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 blueblooded homebred of The Queen's.
1.00 Newbury, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, 7fT
NOBEL (IRE) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who cost 825,000gns at the Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale, represents the Qatar Racing-Andrew Balding Classic-winning partnership as he makes his debut. A half-brother to the G3 Leopardstown Fillies Trial S. winner Love Locket (Ire) (No Nay Never) and the listed scorer Raakib Alhawa (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) from the family of High Chaparral (Ire), the March-foaled chestnut will have to be smart to deal with Prince Faisal's Find (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a John and Thady Gosden-trained son of the GI Alcibiades S. winner Spring In the Air (Spring At Last) who split the subsequent G2 July S. winner Lusail (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and fellow July meeting scorer Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) at Newmarket last month.
1.35 Newbury, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, 7fT
REACH FOR THE MOON (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) was half a length behind 'TDN Rising Star' Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in Royal Ascot's Listed Chesham S. last month and that form should be good enough to see The Queen's homebred off the mark in the second division of this novice. The John and Thady Gosden-trained half-brother to the G1 Winx S. runner-up Invictus Prince (GB) (Dansili {GB}) from the family of the G1 Epsom Oaks runner-up Flight of Fancy (GB) (Sadler's Wells) meets Susan Roy's unraced colt Dawn of Liberation (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), a Richard Hannon-trained half-brother to the high-class 2-year-olds Toormore (Ire) (Arakan) and Estidhkaar (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}).
4.10 Haydock, Cond, £12,500, 3yo/up, 6f 212yT
BARADAR (IRE) (Muhaarar {GB}) makes his keenly-anticipated 3-year-old debut, having been absent since finishing third in the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster in October. Roger Varian has failed to find a soft touch for Amo Racing's half-brother to last year's G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. runner-up Roseman (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), with two of his three rivals being Shadwell's 'TDN Rising Star' Mutasaabeq (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and last year's G2 Mill Reef S. runner-up Fivethousandtoone (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).
4.20 Nottingham, Novice, £7,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 8f 75yT
STAR SEEKING (IRE) (Gleneagles {Ire}) makes her belated 3-year-old seasonal bow, having earned 'TDN Rising Star' status when successful on her sole start at Leicester in September. From the family of the sire Linngari (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), the Sir Michael Stoute-trained chestnut carries the Michael Tabor silks as she faces five rivals.
6.10 Newmarket, Novice, £9,000, 2yo, f, 7fT
WITH THE MOONLIGHT (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) is a full-sister to the G1 Jebel Hatta winner Dream Castle (GB), who failed to make the track at two before making up for lost time. Godolphin's homebred, who is a daughter of the G2 Flying Childers S. scorer Sand Vixen (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) from a proven cross, represents the Charlie Appleby stable.
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