Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features a son of Tepin (Bernstein).
13.45 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, 7fT
DELACROIX (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the first big Ballydoyle runner on a big day for the stable and looks certain to start at prohibitive odds given the promise he showed when second on his Leopardstown debut last month. A son of the six-times top-level winner and dual champion Tepin (Bernstein), whose 3-year-old daughter Grateful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) captured last month's G3 Stanerra Stakes, he should be the latest to add his name to a winner's list that includes the subsequent G1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes winners Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and his own stablemate Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). He is joined by fellow Rosegreen representative Acapulco Bay (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the first foal out of a full-sister to Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) whose daughter Ecstatic (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) became a TDN Rising Star at Tipperary on Friday, while his rivals include Juddmonte's unraced colt Storm Piece (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), a Ger Lyons-trained son of the G1 Falmouth Stakes heroine Timepiece (GB) (Zamindar), and Qatar Bloodstock, David Howden, China Horse Club and Ballylinch Stud's Hostility (Ire) (No Nay Never), a 430,000gns Tattersalls Book 1 graduate from the Joseph O'Brien yard responsible for the aforementioned Thunder Moon and Al Riffa.
13.55 Newmarket, Debutantes, £40,000, 2yo, f, 7fT
SUHUB (GB) (Mohaather {GB}) is a significant runner for Shadwell, being the first foal out of the G1 Falmouth Stakes and G1 Sun Chariot Stakes heroine Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). William Haggas has charge of the homebred, whose 11 rivals feature some intriguing types from the leading stables including Ballydoyle's Island Hopping (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), another first foal whose dam Heaven Of Heavens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is a full-sister to Coolmore royalty Magical (Ire) and Rhododendron (Ire) and who is therefore linked closely with Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
14.15 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, 6fT
SOURCE CODE (FR) (Blue Point {Ire}) is a half-brother to this year's Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) who is obviously judged by Joseph O'Brien to have taken more after his sire's side introduced as he is over this sprint trip. Al Shira'aa Racing's homebred faces 18 contemporaries on debut which include Ballydoyle's experienced Ides Of March (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), the son of the GI Frizette Stakes heroine Nickname (Scat Daddy) who drops back down in trip having chased home his highly promising stablemate The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) over seven furlongs here last month.
14.50 Curragh, Cond, €32,000, 2yo, f, 7fT
BALLET SLIPPERS (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the pick of Ryan Moore of two Ballydoyle representatives in this American Racing Channel Irish EBF Fillies Juvenile Race which was won by the stable's future G1 Matron Stakes and G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes heroine Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and in which Opera Singer (Justify) fell short against A Lilac Rolla (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}) 12 months ago. The first foal out of the multiple Group 1-winning Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and granddaughter of Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), she ran a highly creditable third on debut behind Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Red Letter (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and that form should be good enough here. Also from Rosegreen is the newcomer Tea Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), the second foal out of Coolmore's 6-million gns purchase Marsha (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) who achieved fame by winning the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye and G1 Nunthorpe Stakes, while Coolmore have obviously placed major importance on this contest with three other entries. They include two blueblooded newcomers in the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Falling Snow (Ire) (Justify), the fourth foal out of the G1 1,000 Guineas, G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas, G1 Coronation Stakes and G1 Nassau Stakes heroine Winter (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who ironically met with defeat at the hand of the aforementioned Hydrangea in the Matron; and the Willie Browne runner Just Before (Ire) (Justify), a daughter of the dual Classic-placed Gagnoa (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) who is a half to Pour Moi (Ire) responsible for War Front's black-type winners Ancient Rome and Etoile with the latter interestingly taking her sole pattern race, Naas's G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies' Sprint Stakes, on her debut.
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