Ascot

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 Insights features a half-brother to champion Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). 3.05 Ascot, Mdn, £18,000, 2yo, 7fT DERAB (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is the ninth foal out of Concentric (GB) (Sadler's Wells) to represent Khalid Abdullah and the March-foaled bay starts out at the track at which his...

Fresh off the back of her 5 1/2-length victory in the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. on Saturday, Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) emerged from the Ascot showpiece in good condition, trainer John Gosden confirmed. The next start for the formidable Juddmonte colourbearer is undecided, but she is targeting a pair of races at York--either the Aug. 19 G1 Juddmonte International S. or the Aug. 20 G1 Yorkshire Oaks. The former features a rematch with Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), while the outstanding dual Classic heroine Love (Ire) (Galileo...

Providing another boost to the form of the July 10 G2 Duchess of Cambridge S., Santosha (Ire) (Coulsty {Ire}) stepped up to capture Sunday's G3 Princess Margaret Betfred S. at Ascot and provide her Rathasker Stud-based first-season sire with his initial black-type winner. Sent off at 5-1 coming off a third placing behind the G3 Albany S. scorer Dandalla (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and the subsequent Listed Star S. winner Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) in that contest at Newmarket's July festival, the bay was reserved off the early pace...

HALF TO GOLDEN HORN DEBUTS AT NEWMARKET 1.15 Ascot, Novice, £10,400, 2yo, f, 7fT SNOW LANTERN (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is the first filly bred by Rockcliffe Stud out of their four-times group 1-winning 1000 Guineas heroine Sky Lantern (Ire) (Red Clubs {Ire}). Likewise a grey in training with Richard Hannon, she encounters some similarly blue-blooded rivals in the race her stable won last year with the subsequent Guineas runner-up Cloak of Spirits (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). 1.40 Newmarket, Mdn, £6,400, 2yo, 7fT DHAHABI (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) understandably caused a sensation...

Anthony Van Dyck (Ire), who was to be one of three Aidan O'Brien-trained sons of Galileo (Ire) to tackle two-time defending champion Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in Saturday's G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond S. at Ascot, has been declared from the race. "We weren't 100 per cent happy with Anthony Van Dyck's bloods when they came back this evening and as a result we're not going to run him at Ascot tomorrow," the conditioner told Racing Post. "It's disappointing but we have to do the right thing...

Prince Khalid Abdullah's champion mare Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) is bidding to become the first horse to take three editions of the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., as she is one of eight to stand their ground at the latest entry stage. She sustained only her second career loss with a 1 3/4 second when going for a three-peat in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp in October and was the bridesmaid once again kicking off her 6-year-old campaign in Sandown's G1 Coral-Eclipse S....

The 2020 Dubai Shergar Cup at Ascot has been cancelled due to the coronavirus, Racing TV reported. Originally scheduled for Aug. 8, the four-team jockey competition played host to some of the world's best riders, but with the current travel restrictions, as well as crowds at sporting events being prohibited, Ascot decided to call off the 2020 event. "Regrettably, given the complexities of flying jockeys around the world and uncertainty over what government regulations will be in place at the time, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup won't take place...

Amid the ongoing uncertainty of the coronavirus crisis, Tattersalls has announced another change of dates for its breeze-up sales this season. The Ascot Breeze-up, which should have been held earlier this week and had already been postponed until the end of April, will now be held in Newmarket along with the Craven Breeze-up between May 27 and 29. An additional date of June 8 to 10 is bring held in reserve in case a further postponement is deemed necessary. The Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-up and Horses-in-Training Sale, which had been pushed...

The popular Shergar Cup jockeys' competition is staged at Ascot on Saturday, and Hayley Turner, captain of the Girls Team, is looking forward to defending her Silver Saddle crown for leading rider at the fixture as well as the team title. "I love it, it's like waiting for Christmas," Turner told Sky Sports News. "I just enjoy it so much and I don't know why, it's just something a bit different and it's good fun. I had a good year last year and having the team event, while we ride...

Friday of the Qatar Goodwood festival can mean only one thing. Shadwell's flying machine Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) bids to follow where Tuesday's star Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) led by landing a third edition of one of the meeting's major prizes, this time the G2 King George Qatar S. over the furiously fast five furlongs he adores. In the form of his life this term, he took the G2 Temple S. at Haydock on May 25 before meeting his nemesis Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G1...

William Buick is set to make his long-awaited return to the saddle with two rides at Newmarket on Friday evening. Buick, who was unshipped from Sir Busker (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) on the way to post at Ascot on May 10, has been out of action since partnering the Charlie Appleby-trained 2-year-old newcomer Expressionist (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) to victory at the same track 24 hours later. He missed his intended mounts in France the next day after reportedly feeling unwell. The 31-year-old, retained by Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation,...

Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy), named 2018 Cartier Horse of the Year on the back of a quartet of Group 1 wins, is recovering well so far since undergoing emergency surgery for colic. Cambridge Stud staff reported the stallion "much brighter" on Tuesday following his weekend operation shortly after arriving to take up winter stud duties in New Zealand. The 4-year-old, owned by Qatar Racing and housed at David Redvers's Tweenhills in Gloucestershire, was shipped to Cambridge Stud but then taken ill after leaving quarantine on Saturday morning. Cambridge Stud's surgeon...