Concert Hall (Ire)

by Stefanie Grimm & Patrycja Szpyra With the Fourth of July holiday weekend in the rear-view mirror, the summer turf season kicks into high gear starting with a pair of Grade I's at Belmont Park Saturday. The home team takes on a new wave of European challengers in the 1 1/4-mile GI Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational S., the first leg of the Caesars Turf Triple Series. Tiz the Bomb (Hit It a Bomb), last seen finishing ninth behind longshot GI Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice), finally gets back...

Wielding great might in Europe, the Aidan O'Brien arsenal has also proven one to be respected in many of the nation's top turf contests. That influence will once again be in evidence this weekend with the appearance of Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who arrived in New York Wednesday and are slated to contest Saturday's 10-furlong first legs of NYRA's Caesars Turf Triple series. The former, bred and co-owned by Peter Brant with Coolmore partners Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg,...

This year's G1 Cazoo Oaks is an up-to-scratch renewal. Aidan O'Brien runs four, with Ryan Moore electing to ride Irish 1000 Guineas runner-up Tuesday, while John and Thady Gosden are double-handed with short-priced favourite Emily Upjohn and Nashwa. Emily Upjohn cost just 60,000gns as a yearling while Tom Clover's Rogue Millennium, unbeaten in both of her starts, is another bargain buy that will line up in this year's Classic after she changed hands to join her current connections for just 35,000gns. We took a look at the story behind each...

Kirsten Rausing's G3 Musidora S. third Ching Shih (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) was the only late defector from Friday's £550,000 G1 Cazoo Oaks and, following Wednesday morning's final declarations, 11 fillies will head postward for the Epsom Classic. John and Thady Gosden stablemates and ante-post market leaders Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Nashwha (GB) (Frankel {GB}) have been drawn alongside each other and will exit stalls five and six, respectively. Coolmore and Westerberg's G1 1000 Guineas third and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas runner-up Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo...

Kept back from the 1000 Guineas and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Moyglare Stud's TDN Rising Star Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was finally let loose on unsuspecting victims lined up for what appeared to be a competitive edition of the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh on Sunday. Travelling like the best filly the whole way settled in rear of mid-division by Chris Hayes, the 11-2 shot who had offered tantalising insight into what was to come when taking the seven-furlong G3 Ballylinch Stud 1000 Guineas Trial at...

Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas has attracted a final field for 14 with Godolphin's Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) the only filly not to stand her ground at Friday's declaration stage. Her absence leaves Coolmore and Westerberg's G1 1000 Guineas third Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), one of four nominees from the Aidan O'Brien stable seeking a fourth straight renewal, as the lone contender representing Newmarket's Classic form. The ante-post favourite has drawn stall three, with stablemates History (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to her immediate...

Fourth behind Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in The Curragh's G1 Moyglare Stud S. and sixth to Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket either side of a win in the former venue's G3 Weld Park S. at two, Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) returned to add her name to the list of Oaks aspirants with a hard-fought success in Saturday's Listed Salsabil S. at Navan. Settled behind the leading duo early, the daughter of the G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Was muscled her way through a gap...

Moyglare Stud Farm's 2020 G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For A Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won last term's G3 Loughbrown S. in one of six starts since that Classic highlight, makes an early seasonal debut in Saturday's 14-furlong Listed Vintage Crop S. at Navan. Not seen before May in three prior campaign openings, she faces nine rivals for her debut at the Co. Meath venue, headed by 2020 G1 Prix du Cadran heroine Princess Zoe (Ger) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}). Earlier on the seven-race card, nine 3-year-old fillies will...

Now that Europe is firmly ensconced in autumn, Newmarket's Rowley Mile is the stage for some of the season's most revered 2-year-old encounters and Friday sees the G1 bet365 Fillies' Mile help sort out the pecking order in the female division. Topping that category at present is Cheveley Park Stud's unbeaten Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was introduced on the July Course here June 26 before putting the re-opposing subsequent GI Natalma S. winner Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in her place in Sandown's Listed Star S. July 22 and...

After a shift in tone on Saturday, Team Ballydoyle continued to reach a pitch with their 2-year-old crop at The Curragh on Sunday as the regally-bred Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) built to her own crescendo in the G3 Weld Park S. As if the juveniles at Rosegreen have been moved stealthily towards a peak for the all-important autumn scene, the daughter of the G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Was (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) put two uninspiring efforts behind her to deliver on her early promise under Seamie Heffernan. Held up in...

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. Sunday's Observations features a daughter of G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Was (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 1.35 Curragh, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, f, 7fT CONCERT HALL (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) bids to build on a promising debut effort when second over what is probably an inadequate six-furlong trip at Fairyhouse 11 days previously...