Al Riffa (Fr)

Well, he's clearly not Frankel, but City Of Troy (Justify--Together Forever {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) at least stayed on a winning course as he provided more nervous tension than dazzle at Sandown on Saturday. Labouring rather than surging up the hill to the culmination of the G1 Coral-Eclipse, Ballydoyle's Derby hero proved that he had the grit to get the unique British double done as he ultimately satisfied the abundant odds-on takers. Connections were quick to admit that he had underwhelmed here, so we were again left with a sense...

After the anti-climax of the Guineas and euphoria of the Derby, Ballydoyle's City Of Troy (Justify) arrives at Sandown on Saturday with expectations high from a public now ready to fully submerge in his abundant talent. In many ways, the G1 Coral-Eclipse is the ideal framing for all his best qualities, with the mile-and-a-quarter trip allowing him to fully express himself with his blend of speed and stamina and the uphill rise to the line certain to suit his renowned galloping strength. With older-horse heavyweights White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire})...

Ballydoyle's Derby-winning TDN Rising Star City Of Troy (Justify) will face seven rivals in Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown following Thursday morning's confirmation stage. While the self-titled "clash of the generations" is missing key representation among the older brigade after it was announced that White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) would be missing from the line-up, the four other 3-year-olds preparing to take on the long odds-on favourite include Jeff Smith's smart Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and trainer Clive Cox is hopeful of a bold show. "I think we are all realistic...

Following Monday's confirmation stage, City Of Troy could face up to 10 rivals as he attempts to become the first Derby winner since Golden Horn (GB) in 2015 to follow up in Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown. Disappointing on his first start of the campaign in the G1 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, City Of Troy bounced back to form with a sparkling performance at Epsom, fully confirming the promise he showed when unbeaten in three starts as a two-year-old. The son of Justify is as short as 8-15 with the...

Joseph O'Brien has laid out an adventure in America for juvenile Group 1-winner Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), the target being the GI Manhattan S. in New York on June 8, in a path eventually routing to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. After having his sophomore season disrupted by injury, Al Riffa resurfaced in the G1 Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp and was only beaten by three-quarters of a length in a wild scramble on the wire. O'Brien admits his charge's size is something of a concern, and...

A select field of nine will assemble for Sunday's G1 Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp, Europe's first Group 1 contest of the season, with G1 Deutsches Derby hero Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) among the likely protagonists. Liberty Racing's 4-year-old added to his Classic score when annexing September's G2 Prix Niel at the Bois de Boulogne venue, but failed to make an impression and was down the field in the following month's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He returned for this campaign with a pipe-opening second in last...

Group 2 winner Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a winner of the Duke of Cambridge S. and second in the G1 Matron S. last term for Tom Clover, is an "exciting prospect" for 2024, according to new trainer Joseph O'Brien. Formerly owned by the Rogues Gallery, who picked her up for 35,000gns at the Tattersalls Mare December Sale as an unraced 2-year-old in 2021, the now-5-year-old mare was fifth in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. on QIPCO Champions Day last out in October. She was knocked down for 1.65...

Showing the acceleration that brought him one of the best renewals of the G1 Prix du Jockey Club in recent years, Gousserie Racing and Ecuries Serge Stempniak's Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}--Absolutly Me {Fr}, by Anabaa Blue {GB}) comfortably mastered the first test of the 2023 campaign Part II in Tuesday's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville. Reserved by Cristian Demuro with one behind early as stablemate Cambronne (Fr) (Alex The Winner) acted as a 1980's-style pacemaker in isolation, the latest Jean-Claude Rouget luminary delivered his sustained surge down the...

Some water has passed under the bridge since we last had the privilege of seeing Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}), but all that has really happened has been the strengthening of his aura and it is with great anticipation that Deauville welcomes him back from his mini-break in Tuesday's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano. While the clock suggested at the time that Gousserie Racing and Ecuries Serge Stempniak's representative had produced something special in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, subsequent events have proven that his performance in that 10 1/2-furlong...

Very few elite contests are won in the style that Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) displayed in last month's G2 Dahlia S., but Becky Hillen's star mare has to do it again at the next level in Saturday's G1 Yulong Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh. Granted more ease in the ground, trainer George Boughey is intent on pitching her against the best of the Irish in the 10-furlong test. "I've never seen her look so well and she's been training super, so it's all systems go as long...

After the Mar. 7 scratching stage, 83 horses remain signed on for the 2023 G1 Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 3. Worth £1.5 million, the 1 1/2-mile contest is the richest race in Britain. Of the 83, 45 are trained in Ireland and of that number, 29 are trained by Ballydoyle supremo Aidan O'Brien for various Coolmore partnerships. Top of the heap are Deep Impact (Jpn)'s G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy hero Auguste Rodin (Jpn) and the late Shadai kingpin's son's Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}). The last-named...

Second to the reopposing Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in his July 16 debut over seven furlongs at the Curragh, Jassim Bin Ali Al Attiyah's Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Love On My Mind {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) graduated over the same course and distance last month and stepped forward to provide apprentice jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle with a career high in Sunday's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S., his third seven-furlong outing at the Co. Kildare venue. The 9-1 chance settled into a rhythm behind all five rivals through...