Brian Meehan

The G1 Prix Morny at Deauville on Sunday, August 18 has been identified as the "obvious target" for Rashabar (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) after he defied odds of 80-1 to gain a first career victory in the G2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. Beaten in two previous starts at Newbury and Chester, Rashabar found significant improvement to come out on top in a field of 22 for Ascot's premier two-year-old contest, showing a good attitude to hold on by a nose having raced away from the other principals. It...

Iraj Parvizi's Listed Dee Stakes third Jayarebe (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}--Alakhana {Fr}, by Dalakhani {Ire}), who made an impressive black-type breakthrough in April's Listed Feilden Stakes, bounced back in style to secure a career high in Thursday's G3 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot. Jayarebe broke smartly from the outside gate, but was trapped wide in a prominent position before accepting a tow in a share of third. Looming large when taking closer order off the home turn, the 7-1 chance hit the front passing the quarter-mile marker and was driven...

Having secured a maiden pattern-race win in Germany earlier in the campaign, fledgling jockey Billy Loughnane registered a career high when steering the twice-raced maiden and Brian Meehan trainee Rashabar (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}--Amazonka {Ire}, by Camelot {GB}), racing in the famed Robert Sangster silks, to a narrow victory in Tuesday's G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot. The 80-1 outsider, who placed in maidens at Newbury and Chester prior to this black-type bow, broke smartly and raced in a leading wave of three at the head of the smaller...

Iraj Parvizi's Jayarebe (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}--Alakhana {Fr}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) backed up an Aug. 25 debut win at Newmarket's summer venue with a sixth in ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere last time and stepped forward to notch an impressive success on sophomore return in Wednesday's Listed bet365 Feilden S. back at HQ. The 11-1 chance raced on the front end after an alert getaway and settled into a rhythm stalking the pace in close-up second for the most part. Shaken up to regain an edge passing the quarter-mile marker, he...

Leading French 2,000 Guineas fancy Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) has been sold to the Qatari-based Wathnan Racing in a deal that was brokered by Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock.  Isaac Shelby won the G3 Greenham S. in the colours of Manton Thoroughbreds on his reappearance at Newbury last month, after which, his trainer Brian Meehan revealed that he would sidestep Newmarket in favour of the French Classic at ParisLongchamp.  The colt remains firmly on course for Sunday's race and will represent an exciting first European runner for...

There was high drama at the beginning of Saturday's G3 Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham S. at Newbury when Frankie Dettori parted company with G1 Dewhurst S. hero and leading G1 2000 Guineas contender Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) upon exiting the stalls, which allowed Manton Thoroughbreds VII's reopposing Dewhurst seventh Isaac Shelby (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Kentucky Belle {Ire}, by Heliostatic {Ire}) a free run to make all for a second pattern-race triumph in the seven-furlong feature. Last term's G2 Superlative S. victor was swiftly into stride, away...

One of the most cheering aspects of an excellent three days of racing for Newmarket's July Meeting was seeing the famous Sangster silks returning to the winner's enclosure aboard a group winner. For racing fans of a certain vintage it is impossible to see those colours originally registered to the late Robert Sangster and not conjure up memories of some of the famous horses to have raced in them, not least the great Sadler's Wells. How far into the league of great horses Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire})...

Manton Thoroughbreds' hitherto undefeated 2-year-old colt Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Kentucky Belle {Ire}), by Heliostatic {Ire}) registered a taking 3 1/2-length success in his May 31 unveiling going 6 1/2 furlongs at Newbury, the chestnut's only prior start, and doubled up in game fashion after a ding-dong tussle with Godolphin's Victory Dance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) throughout the closing stages of Saturday's seven-furlong G2 bet365 Superlative S. at Newmarket. The 3-1 chance was the sharpest of five into stride and accepted a tow from Dark Thirty (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus})...

Ascot's two-day meeting continued to supply 2-year-olds with abundant promise on Saturday, with the Stella Artois British EBF Novice S. playing host to a new TDN Rising Star as Shadwell's Akmaam (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) stamped his class on the seven-furlong contest. Always travelling easily on the front end under Martin Dwyer, the 12-1 shot opened up passing two out and galloped out strongly to the line for a four-length success from Siam Fox (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}), with Arqoob (Ire) (Estidhkaar {Ire}) another half-length away in third. "He's...