Charyn (Ire)

The 41st running of the G1 Mile Championship was a salty one, and when the dust settled, it was Soul Rush (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) who came out on top to claim his first victory at the highest level in the autumn highlight at Kyoto on Sunday. The fourth betting choice faced a line up which included defending champion Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), who had last been seen in a runner-up effort in the G1 Yasuda Kinen, as well as European multiple Group 1 winner Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Soul...

The nominations have been revealed for the 34th Cartier Racing Awards, which will be presented at the Dorchester Hotel in London on the evening of Wednesday, November 20. The contenders for the Cartier Horse Of The Year include Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) and top-class miler Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Derby winner City Of Troy (Justify), who later followed up the Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International, and outstanding stayer Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) are also in contention for the evening's premier equine accolade. In addition...

In 2023, Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) parlayed a victory in the G2 Fuji Stakes en route to a neck defeat of Soul Rush (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) in the G1 Mile Championship. This term, the top Japanese pair face a tougher ask, as Europe's Champion Miler elect Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) attempts to become the first international winner of the race since it was opened to worldwide participation in 1998. Trained by Tomokazu Takano, Namur will have pilot Cristian Demuro at the controls and they will break from stall four....

Multiple Group 1 winner Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) is now the highest rated filly or mare in the world at 127 on the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, which were released on Thursday. A winner of the G1 Turnbull Stakes and G1 Cox Plate in October, she added the G1 Champions Stakes in November and is equal to G1 Derby/G1 International Stakes/G1 Eclipse winner City Of Troy (Justify). The highest rated horse in the world is Laurel River (Into Mischief) at 128. Next in the rankings are the...

Dark Angel (Ire)'s Charyn (Ire) will stand for €35,000 during his first season at Sumbe's Haras de Montfort et Preaux in 2025, Nurlan Bizakov's operation announced on Tuesday. A winner of the G1 Queen Anne Stakes, G1 Prix Jacques le Marois and the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes all in 2024, the classy miler is now bound for a final start in Japan's G1 Mile Championship on Nov. 17. Bred by Grangemore Stud, the Roger Varian trainee was a 250,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 yearling when offered by his breeder...

There was a sense of inevitability in the lead-up to Saturday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and for the vast majority of the mile feature as Nurlan Bizakov's Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Futoon {Ire}, by Kodiac {GB}) capped a near-perfect season at Ascot. Adding to his G1 Queen Anne Stakes and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois successes, the 13-8 favourite had only Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) to concern him late on but ultimately subdued his latest challenger to record a two-length success. Needing the occasional niggle from Silvestre De...

It's QIPCO British Champions Day, so it stands to reason that we are talking about autumn soft ground as the European flat season continues to turn on its axis. Where the summer specialists City Of Troy (Justify), Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) and Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) are missing for varying reasons, the way is open for those who relish the kind of test this surface provides. Every one of the five pattern races on Ascot's fixture boasts at...

Ascot's Qipco British Champions Day took its final shape on Thursday morning, with the middle-distance heavyweights Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) heading a 12-strong cast for Saturday's £1.3-million G1 Qipco Champion Stakes. Isa Salman Al Khalifa's G1 Irish Champion Stakes winner and The Aga Khan's G1 Juddmonte International runner-up are joined by the G1 Irish Derby third Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), one of two for Ballydoyle, and another French raider in Iresine (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}) who gives to provide Marie Velon with a...

Following Monday's confirmation stage, 17 horses remain in contention for Saturday's G1 QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot, including the top-class three-year-olds Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and Calandagan (Ire) in what has the makings of a blockbuster clash. Trained by William Haggas, Economics is unbeaten in four starts this season, culminating with a first Group 1 victory in last month's Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, while French challenger Calandagan confirmed himself a major force to be reckoned with when filling the runner-up spot behind the outstanding City Of Troy (Justify)...

Anthony Stroud signed for the first lot to make a million during Wednesday's second session of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, with Grangemore Stud's Dark Angel (Ire) full-sister to the G1 Queen Anne Stakes and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois winner Charyn (Ire) selling for 2,900,000gns. Stroud bought the filly on behalf of Godolphin, with Amo Racing, who made three seven-figure purchases on Tuesday, filling the role of underbidder. Lot 183 is out of the Listed-placed Kodiac (GB) mare Futoon (Ire), who is also responsible for the...

Multiple Group 1-winning miler Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) will retire at the end of the year and stand his first season for Sumbe at Haras de Montfort et Preaux in 2025. A fee for the Roger Varian trainee will be announced later. "I am delighted to announce that Charyn, the leading miler in Europe and impressive winner of this year's G1 Queen Anne Stakes and G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois, will retire at the end of the racing season to become the fifth Group 1 winner on Sumbe's stallion...

It's that time of year where most of the stories in the bloodstock world are being written in the sales ring, with the ink used to tell the tale of Book 1 of the Goffs Orby Sale still fresh on the page and the major plotlines ahead of next week's Tattersalls October Yearling Sale already starting to take shape. But as the search continues for the Classic winners of 2026, it's worth also reminding ourselves of the many stories still waiting to be written on the racecourse in the closing...