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. Today's Observations features a half-brother to Horse of the Year and leading sire Kingman.
1.40 Newmarket, Novice, £6,400, 2yo, f, 7fT
WEDDING DANCE (IRE) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) cost 600,000gns at the Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale and starts out for Charlie Appleby taking on four experienced rivals. She is a relative of the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Queen's Trust (GB) (Dansili {GB}) descended from the matriarch Lucayan Princess (GB) (High Line {GB}).
2.35 Naas, Mdn, €15,500, 2yo, c/g, 6fT
With a potent juvenile contingent primed for Royal Ascot action, Aidan O'Brien has pinpointed a relatively low-key opportunity for Susan Magnier's MILITARY STYLE (War Front), who is a son of G1 Fillies' Mile victress Together Forever (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and thus a full-brother to this month's stakes-placed G3 Jersey S. also-ran King of Athens. His six rivals include unraced stablemate Mexico City (Fr) (No Nay Never), a €160,000 Arqana December foal turned 260,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling, who is a grandson of G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner and G1 Prix de Diane third Goldamix (Ire) (Linamix {Fr}).
3.20 Newmarket, Nov, £5,400, 3yo, 8fT
Khalid Abdullah's SUNRAY MAJOR (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a half-brother to MG1SW sire Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) out of MG1SW G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Zenda (GB) (Zamindar), makes a swift return for the John Gosden stable less than two weeks after romping to victory in his June 7 debut over this strip. Burdened by a seven-pound penalty for that success, he is accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's fellow once-out winner Montather (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a Roger Varian trainee from the family of MG1SW G1 1000 Guineas heroine Shadayid (Shadeed), who too carries extra for annexing a one-mile novice heat at Chelmsford in November.
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