Europe

Ralph Beckett trainee Stanhope Gardens (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}--Pure Art {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) shaped with a great deal of promise when third behind the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Ruling Court (Justify) at Sandown last month and became his freshman sire's first winner by dominating Wednesday's New 911 EBF Maiden Stakes at Beverley. Positioned second for most of this extended seven-furlong test, the 4-7 favourite seized control in the home straight and was beyond recall once hitting the front to prevail by 2 1/4 lengths from High Season (GB)...

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. Wednesday's Observations features another highly-promising Ballydoyle 2-year-old runner in a very short, but quality, Stonehenge Stakes. 15.30 Salisbury, Listed, £40,000, 2yo, 8fT THE PARTHENON (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) has missed three group 2 engagements due to ground conditions, but with Salisbury currently enjoying good-to-firm going the scene is set for...

The 107th annual general meeting of the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA), held on Tuesday, Aug. 13, saw members and trustees gather at Newbury racecourse to discuss the ongoing challenges in British racing's future. Philip Newton, chairman of the association, reiterated that evidence-based strategy as well as incentives and intervention were working, and that the methods were the way forward for a sustainable future. Newton took time to highlight the positive impact of both the Elite Mares' Scheme as well as the Great British Bonus (GBB) Scheme. The latter has paid...

Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) leads the Timeform juveniles as the highest rated this season with a 116p, and the fillies are dominating the pecking order. A 9 1/2-length winner of the Listed Chesham Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting, and producing another dominating display July 25 en route to victory in the G3 Jockey Club of Turkey Silver Flash Stakes, the 'TDN Rising Star' is the highest rated 2-year-old and her stablemate multiple Group-winning Fairy Godmother (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) picks up the joint second spot with a...

It is 15 years since Gwen Monneraye and Lucie Lamotte launched their La Motteraye Consignment and since then they have built their business up from scratch to being responsible for topping the Arqana August Sale of 2018 with a €1.4m Dubawi colt.  Last year La Motteraye was the fourth-leading vendor with 16 yearlings sold at an average price of €201,563 and it would be no surprise to see them near the top of the table once more. The stud's draft of 30 yearlings are garnered from an international client base,...

Less than a week after it was announced that Jean-Claude Rouget was set to join forces with Jerome Reynier, the Aga Khan Studs revealed that it has relocated horses trained by Rouget to Francis-Henri Graffard. A statement released on Tuesday said, "The team at Aga Khan Studs extend their heartfelt thanks to Jean-Claude Rouget for his dedication over the past 19 years, during which time he has won seven Group 1 races for H.H. the Aga Khan, including Valyra (Prix de Diane), Ervedya (Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Coronation Stakes and...

Dunchurch Lodge Stud's homebred filly First Instinct (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), a 2-year-old daughter of G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Proportional (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}), made a winning debut over six furlongs in Tuesday's Weatherbys Global Stallions App EBF Maiden Fillies Stakes at Nottingham. 2nd-Nottingham, £6,899, Mdn, 8-13, 2yo, f, 6f 18yT, 1:14.44, g/f. FIRST INSTINCT (GB) (f, 2, Bated Breath {GB}--Proportional {GB} {G1SW-Fr, $357,727}, by Beat Hollow {GB}) dwelt at the break and raced towards the rear through halfway in this unveiling. Coming under pressure to reduce arrears approaching...

The catalogue for the Tattersalls September Sale has been released and is available online, the auction house announced via presser on Tuesday. Set to take place on Tuesday, Sept. 10 after having previously gone late August, 240 lots have been assembled with 155 colts and geldings both in and out-of-training as well as 77 fillies and mares both in and out-of-training. Seven broodmares were also catalogued. Scheduled to go through the ring are consignments from some of England's leading trainers including lots offered on behalf of John & Thady Gosden...

So what became of the likely lads and lassies? Since 2011, there has been a seven-figure top lot each year at the Arqana August Sale.  We are talking about some of the best-bred horses in Europe here. Yearlings that have been given the best possible chance of being good from the day that they were born. But did time prove them worthy of their top lot status? We all know that, in this business, money doesn't guarantee anything. If that was the case, what a boring sport this would be....

Yann Barberot trainee Lhakpa (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}--Enchanting Skies {Ire}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}), a half-sister to the multiple Group 1-placed Beauvatier (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), followed up a narrow debut victory at Compiegne in June with a 1 3/4-length success in Tuesday's Prix du Mezeray at Deauville. 2nd-Deauville, €34,000, Cond, 8-13, 2yo, f, 7 1/2fT, 1:40.49, gd. LHAKPA (IRE) (f, 2, Siyouni {Fr}--Enchanting Skies {Ire} {SP-Fr}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}), who posted a narrow victory going seven furlongs at Compiegne in her June 22 debut last time,...

Normandy resident and regular TDN contributor Alix Choppin uses her local knowledge to offer overseas visitors some valuable pointers on where to eat, drink and be merry after a long day at the Arqana sales Despite being home to no more than 5,000 souls in the heart of winter, Deauville in summertime turns into a buzzy, sleepless town where restaurants, bars, clubs and countless sorts of hybrid eating/drinking/partying venues combine to make stay-at-home nights an unlikely option. Perhaps one of the most iconic venues, to the extent that its name...

The recent Kevin Coleman-trained Leopardstown maiden winner Latin Fever (Ire) (Equiano {Fr}) has been purchased to continue her career in the United States in a deal brokered by Avenue Bloodstock's Mark McStay and Philip Shelton of Medallion Racing. The juvenile filly, who was bred by Donal Boylan and bought as a yearling by Adam Potts and Danny Donovan for €27,000, won on debut at odds of 80/1. Commenting on the purchase, McStay said, "Latin Fever couldn't have been more visually impressive on debut and I'm delighted that we've secured her...