Snowfall's Half-Brother Steps Out at Leopardstown

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. Friday's Observations features a Dubawi (Ire) half-brother to Group 1 winner Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

1.30 Newbury, Mdn, 2yo, 6fT
MYSTERIOUS NIGHT (IRE) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is one of a few intriguing types in this often-informative juvenile scene-setter, being a full-brother to last year's GI Just a Game S. and GI Diana S. heroine Althiqa (GB). Charlie Appleby has charge of the Godolphin homebred, who has drawn William Buick away from York and Newmarket and whose peers include King Power Racing's 440,000gns Book 1 purchase The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), an Andrew Balding-trained half-brother to the stable's classy Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}) from the family of Ribchester (Ire).

3.25 Newmarket, Novice, £10,000, 3yo, 8fT
FIRST RULER (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the first foal out of the GI Man o'War S. heroine Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who was bought for 3.7 million gns by Godolphin at the 2017 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. A half-sister to the operation's Ghaiyyath (Ire), her February-foaled bay is in the care of that Dubawi heavyweight's trainer Charlie Appleby who introduces him in the race won 12 months ago by the TDN Rising Star Derab (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}).

5.10 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, 7fT
ALFRED MUNNINGS (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) is one of two Ballydoyle newcomers engaged and the most significant by virtue of the fact that he is a half-brother to last year's G1 Epsom, Irish and Yorkshire Oaks-winning sensation Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). The May-foaled bay, who sports the Westerberg silks, is joined by the stable's Tenerife (Ire) (No Nay Never), a 450,000gns Book 2 graduate and half-brother to the recent G1 1000 Guineas runner-up Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). They meet the Niarchos Family's Simpson's Paradox (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), the full-brother to the Group 1-winning pair Alpha Centauri (Ire) and Discoveries (Ire) and half to the G1 Coronation S. heroine Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) from the Jessie Harrington stable.