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. Thursday's Observations features a Frankel filly out of a Breeders' Cup heroine.
16.40 Haydock, Nov, £10,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f 212yT
Imad Al Sagar homebred HAUTE COUTURE (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is a half-sister to G1 Jebel Hatta, G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and G1 Irish Champion S.-winning sire Decorated Knight (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). Unraced opposition to the John and Thady Gosden-trained debutante includes Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's Tareefa (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), who is a William Haggas-conditioned half-sister to G1 Pretty Polly S. victrix Nezwaah (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}); and Saeed Suhail's Winning Point (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}), a 320,000gns Book 1 daughter of Group 3-winning G1 Irish 1000 Guineas runner-up Rehn's Nest (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}), from the Sir Michael Stoute yard.
16.55 Leopardstown, Mdn, €18,000, 2yo, f, 7f 60yT
Ballydoyle contender GISELLE (IRE) (Frankel {GB}), the first of three foals by Frankel out of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and GI Just A Game S. victrix Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), debuts in a contest annexed in recent years by the stable's G1 Irish Oaks heroine Bracelet (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and the multiple Group 1-placed September (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Her rivals include Aidan O'Brien stablemate Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who is kin to last term's G3 Staffordstown Stud S. winner Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) out of dual G1 Nunthorpe S. heroine Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}).
19.15 Chelmsford, Nov, £9,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 10f (AWT)
Qatar Racing's UPTON (Kitten's Joy) is a homebred full-sister to G1 Futurity Trophy and G1 2000 Guineas-winning sire Kameko and makes a journey around the M25 for her belated unveiling here. The Andrew Balding trainee's opponents include Yuesheng Zhang's Daylight Chorus (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who is a €245,000 Goffs Orby half-sister to four-time Group 1-winning sire Dawn Approach (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. runner-up Herald The Dawn (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), representing William Haggas.
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