-sister to multiple Group-placed Munsef (GB) (Zafonic) and Italian stakes runner Danzaya (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB})–hailing from the extended family of multiple Group 1-placed Hamish McGonagall (GB) (Namid {GB}), brought praise from Haras de Montaigu's Erwan de Chambord.

“We are very pleased with this first offspring of Thunder Moon with a maiden mare. He is well-built with good bone, great limb conformation, and a very good temperament so far!”

The fillies arrived in Ireland and France–the Irish-bred is a daughter of G2 Prix de Malleret winner Al Wathna (GB) (Nayef) while the French fillies arrived at Mrs. Elisabeth Ribard's Haras de la Cauviniere to SP Sporty Doll (Ity) (Pounced) and at Haras de Bourgeauville for breeder Philip Lybeck, who described her as, “A balanced filly with scope and very elegant, very much in the image of her sire.”.

Thunder Moon will stand his second season at stud in 2024 for €6,000 Live Foal.

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Bred by Aidan and Annemarie O'Brien's Whisperview Trading, the colt was named a 'Rising Star' after his debut win at the Curragh and claimed the G1 National S. in his next outing before running third in the G1 Dewhurst S. Owned by Mrs. C C Regalado-Gonzalez, the Joseph O'Brien trainee was only a head shy of adding the G1 Prix Jean Prat to his resume at three, and he was also third in the G3 Gladness S. this term. He retires with a mark of 13-2-2-2 and $365,398 in earnings.

“Thunder Moon was defined by his natural class and strong turn-of-foot,” said O'Brien. “His performance in the G1 National S. really showcased this and his brilliance as a 2-year-old beating a field packed with Group 1 winners and future group performers. He also came within a whisker of winning the Prix Jean Prat the following year. We are really looking forward to training his progeny in the years to come.”

The son of Small Sacrifice is a half-brother to stakes winner Table Rock (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). His third dam is the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Trusted Partner (Affirmed), dam of GI Matriarch S. heroine Dress To Thrill (Danehill) and her full-sister, the blue hen Polished Gem (Ire) (Danehill), the dam of eight stakes winners.

Haras de Bouquetot's Stud Manager Benoit Jeffroy said, “We're delighted to welcome Thunder Moon at Haras de Bouquetot for 2023. He is a precocious horse of 1m60 (15.3 hh) who has shown plenty of speed winning the National S. like Dubawi (Ire), Danehill Dancer (Ire) and Teofilo (Ire) did before him. We were looking for a Group 1 winner at 2 excelling over seven furlongs, not dissimilar to the profiles of recent French successes Wootton Bassett (GB) and Siyouni (Fr).”

Leading the Haras de Bouquetot roster is Zelzal (Fr), who has sired three stakes winners led by multiple graded winner Dolce Zel (Fr) and GIII Sweet Life S. heroine Ouraika (Fr), and is priced at €15,000. G1 Prix de l'Abbaye hero Wooded (Ire) has his first yearlings in 2023 and is €12,000. As previously announced, Group 1 sire Galileo Gold (GB) has moved to Bouquetot in a joint-venture with his former home, Tally-Ho Stud, and he will stand for €7,000, the same price as G1 Irish 2000 Guineas victor Romanised (Ire), who has his first yearlings. Group 1 winner and stakes-siring Al Wukair (Ire), G3 Molecomb S. scorer and G1 Middle Park S. third Armor (GB) expecting his first foals, and multiple Group 1 winner Ectot (GB) will each command €5,000. Rounding out the roster is Olympic Glory (Ire), the sire of 13 stakes winner, at €4,000.

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Offered by The Castlebridge Consignment, Thunder Moon was trained by Joseph O'Brien and won the G1 National S. as a juvenile. Part of a 155-strong draft, he currently holds a rating of 108 by Timeform, and was also placed in the G1 Dewhurst S. and G1 Prix Jean Prat.

Sunday's Irish Cesarewitch victor Waterville (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) (lot 275) is part of Coolmore's 41-lot draft. Rated 116p by Timeform, the lightly-raced 3-year-old is joined by G2 Dante S. third Bluegrass (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 678), who is rated 107.

Eddie's Boy (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) (lot 643), who won the G3 Prix Eclipse, will go through the ring from the The Castlebridge Consignment, while other 2-year-olds of note include G2 Royal Lodge S. second Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion) (lot 768A) from Kingsley Park. Eve Lodge Stables' listed winner Rocket Rodney (GB) (Dandy Man {Ire}) (lot 1138) and the Listed Chesham S. second Pearling Path (Fr) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) (lot 674) from Baroda Stud are also set to sell.

Godolphin and Shadwell Estates will offer 28 and 14 lots, respectively, with a notable lot Shadwell's group winner Mujbar (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) (lot 657). Juddmonte's 23-lot draft contains the 97-rated Special Envoy (GB) (Frankel {GB}) (lot 1086) among others.

Andrew Balding's Park House Stables' draft of 47 features G2 July S. winner Tactical (GB) (Toronado {Ire}) (lot 1059).

Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “The Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale has a remarkable record of producing top class winners with no less than 76 individual group/listed winners in the last three years bought at the sale including seven Group/Grade 1 winners. That continued success is the key to the sales enduring appeal to both domestic and international buyers and this year's catalogue has all the ingredients to appeal to the customary global audience including the significant, high-class consignments from Godolphin, Juddmonte Farms and Shadwell Estates.”

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Second behind Thunder Moon in the National and ahead of him when also in that position in the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket in October, Ballydoyle's Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has also ran well below par in three starts at a mile this season and was only ninth in the St James's Palace. The stable's Battleground (War Front) would appear the far stronger candidate on recent evidence, with his third placing in the St James's Palace looking a return to the pick of his 2-year-old form.

Godolphin's Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was way ahead of both the Ballydoyle pair when fourth in the 2000 Guineas and his subsequent second to Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 Jersey S. over this trip at Royal Ascot June 19 looks just as solid following his stablemate's fine effort in the July Cup. Charlie Appleby said, “Naval Crown came out of the Jersey Stakes in good order and seven furlongs is an ideal trip for him. He has a decent draw in stall one and some rock-solid form behind him so far this season. He ticks a lot of boxes and we feel that he will be the one to beat.”

The operation also has the promising Andre Fabre-trained pair of Midtown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is making his 3-year-old debut having last been seen lording it over his peers in Chantilly's Listed Prix Herod over this trip in November, and Erasmo (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who beat the Herod runner-up Best Lightning (Fr) (Sidestep {Aus}) in the G3 Prix Paul de Moussac over a mile also at Chantilly June 20. “Midtown has always been held in very high regard and his two-year-old form is looking stronger and stronger,” Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard said. “Coming into a group 1 on his seasonal return is obviously a very tough ask, but he is a horse that Andre Fabre thinks an awful lot of. We hope this can be a springboard to an exciting second half of the season. Erasmo is a very game horse who has run consistently well this year. He comes here on the back of a decent win in a group 3 which is traditionally a prep race for the Prix Jean Prat. We weren't quite sure that we were going to run here immediately after his last start, but he has bounced out of the race in flying form and deserves his place in the field.”

Of the remainder of the French, the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains runner-up Colosseo (Street Boss) puts the form of the May 16 ParisLongchamp Classic to the test, while Jean-Claude Rouget's representative Valloria (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) warrants respect on his defeat of TDN Rising Star Dolia (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) over a mile in the Listed Prix Volterra at that venue June 13. Colosseo's trainer Gianluca Bietolini told the Racing Post, “We always intended to wait for this race after his great run in the Poule d'Essai, as I don't think he will stay any further. He has excellent form against the best of the French, while St Mark's Basilica is an extraterrestrial. The only worry is that the horse has never run on a straight track, but he's in top form and loves soft ground.”

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“It feels like a real championship race, you have all the best horses of the generation in there, but it's a shame not to have the Diamond Jubilee winner there alongside the King's Stand winner,” Starman's trainer Ed Walker said. “Starman has got an opportunity to be the sprinter of his generation because he's only got the one blip on his record, I'd love to think he could be the next Muhaarar.

“He's done absolutely nothing wrong bar that run on bad ground, I just don't know how much is up his sleeve–only he can answer that question and hopefully he does answer it on Saturday.”

Group 3 winner Chil Chil (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) is “at the top of her game” according to her trainer Andrew Balding and is trying the Group 1 level for the first time. The King Power Racing 5-year-old is lining up for the July Cup. A half-sister to four-time Group 2 winner Beat The Bank (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}), Chil Chil saluted in a May 1 handicap at Newmarket and earned a career high when saluting in the G3 William Hill Chipchase S. at Newcastle on June 26.

“She will go for the July Cup if the ground is good or faster,” said Balding. “She showed some pretty useful form last year when conditions were right and she was a little bit unfortunate on a couple of occasions. Beat The Bank, her brother, got better with age and it appears she is. It is a big step up in class but she likes the track at Newmarket and I don't see why she won't like this one, so why not have a go?

“She travelled strongly at Newcastle and I was impressed with the way she picked up in the second half of the race. She is clearly a filly at the top of her game. It would be nice if she could prove up to this level.”

First past the post in the G1 Commonwealth Cup S. at Royal Ascot, but disqualified for interference, Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) returns for trainer Archie Watson. Watson also sends out G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprit S. winner Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who was second to the now-injured Dream Of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead) in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. also at Royal Ascot.

Among the other entrants as of Monday are: G3 Jersey S. winner Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) for trainer Charlie Appleby, G1 Middle Park S. hero Supremacy (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) for trainer Clive Cox, Joseph O'Brien's Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) who won the G1 National S., the group winner Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) for Tim Easterby and G1 Queen Anne S. second Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) for Aidan O'Brien.

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“I'm no different to an actor going on stage at the theatre,” he said. “Everybody knows that I'm quite lucky at Ascot. The crowd gets behind me and I love it. I need the crowd, I need the atmosphere. I can smell it, I can breathe it, I can taste it. It's part of me, I'm sorry! I'm addicted to it. You need at least six to win the title, but they're hard to win. Last year, I had three winners going into Saturday. I had a couple of chances but then Campanelle goes in, the filly Alpine Star wins and I had Palace Pier. When that won, great, leading rider again. The one that means the most is the first one. Now that I'm 50, I'm looking back to what I was like. It was sheer excitement. It means everything.”

Aidan O'Brien's day one representation is not as strong as it can be, with no favourites among the six colts he sends to the fixture he has excelled at since his opening salvo in the 1997 G3 Coventry S. It is in that race, long since upgraded to Group 2 status, that he may have his best chance of an opening day winner in The Acropolis (Ire) by Coolmore's first-season sire Churchill  (Ire). A son of the 2012 G2 Queen Mary S. third Hairy Rocket (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), the impressive-looking bay made giant strides from his debut fourth at The Curragh May 22 to his authoritative win at Listowel June 6 and it is noteworthy that he goes it alone from a stable that has done better than normal with its early 2-year-old runners. Drawn alongside the first Wesley Ward runner of the 2021 meeting in Gregory Kaufman's Kaufymaker (Jimmy Creed), he will have to be sharper still to stay within hailing distance of the impressive Apr. 15 Keeneland maiden special weight scorer who has ground to suit.

Ryan Moore is keen on The Acropolis and said, “He had been going well at home before making his debut at The Curragh last month, but the ground was very bad that day and that was no reflection of his true ability. We got a better look at what a promising horse he was when winning impressively at Listowel last week and this son of Churchill and a Queen Mary third promises to be even better on this quicker ground still. He clearly steps up markedly in grade, but he is a horse we like. He is classy and should go well, albeit this is a big field made up of similarly unexposed juveniles.”

Also in the Coventry, Al Shaqab Racing's impressive Listed National S. scorer Ebro River (Ire) bids to give his promising first-season sire Galileo Gold (GB) an early highlight. Also under the care of the Tally Ho Stud's resident's past trainer Hugo Palmer, the chestnut was a commanding presence when scoring by 3 1/4 lengths in that five-furlong Sandown contest May 27 and has a vital experience edge. “He seems to be growing up all the time,” Palmer told the Independent. “We're very excited to run him.”

In opposition is Michael Kerr-Dineen and Martin Hughes's 'TDN Rising Star' Gisburn (Ire) by another first-season sire in Kildangan Stud's Ribchester (Ire). He impressed by 6 1/2 lengths over this trip at Newbury May 14 and trainer Richard Hannon has his sights on a first win in this prestigious affair his father won on three occasions. “It is a race where you find out exactly where you are. You hope that you have got a good horse, but this will tell us,” he said. “I hope we do, he certainly looked like one, but the Coventry will tell us.”

In the G1 King's Stand S., Shadwell's Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is a welcome sight following his well-documented setback and it remains the case that the only sprinter to have mastered him in three renewals of this five-furlong dash is Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal). Making it third time lucky 12 months ago in the absence of that Godolphin luminary, the star of Charlie Hills's establishment may only need to repeat that performance to add a fifth top-level contest to his tally. “He came in a couple of weeks later than usual this year, so we were never going to fit in a prep run but I couldn't be happier with him,” his trainer commented. “They found a tiny hairline fracture in a sesamoid when he had his usual MOT at the end of last year, but that was attended to in December. They've done a great job with him at Shadwell over the winter and spring was so awful that coming back later has probably helped him. We've taken our time and he hasn't missed a beat.”

While Battaash was vulnerable to the strong closer Blue Point, he has pace pressure this time from a new challenger in King Power Racing's exciting 3-year-old filly Winter Power (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}). While her emphatic success in Newmarket's G3 Cornwallis S. in October was a step forward on some largely unconvincing juvenile form, it was the manner of her trail-blazing display on her return in the Listed Westow S. over this trip at York May 13 that suggested this was a realistic target. Trainer Tim Easterby knows what it takes to win one of these major sprints and compared his latest stable star with the likes of Pipalong (Ire) (Pips Pride {GB}) after her three-length defeat of the subsequent Listed Scurry S. winner Atalis Bay (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}). “She's in good form. She has a good draw and will handle the track, so she should run well,” Easterby said.

As with most of the major 3-year-old races run so far this term, the G1 St James's Palace S. is wide-open with very little separating the Classic class and the up-and-comers. One who fits into the latter category is Shadwell's Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), a half-brother to Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) who made such rapid strides last season beginning with a win in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. at this meeting. If the current Gosden trainee is in the same mould as his year-older sibling, he can be expected to be in the mix given the innate promise of the third of his three straight wins in the Listed Heron S. Getting three pounds from Godolphin's Apr. 13 Listed Feilden S. winner Highland Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in that mile Sandown contest May 20, he had half a length to spare at the line with Bullace (GB) (Toronado {Ire}) the same margin behind in third.

John Gosden said of Mostahdaf, “Our fellow has come the slow route–it wasn't his fault he couldn't run last year because he had a hiccup. This year he won twice on the all-weather and then the Heron. You could argue, and William Buick felt, that Highland Avenue was on the slower part of the track at Sandown near the rail, while we were more middle to left on the better ground. Having said that, our horse ran a great race and I think the St James's Palace is quite an open affair. I think our fellow will be fine on the ground–he's a lovely horse and we've taken this route before with Without Parole and with King of Comedy who just missed. Palace Pier came from an unobvious direction, too.”

Charlie Appleby has some talented 3-year-old colts in his stable this year and this has long been the target for Highland Avenue, while he also saddles 'TDN Rising Star' La Barrosa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). Sixth on testing ground in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh May 22, last year's G3 Tattersalls S. winner is back on a similar surface to when 3/4-of-a-length second to Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 Craven S. at Newmarket Apr. 15. “We have been pleased with Highland Avenue going into this race. The wide draw is a slight disadvantage on the round course at Ascot, but his homework has gone well,” their trainer said. “He learned plenty at Sandown and came forward again for that run, while ground conditions will suit him better this time. We are hoping that he can be a big player as he steps up to the big league. La Barrosa travelled well in the Irish 2000 Guineas but couldn't pick up on the ground. Returning to a faster surface is definitely going to suit and, if he can reproduce his second in the Craven S., it will make him a contender.”

As usual, the form of the May 1 G1 2000 Guineas is key here, with colts whose fortunes diverged in that Newmarket Classic all coming together again. Zhang Yuesheng's G1 Phoenix S. winner Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) was not far off glory when a short head and a neck behind Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and Master of the Seas on that occasion and is another who can be forgiven a subsequent dip when fourth in the Irish Guineas on its vastly contrasting ground. Michael Pescod's Apr. 18 G3 Greenham S. winner Chindit (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) was fifth at Newmarket with no obvious excuses, while the Ballydoyle duo Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Battleground (War Front) were 11th and 13th respectively with only Joseph O'Brien's G1 Vincent O'Brien National S.-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) behind.

Ryan Moore is expecting the Rosegreen duo to bounce back here. “Both of our colts are on recovery missions, but it would be unwise to give up on both, I feel,” he commented. “Quite why Battleground didn't run his race at Newmarket we don't know and he was pulled out of the Irish 2000 Guineas due to the worsening ground afterwards, but this is a colt I really rated last season in winning the Chesham at this meeting, the Vintage S. at Goodwood, and then finishing second at the Breeders' Cup. The form horses from the Guineas are the ones to beat here, but if my colt returns to his juvenile form then he clearly has a big run in him. Similar comments apply to Wembley, who just didn't handle conditions at the Curragh last time. His Dewhurst second to Sir Mark's Basilica speaks for itself, and hopefully the first-time tongue-ties for them both prove to be a positive. This looks a very deep St James' Palace though, albeit one lacking a clear stand-out, with the form horses from the Guineas closely matched.”

Ryan Moore also gets the chance to partner the shock GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) for the first time in the Queen Anne and said, “We all know that Palace Pier is the one to beat if he brings his A-game to the table and he will be very difficult to beat at that. Maybe the expected fast ground gives us all a window of hope, though probably not, as he won on it earlier in his career and his third in the QEII here last October proves he can have the odd off-day. Order of Australia caused a shock when beating his stablemates Circus Maximus and Lope Y Fernandez in Keeneland and clearly has a solid place chance on that firm-ground win, which was a significant improvement on his earlier form. His improvement since stepping down from a mile and a half was quite something and he wasn't disgraced when sixth in the Hong Kong Mile afterwards in December, too.”

In Wednesday's G1 Prince of Wales's S., Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) are set for their clash as the G1 Champion S. hero Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) was withdrawn by William Haggas. He explained to the Racing Post on Monday, “We've minded him so far in his career and are not going to run him on good-to-firm now at his age. It's going to rain at some time and it's just unfortunate. The next logical place is the [July 3 G1] Eclipse.”

Click here for the group fields.

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His Group 1-winning stablemate Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and fellow top-level scorers Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) from the Jessica Harrington yard, Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) for Joseph O'Brien and Van Gogh (American Pharoah), one of three for Joseph's father Aidan, are also signed on.

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“He's wintered very well,” O'Brien said on Nick Luck Daily on Tuesday morning. “Obviously we put him away after the Dewhurst, but I was very pleased with that run. The ground went a bit slow on us and we probably weren't drawn in the perfect position, but it was a very good run.

“The plan all winter has been to go straight to the Guineas and not have a prep. He's in good shape. His National S. win was a very good performance. It was a very messy race, but he got himself out of trouble and showed a fantastic turn of foot.

“Turn of foot and speed are probably his two attributes, he'd love a bit of firm ground as he's a strong traveller with a turn of foot, which he showed a couple of times last season. It would be pretty important to us that the ground is good or better.”

“I don't know if he's classier [than the two who beat him in the Dewhurst], but I probably feel that we are the quickest horse,”  O'Brien added.

“We travelled very well through the Dewhurst and looked the winner, but on the day there was a severe bias to the rail, we were drawn on the other side and also the ground was on the slow side so I thought it was a fantastic run.

“When we broke down the race afterwards we were very proud of his run, we're looking forward to taking them on again on what we hope will be quicker going.

“His pedigree suggests he'll stay further, I'm quite confident about the mile but after that I'm not sure how much further he'd go as he's quite a pacey horse.

“I'd say Declan McDonagh is most likely to ride at Newmarket and we'll go from there, but it hasn't really been discussed yet. I'd imagine it will be Declan as he has a good relationship with him.”

O'Brien's G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas hopeful Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}), a winner of the G1 bet365 Fillies' Mile, is also in good form. Like her yardmate, she will also not have a prep prior to her run in the fillies' Classic.

“She's in good shape too, I'm pleased with how she's wintered,” O'Brien said. “She's a big, powerful mare and the plan is to go straight there,” he said.

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Richard Hannon holds a strong hand with Michael Pescod’s Chindit (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) looking his strongest chance after his defeat of TDN Rising Star Albasheer (Ire) (Shamardal) in Doncaster’s G2 Champagne S. Sept. 12 but Julie Wood’s Etonian (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) remains unbeaten and an unknown quantity. His two successes at Sandown include the Aug.  23 G3 Solario S.

Hannon said of the duo, “Both horses are fit and well and good to go. We’ve not managed to win the Dewhurst yet, so let’s hope this is our chance. Chindit’s last bit of work with a couple of older horses was very good for a two-year-old. He seems in very good form. Etonian has done nothing wrong either. It’s a shame we have to run them against each other really, but this is the right race for both horses and the Dewhurst is always the best two-year-old race of the year.”

Jim Crowley has picked Shadwell’s supplemented Sept. 19 G2 Mill Reef S. scorer Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) over Albasheer and Alkumait’s trainer Marcus Tregoning said, “I think he’ll stay seven furlongs fine. I suppose seven furlongs in soft ground makes it more of a test, but Showcasing’s progeny are versatile. He’ll give himself every chance of getting the trip because he settles well, or at least he did at Newbury, and if he settles as well again, I can’t see seven being a problem. I think Chindit might be the one to beat. He looked tough at Doncaster, he had to battle but came through it well. It’s the right race for us, though, and I’m pleased he’s running.”

Of Albasheer, trainer Owen Burrows said, “I’ve been happy with him since Doncaster. He did his last proper piece of work on Saturday and had a breeze midweek. He is inexperienced and this will be different for him. I’d like to think wherever Chindit finishes, we would be bang there with him–whether or not that is good enough to win, time will tell. On his pedigree he should get a mile next year and we will look to go down that route. God-willing he is good enough to be talked as a Guineas horse, but we will learn a lot more on Saturday.”

The typically strong Irish challenge is backed up by Jessica Harrington’s Sept. 12 G2 Champions Juvenile winner Cadillac (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), while Jim Bolger has enjoyed five successes here and he saddles a fascinating contender in Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}). He won his sole start in the first race of the Irish Flat turf season at Naas Mar. 23, but his owner, breeder and trainer is unconcerned about the lengthy absence.

“He hasn’t run because he started to grow–he’s grown two inches since March and I didn’t want to push him,” he explained. “That’s all settled down now. He’s been fine since the beginning of August and we’ve had an uninterrupted preparation since. I thought it would be good to get him away before the end of the year. I think he’ll go on any ground.”

Newmarket’s pattern-race action kicks off with the G3 Godolphin Flying Start Zetland S. for juveniles over 10 furlongs and Aidan O’Brien saddles an intriguing contender in Moyglare Stud, Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor’s Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Off the mark on debut over an extended mile at Galway Sept. 8, the full-brother to the dual G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For a Song (Ire) and half-brother to Free Eagle (Ire) has ideal credentials for this stamina test. “He seems to have come out of his first race well, he was very green the first day and we’ve been happy with him since,” the Ballydoyle handler said. “We always thought he would get much further than a mile, so the step up in trip shouldn’t worry him.” Two notably-bred nursery winners in Khalid Abdullah’s Sept. 27 Nottingham scorer Fabilis (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Ballylinch Stud and Aquis Farm’s Sept. 12 Doncaster winner Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) offer fascinating opposition from the Ralph Beckett and Martyn Meade stables respectively.

In the G3 Emirates Autumn S. over a mile, there is another leading Ballydoyle contender in the Aug. 6 G3 Tyros S. and Sept. 12 G2 Champions Juvenile S. runner-up Van Gogh (American Pharoah), who enjoyed a confidence-boosting maiden success at The Curragh Sept.  27. “We think he should benefit from getting his head in front, he’s a horse that is maturing and improving every month,” Aidan O’Brien commented. In a fascinating line-up, Shadwell’s TDN Rising Star Akmaam (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) comes in on the back of his impressive winning debut over seven furlongs at Ascot Sept. 5 while Khalid Abdullah’s Maximal (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) bids to build on a novice win over this trip at Sandown Sept. 11. He was previously runner-up to Godolphin’s One Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) at that track Aug. 23 and the latter’s trainer Charlie Appleby also saddles the Aug. 15 Listed Washington Singer S. runner-up Dhahabi (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). “One Ruler put up a solid performance [when subsequently third in the Listed Flying Scotsman S.] at Doncaster, when he was slightly unlucky, and we feel that the step up to a mile will see further improvement,” he said. “Dhahabi also ran to a nice level at Newbury and has been crying out for a step up in distance. We are hoping that both colts can be very competitive at this level.”

Another TDN Rising Star takes to the Suffolk venue in The Niarchos Family’s Highest Ground (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who has not been seen since finishing second in York’s G2 Dante S. July 9 but who will be closely followed in the nine-furlong G3 Darley S. “There’s been no major issue, he just needed a bit of time,” the owner-breeders’ racing manager Alan Cooper explained. “He’s in fine fettle. It looks a very competitive race, so hopefully he’ll run well. I would imagine this will be his final run of the year, but we haven’t really discussed it. We’ll see how he performs this weekend and make a plan afterwards.” John Gosden opts to shorten up Qatar Racing and Watership Down Stud’s TDN Rising Star Darain (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) following his fifth placing in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. at York Aug. 19. At Chantilly, the six-furlong G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte sees a clash between Alain Jathiere’s impressive Sept .18 G3 Prix Eclipse scorer Plainchant (Fr) (Gregorian {Ire}), the Wertheimers’ Sept. 3 G3 Prix d’Arenberg winner Kalahara (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Tanguy Moreux’s Go Athletico (Fr) (Goken {Fr}) who beat the subsequent G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere hero Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) in the seven-furlong G3 Prix la Rochette at ParisLongchamp Sept. 6.

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“We were very happy with him,” said O’Brien of the ‘TDN Rising Star’. “It was a bit of a messy race, but he showed a great turn of foot to go away and win well. We did supplement him, so we were hopeful he’d run a nice race, but I suppose I was surprised by the manner of his victory.”

“If he was to run again this year, the Dewhurst would probably be the race for him, but we’ll see how he comes out of the race on Sunday and a lot will depend on the ground as well. The Breeders’ Cup [in November] is there as an option as well, but that wouldn’t be on my radar at the moment. He’s an exciting colt.”

O’Brien also sent out ‘Rising Star’ Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) to run second in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. to Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), trained by his brother Donnacha. A start on Champions Day in the G1 Fillies’ Mile or the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc Day or a Breeders’ Cup appearance in November are all on the table at the moment for the John Oxley silkbearer. Her biggest win to date was the G2 Debutante S. on Aug. 22, beating the aforementioned Shale.

“Pretty Gorgeous ran a great race,” said O’Brien. “I think the two of them [Pretty Gorgeous and Shale] are very good fillies and whichever one of them gets the rub of the green on the day might come out on top.

“We’ll see how our filly comes out of it, but we have the option of the Fillies’ Mile or the Prix Marcel Boussac and there’s also the Breeders’ Cup. We’ll see how we go, but I’d say she probably just wants one more run this year, with Newmarket and France being the likeliest options.”

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