Europe

A Frankel (GB) full-sister to multiple Group 1 winner and Classic hero Chaldean (GB) (lot 945) sold for a joint-record 2,500,000gns to Amo Racing at Tattersalls. The new sales topper is out of the winner Suelita (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}). The chestnut is also a half-sister to G2 Mill Reef Stakes hero Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) and his stakes-winning full-brother Get Ahead (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), who was second in the G1 Flying Five Stakes. Lot 945 was bred by Whitsbury Manor Stud. The record price was set in 1997 for...

Sea The Stars (Ire)'s colt (lot 931) out of Frangipani (Ger) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}) matched the 700,000gns price of lot 925, when changing hands from The Castlebridge Consignment to Juddmonte at Tattersalls on Friday. A half-brother to G1 Deutsches Derby hero Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), the colt was bred by Philipp Stauffenberg and his wife Marion.

Agent Amanda Skiffington was in action for lot 925, a filly by Frankel (GB), who sold from the draft of Norris Bloodstock for 700,000gns. Skiffington was buying on behalf of Hampstead Holdings. The half-sister to G3 Pride Stakes heroine Ville De Grace (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}) is the second Frankel filly to make 700,000gns or higher so far on Friday, with lot 897 the current sales topper at 800,000gns who went to MV Magnier. The extended family features GI Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap victor Prince Arch (Arch) and G1...

Last year's JRA Best Dirt Horse Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) will attempt to go out a winner in his final start when defending his title in the 1800-metre G1 Champions Cup at Chukyo on Sunday. The 6-year-old entire and 2023 G1 February Cup hero has finished first or second in all 17 starts barring a 10th-place run in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in March of 2023 and when 12th in the G1 Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia this February. Since the Saudi Cup, he returned to Japan and...

Just three lots after the 650,000gns Camelot (GB) colt, lot 897, a filly by Frankel (GB) and out of In The Mist (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), became the new top lot when selling to MV Magnier for 800,000gns. The half-sister to Cloudy Dawn (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), a winner of the G3 Prix de Lieurey, and the stakes winner Iromea (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), was part of the West Blagdon Stud consignment. Second dam Kenmist (GB) (Kenmare {Fr}) won at listed level in England and placed at group level in Italy. She is...

Lot 894 was the second horse to break the 500,000gns-mark at Tattersalls on Friday when selling to Anthony Stroud for 650,000gns on behalf of Godolphin. Consigned by West Blagdon Stud, the son of Camelot (GB) is a half-brother to Lope De Vega (Ire)'s duo of GII Royal North Stakes second Sweet Enough (GB) and the listed-placed Enfjaar (Ire). Bred by James Wigan, the colt is a grandson of a full-sister to dual Grade I winner Photo Call (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). His third dam Theann (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) is...

A filly foal by Wootton Bassett (GB) out of Accolade (Fr) (Orpen) (lot 871) was knocked down to Henry Lascelles for 580,000gns to take the lead mid-afternoon during the third session of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale on Friday. Offered by breeder Awbeg Stud, the filly is a full-sister to Group 3 winner and G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains runner-up The Summit (Fr).   Wootton Bassett currently has the first two top lots at the #tattsdecember foal sale. This filly by the sire has...

By Larry Stratton There is no disputing the impact that French-bred runners have had on British and Irish jump racing over the past two decades, or the mileage journalists and broadcasters have got out of it. There is, though, a serious divergence of opinion over the cause of French-bred dominance, which has been ascribed variously to earlier education of young stock, the wide spread in the geographical location of French stallions, and access to a more talented pool of race mares. Jump racing at a young age is not a...

The launch of Turf Stars was announced on Thursday, a new venture creating plush toys in the image of famous racehorses. The toys are designed to closely resemble the famous racehorses they are based on, complete with distinctive colours and markings. Each horse also wears a saddlecloth, made in the colours of their racing silks, which bears their unique number in their respective collection and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity detailing their pedigree, connections and achievements on the track. The first member of the Turf Stars collection is the...

A press release from Tattersalls back in September took a lot of folk in the business by surprise, announcing as it did the departure of marketing director Jimmy George.  The man who can fill many a quiet hour with a word-perfect monologue on the merits of the Book 1 Bonus first joined the company back in 1986 and, bar a brief stint on the bloodstock magazine Pacemaker, has been a stalwart of the team at Terrace House and Park Paddocks. George is not going far though - in fact, a...

The dates for the monthly sales to be held by Tattersalls Online in 2025 were revealed on Thursday. The schedule is as follows: January Online, January 14-15 February Online, February 11-12 March Online, March 4-5 April Online, April 1-2 May Online, May 7-8 June Online, June 3-4 July Online, July 1-2 August Online, August 12-13 September Online, September 16-17 October Online, October 22-23 November Online, November 18-19 December Online, December 9-10

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Observations features a Wertheimer homebred. 18.40 Deauville, Mdn, €30,000, 2yo, c/g, 9 1/2f (AWT) Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's PACIFISTE (FR) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), one of two homebred newcomers entered, is a son of GI American Oaks and GI Del Mar Oaks heroine Lady Of Shamrock (Scat Daddy) and...