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. Tuesday's Observations features the eagerly-awaited seasonal debut of a 'TDN Rising Star'.
2.25 Saint-Cloud, Cond, €28,000, 3yo, c/g, 8fT
VALIMI (FR) (Teofilo {Ire}) has already flashed talent last term and makes his 3-year-old bow for The Aga Khan and Jean-Claude Rouget in this Prix Comrade won 12 months ago by their high-class colt Erevann (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}). Entered in the Poule d'Essai Poulains, Prix du Jockey Club and Grand Prix de Paris, the relative of the Prix de Diane heroine Valyra (GB) (Azamour {Ire}) is a live prospect for those major tests having beaten the subsequent Listed Prix Omnium II winner American Flag (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) on his sole start at Deauville in October. In his way is Juddmonte's Halfway Line (GB) (Zoffany {Ire}), a Francis-Henri Graffard-trained relative of Elmaamul and Reams Of Verse (Nureyev) who encountered the Rouget TDN Rising Star Padishakh (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) at ParisLongchamp in September before going one better at Chantilly in September.
3.00 Saint-Cloud, Cond, €28,000, 3yo, f, 8fT
SNOWPARK (FR) (Dubawi {Ire}) makes her eagerly-awaited seasonal debut, having earned TDN Rising Star status when winning her sole start at Deauville in October. Ecurie des Monceaux's daughter of Starlet's Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and half-sister to the Arc and Prix du Jockey Club-winning luminary Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and the champion Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) is another Jean-Claude Rouget Classic aspirant on a big afternoon for the stable and among her rivals is the Wertheimers' impressive Chantilly maiden winner Algolia (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), an Andre Fabre-trained daughter of the G1 Grande Premio Diana heroine and GI Flower Bowl S.-placed Viva Rafaela (Brz) (Know Heights {Ire}).
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