Europe

Brought along quietly by the Gosdens so far this term, Godolphin's Ombudsman (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Syndicate {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) let the cat out of the bag on Sunday with a command performance in Deauville's Listed Prix Nureyev. Sent off the 1-2 favourite for the 10-furlong contest, the 340,000gns Tattersalls Book 2 purchase who had been educated at Newmarket and Leicester followed the leading trio under Ryan Moore before being stoked up turning for home. Storming to the front a furlong from home, he had opened up a 3...

Proving that the mile-and-a-half trip holds no fears, Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Love On My Mind {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) made his first start in the Masaaki Matsushima silks a resoundingly impressive one as he got back on the group 1-winning trail in Sunday's Grosser Preis von Berlin. Always happy in the box seat under Dylan Browne McMonagle, the Joseph O'Brien-trained Arc hopeful stayed on powerfully to take control 300 metres from the finish and stormed to a five-length success from Narrativo (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), with Best Of Lips...

While Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was blowing her history bid at the start of Sunday's G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville, Nurlan Bizakov's G1 Queen Anne Stakes hero Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Futoon {Ire}, by Kodiac {GB}) was getting ready to do his thing and wrap up another top-level triumph in contrastingly straightforward fashion. After Cheveley Park Stud's mare had forfeited several lengths out of the gates, this was down to who would profit and the answer was the 9-10 favourite as he supplemented his...

Finding his true trip at Deauville on Sunday, the Joseph O'Brien-trained Cowardofthecounty (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}--Hawaajib {Fr}, by Elusive City) turned around recent fortunes to gain a first black-type success in the opening seven-furlong G3 Prix Francois Boutin. Running below expectations when seventh in the G2 Coventry Stakes and G3 Anglesey Stakes having made such a big impression on debut when beating Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never) at The Curragh in April, the colt who represents Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables, Tracy Farmer and John Oxley was again sluggish away from...

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. Sunday's Observations features a full-brother to a Breeders' Cup heroine. 14.30 Leicester, Novice, £9,000, 2yo, 7fT MATAURI BAY (IRE) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) debuts for the Ralph Beckett stable which has won the last two renewals and is a significant newcomer as a full-brother to the GI Breeders' Cup...

Still one of the best of her sex on her day, Cheveley Park Stud's Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) heads back to Deauville on Sunday to bid to achieve what none other has in the G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois. So impressive here in 2022 and 2023, the John and Thady Gosden-trained 5-year-old is in unchartered territory tackling a third that the likes of Miesque, Spinning World and Palace Pier (GB) were never asked to entertain. Found out for lack of stamina in the G1 Prince of...

Dual champion sire Frankel (GB) sired his 100th group/graded winner with Lake Victoria (Ire) in the G3 Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday. He accomplished that feat in only 3,144 days, a new record, and faster than fellow Juddmonte-bred Danehill, Deep Impact (Jpn), Galileo (Ire), and Dubawi (ire). Juddmonte's general manager UK, Simon Mockridge said, "Frankel and his record-making achievements seem to know no bounds. Frankel excels physically and mentally in all that he does--from racehorse to stallion, and simply in his day-to-day routine. What a privilege it is...

When the dust settled at Ascot on Saturday, the Ladies Team had eked out a victory in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup for a fifth time since a female team was first introduced in 2012. Consisting of Hayley Turner, who had earned her third Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle Award, Marie Velon, and Joanna Mason, the Ladies Team edged Team Europe 71 points to 60. Team Rest of the World was third with 58 points and Team Great Britain/Ireland finished fourth on 55 points. Turner and Mason ran one-two aboard...

As a heralded and unbeaten member of the dominant 2-year-old fillies' division entering Saturday's G1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh, Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}--Pavlosk, by Arch) was always going to be a force to be reckoned with and in the event she was too much for Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never) to handle in the first major clash of the sexes in this age group. Surrendering a length and a half from the gates to the Ballydoyle representative, the Ger Lyons-trained G3 Anglesey Stakes winner...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Quiet Reflection {GB}, by Showcasing {GB}) attained 'TDN Rising Star' status with a narrow victory in her June 28 debut tackling seven furlongs at the Curragh and doubled up in style with a pillar-to-post victory in Saturday's G3 JenningsBet Sweet Solera Stakes over the same trip at Newmarket. The Sean Levey-ridden filly broke smartly and was a shade keen on the front end through the early strides of this black-type bow. Settling into a comfortable rhythm by halfway, the 11-8 favourite was held...

Shadwell's 140,000gns Tattersalls December foal Anmaat (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}--African Moonlight {UAE}, by Halling) had been on a 439-day sabbatical after annexing last term's G1 Prix d'Ispahan and the 6-year-old gelding added to his victory in 2022's G3 Betfred Rose of Lancaster Stakes with a narrow victory in Saturday's latest renewal at Haydock. The 8-11 favourite raced in third through the initial stages, but slipped to fourth at halfway in this extended 10-furlong test. Nudged along with three furlongs remaining, he inched ahead passing the furlong pole and stayed on well...

   Like many Ballydoyle juveniles, Delacroix (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Tepin, by Bernstein) is very much a work in progress but everybody had a glimpse of what was to come in The Curragh's opener on Saturday as the son of the US legend overcame adversity to win his maiden with comfort. In doing so, the heavily-supported 2-5 favourite was become the stable's latest TDN Rising Star and his sire's 42nd in that category. Showing distinct promise when second on his Leopardstown debut last month, the half-brother to the yard's G3 Stanerra Stakes-winning...