Ballydoyle

Continuing Aidan O'Brien and Coolmore's incredible week, Content (Ire) put the icing on the cake on Thursday by bringing up the long-awaited 100th individual group 1 winner for the legendary Galileo (Ire) in the G1 Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks. Close to sealing that deal when an unlucky second to You Got To Me (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the G1 Irish Oaks last month, the daughter of the high-class sprinter Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) was merely postponing the celebrations to this meeting at which her dam captured two editions...

YORK, UK -- Those rather dangerous words issued last October after the Dewhurst don't seem quite so bold now. "He's our Frankel," said City Of Troy's part-owner Michael Tabor back then. It may still seem like sacrilege, especially on a day when Juddmonte sponsors the big race, to compare any other Thoroughbred to Frankel, but at York there has truly been no anticipation so intense, no reception so rapturous, since Henry Cecil's wonder horse took the Knavesmire by storm in the Juddmonte International Stakes 12 years ago.  Twelve years gone...

Brilliant horses like City Of Troy (Justify--Together Forever {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) are always on the line when it comes to reputation and aura and there was no disguising the fact that Wednesday's G1 Juddmonte International represented his moment of truth regardless of prior achievements. Despite coming to York as a clear-cut 2-year-old champion, an impressive Derby winner and the current holder of an Eclipse, there was a tension in the atmosphere on the storied Knavesmire expanse that was accompanied by threatening and brooding clouds and a strange autumnal air....

With only five runners, Wednesday's G2 Great Voltigeur Stakes could have been short on entertainment but the opposite was the case as three runners created a stirring finish which saw Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}--Frequential {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) prevail. Handed a five-pound penalty due to his G1 Irish Derby exploits, Ballydoyle's Derby third was looking to do something out of the ordinary here and he had to work to get it over the line but luckily he is a grafter as well as a class act and proved well...

Aidan O'Brien trainee The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--What A Home {Ire}, by Lope De Vega {Ire}), a €375,000 Goffs Orby yearling, attained 'TDN Rising Star' status with an impressive debut display tackling seven furlongs at the Curragh last month and stepped forward to deliver a track-record performance over the same trip in Wednesday's G3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes at York. The 2-1 second favourite was swiftly into stride and raced on the front end from flagfall in this one-turn test. Nudged along when threatened passing the quarter-mile...

He's been a bit hit-and-miss so far in his brief career, but Ballydoyle's Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never--Adventure Seeker {Fr}, by Bering {GB}) was in front where it mattered to master his peers in Sunday's stallion-making G1 Sumbe Prix Morny at Deauville. Breaking fast to get the stands' rail, the 27-10 favourite was able to force the pace without the kind of pressure he had endured during last Sunday's G1 Phoenix Stakes. The G2 July Stakes winner kept finding for Ryan Moore to get to the line 3/4 of a...

Stamping his authority on Saturday's G3 Irish St Leger Trial Stakes, Grosvenor Square (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Wadyhatta {GB}, by Cape Cross {Ire}) added serious ballast to Ballydoyle's Doncaster Classic team with a scintillating 20-length romp. Out on his own from the outset, the 1-2 favourite, who had been overhauled in dramatic fashion late on by his top-class stablemate Tower Of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G2 Curragh Cup over this 14-furlong trip last month, gave Ryan Moore an armchair ride as he came home on his own with the yawning...

Getting back on the winning trail in the G3 Royal Whip Stakes at The Curragh on Saturday, Ballydoyle's G1 St Leger hero Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}--Fluff {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) served notice that he is ready for some serious autumn action with options open. Badly needing his reintroduction when fifth in a strong renewal of Royal Ascot's G2 Hardwicke Stakes in June, the 4-7 favourite shadowed the leader Trustyourinstinct (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) before edging ahead three out and forging a workmanlike half-length success under Ryan Moore in a fast...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Bernard Shaw (Into Mischief--Princess Haya, by Street Cry {Ire}), a $550,000 Keeneland November foal turned $1.8-million Keeneland September yearling, backed up a June 29 debut fourth at the Curragh with a breakthrough score in Thursday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Dundalk.   🤌 Lovely $1.8 million buy Bernard Shaw (Into Mischief) opens his account at the second time of asking in fine style at @DundalkStadium pic.twitter.com/wj4HmLU7O0 — Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 15, 2024 4th-Dundalk, €18,000, Mdn, 8-15, 2yo, 8f (AWT), 1:39.27, st. BERNARD SHAW (c, 2,...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred 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 another highly-promising Ballydoyle 2-year-old runner in a very short, but quality, Stonehenge Stakes. 15.30 Salisbury, Listed, £40,000, 2yo, 8fT THE PARTHENON (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) has missed three group 2 engagements due to ground conditions, but with Salisbury currently enjoying good-to-firm going the scene is set for...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Quiet Reflection {GB}, by Showcasing {GB}) attained 'TDN Rising Star' status with a narrow victory in her June 28 debut tackling seven furlongs at the Curragh and doubled up in style with a pillar-to-post victory in Saturday's G3 JenningsBet Sweet Solera Stakes over the same trip at Newmarket. The Sean Levey-ridden filly broke smartly and was a shade keen on the front end through the early strides of this black-type bow. Settling into a comfortable rhythm by halfway, the 11-8 favourite was held...

   Like many Ballydoyle juveniles, Delacroix (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Tepin, by Bernstein) is very much a work in progress but everybody had a glimpse of what was to come in The Curragh's opener on Saturday as the son of the US legend overcame adversity to win his maiden with comfort. In doing so, the heavily-supported 2-5 favourite was become the stable's latest TDN Rising Star and his sire's 42nd in that category. Showing distinct promise when second on his Leopardstown debut last month, the half-brother to the yard's G3 Stanerra Stakes-winning...