Ballydoyle

Royal Ascot's week-long Ryan Moore-Frankie Dettori battle was underway in some style early on Tuesday, with the former prevailing in a thrilling tussle on the 4-1 favourite Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Queen Anne S., a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland in November. Sent straight to the fore, last year's G1 St James's Palace S. and G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp hero was passed and apparently beaten by Terebellum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) as Frankie took charge 1...

The Curragh's Saturday card was run on real Galileo (Ire) ground and so it was with a degree of predictability that his sole representative in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas Peaceful (Ire) relished the fast going to bring up a second fillies' Classic in less than a week for Ballydoyle. It proved a momentous renewal for Michael Tabor, who saw the first three home carry his silks, for the supersire who was surpassing Danehill with a record 85th group 1 winner, and also for the O'Brien family with Aidan,...

Coolmore's newcomer Admiral Nelson (GB) (Kingman {GB}) topped the lists at last year's Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale, when knocked down to M V Magnier for £440,000 and the strapping bay repaid some of that outlay and earned 'TDN Rising Stardom' when scorching to an impressive one-length success in Friday's Tally-Ho Stud Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden over five furlongs at The Curragh. The 5-1 chance was among the slowest into stride, but tanked by rivals to stalk the leading wave from a position in the second rank after the initial...

Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will miss the chance to renew his rivalry with Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) after being removed from consideration for the June 18 G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. A tweet from Ballydoyle on Friday morning read, "We weren't 100% happy with Kew Gardens this morning and he will not be entered in the Ascot Gold Cup." The winner of the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 St Leger at three, Kew Gardens was runner-up in the G1 Coronation Cup and G1 Irish...

Khalid Abdullah's unbeaten Siskin (First Defence) will have 10 rivals to contend with in Friday evening's €250,000 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh after the draw was made on Wednesday. Successful in the G2 Railway S. and G1 Phoenix S. over six furlongs at the track last summer, the homebred is nevertheless on a retrieval mission having been taken out at the start of the G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket when becoming upset in the stalls. Provided there is no repeat of that, he has a favourable draw...

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. Today's Observations features a well-bred son of Uncle Mo debuting in Ireland. 2.00 Naas, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, 5fT LIPPIZANER (Uncle Mo) is graced with the duty of being Aidan O'Brien's first 2-year-old runner of the new decade and is suitably adorned as a son of the G1 Schweppes Thousand...

In this weirdest of times, the European turf flat season re-emerges in cautious defiance to the world's rampaging virus with the Kildare circuit of Naas the centre of all focus. As usual, the Irish season kicks off with a card featuring the G3 Lodge Park Stud Irish EBF Park Express S. for fillies and mares which might just be the only G1 1000 Guineas trial to be run for some time if the country follows the lead of some others and commits to lockdown. For now, we can enjoy the...

Ballydoyle's globetrotting filly Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and stablemate Mount Everest (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) have been given entries in the G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup going 2000 metres at Sha Tin on Feb. 16. They are two of just three international entries, with Sacred Capital (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) from Macau also engaged. Magic Wand, who at last got her Group 1 in the Mackinnon S. in Australia in November, was a short-head second in the G1 Hong Kong Cup in December over the Gold Cup course and distance, and...

Defying the rain-softened ground and a trio from Ballydoyle, Khalid Abdullah's Siskin (First Defence) kept his unbeaten record intact as he prevailed from TDN Rising Star Monarch of Egypt (American Pharoah) in Friday's G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. at The Curragh. Held up in fourth early by Colin Keane, the 10-11 favourite cruised into a challenging position on the far side heading to two out where battle was joined with Monarch of Egypt who he had beaten in the course-and-distance G2 Railway S. Looking to be losing out in that tussle...

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. Today's Observations features the debut of a full-brother to Churchill and Clemmie. 5.15 Curragh, Mdn, €17,500, 2yo, 7fT PARADISO (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is a full-brother to Churchill (Ire) and Clemmie (Ire) who may be down the Ballydoyle pecking order if jockey bookings are to be believed. Seamie Heffernan takes...

Khalid Abdullah's unbeaten Siskin (First Defence) renews rivalry with 'TDN Rising Star' Monarch of Egypt (American Pharoah) in Friday's G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. at a Curragh venue currently threatened by the possibility of huge amounts of rain. First and second in the course-and-distance G2 Railway S. on fast ground on June 29, they are both bred to be compromised by the prospect of soft ground. Siskin, who also captured the May 24 Listed Marble Hill S. here, has two other Ballydoyle representatives to contend with including the G2 July S....