Amazing Grace

We're starting to feel a little long in the tooth in this corner. The racing equivalent to the observation about policemen looking young these days now applies to the weighing-room, and on Saturday one young gun after another came out with a performance that would entitle them to be considered the next big thing.  Benoit de la Sayette has already achieved plenty in his nascent career. Now 20, he had his first ride in November 2020 and became the first apprentice attached to John Gosden's stable in almost 30 years. ...

Following a momentous 60th anniversary year for Moyglare Stud, with a Classic winner and a champion stayer to the team's credit, owner Eva-Maria Bucher-Haefner and her bloodstock advisor Fiona Craig picked up a smart pair of fillies at Arqana's Breeding Stock Sale last December. Both Malavath (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and Amazing Grace (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger}), who are Group 2 winners and were Group 1-placed in France and Germany respectively, will remain in training this season. They have now left Europe to join Christophe Clement's team of horses, which is currently...

Christophe Clement said he always looks forward to his annual trip to Deauville for the Arqana December Sale. It's a bit like stepping back in time for the U.S.-based trainer as he wanders the grounds that were once the setting of childhood summers spent working for his father, French conditioner Miguel Clement Sr. The youngest of three, Clement is still often called 'Little Clement' while in Deauville. "That always makes me laugh," said Clement, whose own son Miguel has a handle on their stable in America while his father is...

DEAUVILLE, France--As we have seen over the the last few weeks in Ireland and England, there remains a voracious appetite for breeding stock, and globally the Thoroughbred breeding industry continues to hold German bloodlines in the highest regard. With this in mind, there will undoubtedly be plenty of visitors from all over the world turning up to peruse the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale draft of Ronald Rauscher, which contains a number of well-bred fillies and mares with proper racing form. German-born and now based in Ireland, Rauscher is a consignor,...

It seems harsh, when the British and Irish Classics have so far have been split two apiece between Jim Bolger and Aidan O'Brien, to suggest that this season is all about Bolger. But, let's face it, it is.  Plenty has been written about Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and the fact that both sides of their families are very much ingrained in the Bolger breeding and training academy. What is equally admirable, especially in the case of Mac Swiney, is the fact...