Alcantor (Fr)

by Emma Berry & Heather Anderson Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club is an enticing affair, with Group 1 winner Sunway appearing poised to return to his best form. There are several intriguing new shooters, including listed winner Fast Tracker, who will be making his debut in the Wathnan Racing colours. British raider and group winner Ghostwriter, who ran fourth in the 2000 Guineas, will be plying his trade in France for the first time. All in all, most of the field is in with a chance, with the...

Thursday also saw the draw made for Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, with Jeff Smith's G1 2,000 Guineas fourth Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) getting an inside post in two. In between the two ParisLongchamp conditions winners Sosie (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Look De Vega (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), the Clive Cox-trained G2 Royal Lodge S. scorer will at least have a tactical advantage in the 10 1/2-furlong Classic, with his trainer saying earlier this week, "He is very versatile and very balanced,...

Scheduled 40 minutes after the fillies' Classic, Sunday's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains offered a dramatic contrast with a heavy downpour greatly affecting the aesthetics at ParisLongchamp and to an extent the ground also. In the event, the race was off 40 minutes de retard due to the thunderstorm before Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}--Alianza {GB}, by Halling) provided another surprise result on the afternoon by overcoming higher-profile peers at 24-1. Unbeaten in two juvenile starts before finishing fifth in the course-and-distance G3 Prix de Fontainebleau last month, the Mario...

With no standout member of the line-up, Thursday's G3 Craven S. at Newmarket may offer more clues as to the 2000 Guineas prospects of those in absentia who share the stables of the main contenders. Ballydoyle are perhaps scouting the local opposition to City Of Troy with Cambridge (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), while Godolphin saddle Native Approach (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) possibly with a view to weighing up where their Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) sits. Andre Fabre is here again with Baron Edouard De Rothschild's TDN Rising Star Alcantor...

Maintaining the overseas stranglehold on the G1 Criterium International, Guy Pariente, Thomas Lines and Qatar Racing's Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}--Kensea {Fr}, by Kendargent {Fr}) struck for the David Menuisier stable at Saint-Cloud on Sunday. Putting the pressure on the leader Navy Seal (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) soon after the start, the 4-1 shot bagged the stand's-side fence after the home turn and used that to his advantage as the 4-5 favourite Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}) loomed on his outside. Engaged in battle with that rival approaching the final furlong, the...

   Up to a mile for the first time in Friday's G3 Prix Thomas Bryon Jockey Club de Turquie at Saint-Cloud, Baron Edouard De Rothschild's TDN Rising Star Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}) made light work of the test to put himself to the forefront of the year's home-trained juveniles. Successful here and at Chantilly either side of a third to Havana Cigar (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) over a six-furlong trip that was too sharp at Chantilly in July, the Andre Fabre trainee was always in his comfort zone tagging...

   Ahead of the weekend's thrillers, Thursday offers the warm-up with the G3 Prix des Chenes and G3 Prix d'Aumale acting as stepping stones for the major 2-year-old contests of the autumn. Fabre's 10 wins in the Chenes and six in the d'Aumale mean that his representation has to be taken seriously and the former, which is restricted to the males of the generation, sees him saddle Baron Edouard De Rothschild's TDN Rising Star Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}). Taking on Julien Dubois and Jean-Philippe Dubois' G3 Prix Francois Boutin...

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 Insights features TDN Rising Star Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}) in a Deauville Conditions test. 14.33 Deauville, Cond, €34,000, 2yo, c/g, 7 1/2fT Baron Edouard de Rothschild's ALCANTOR (FR) (New Bay {GB}), a half-brother to G2 Union-Rennen winner Boscaccio (Ger) (Mount Nelson {GB}), looked a class act when...

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. Wednesday's Observations features a returning 'TDN Rising Star'. 13.25 Clairefontaine, Cond, €34,000, 2yo, 8fT ALCANTOR (FR) (New Bay {GB}) is moved up to a mile from six furlongs by Andre Fabre, having lacked the raw pace to deal with the subsequent G3 Prix de Cabourg third Havana Cigar (GB)...

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. Saturday's Insights features the son of G1SW Together Forever, the Justify colt City of Troy. 13.40 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo c/g, 7fT CITY OF TROY (Justify) looks a significant member of the contingent for this Barronstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden for colts and geldings, being the chosen Ballydoyle representative...

Edouard de Rothschild's Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}--Bianca De Medici {GB}, by Medicean {GB}) was a picture of calmness during the extended preliminaries of Tuesday's Prix Chapeau Rouge at Saint-Cloud and exploded onto the scene with a rare display of authority to attain 'TDN Rising Star' status in taking fashion. The seven-furlong contest has been used as a springboard to higher by others, most notably subsequent Group 1 winners Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Arapaho (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Alcantor is the second Rising Star for his sire...