Dark Angel (Ire)

Saturday's action sees the winding-up of York's Ebor Festival and a trio of exciting juvenile races at The Curragh and Goodwood, with the Knavesmire venue boasting the most valuable prize in the G2 City of York Stakes. Cheveley Park Stud's TDN Rising Star Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) is the star attraction in the seven-furlong feature and it is fair to say that he has turned around his fortunes this term with dynamic successes in the G1 Lockinge Stakes and G2 Lennox Stakes. He may have achieved more when winning under...

Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) leads the Timeform juveniles as the highest rated this season with a 116p, and the fillies are dominating the pecking order. A 9 1/2-length winner of the Listed Chesham Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting, and producing another dominating display July 25 en route to victory in the G3 Jockey Club of Turkey Silver Flash Stakes, the 'TDN Rising Star' is the highest rated 2-year-old and her stablemate multiple Group-winning Fairy Godmother (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) picks up the joint second spot with a...

While Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was blowing her history bid at the start of Sunday's G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville, Nurlan Bizakov's G1 Queen Anne Stakes hero Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Futoon {Ire}, by Kodiac {GB}) was getting ready to do his thing and wrap up another top-level triumph in contrastingly straightforward fashion. After Cheveley Park Stud's mare had forfeited several lengths out of the gates, this was down to who would profit and the answer was the 9-10 favourite as he supplemented his...

Shadwell star Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) will target the G1 Juddmonte International Stakes later this month, racing manager Angus Gold confirmed on Sunday. The 5-year-old Owen Burrows trainee won his third race in four starts on the Knavesmire, his second G2 York Stakes last month. Gold said, "He's a real trooper and Owen said that so far, touch wood, he has come out of it well. "We're going to head on now to the International if all stays well before then and I see no reason to not go...

Sunday's €380,000 G1 ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest shares this weekend's European top billing with Dusseldorf's 166th G1 Henkel-Preis der Diana (German Oaks) and, while the field for that Classic was finalised on Wednesday, declarations for the Deauville highlight were not confirmed until Friday morning. There were no defectors from the overnight set of 16 nominees as all main characters--G1 Prix Jean Prat victor Puchkine (Fr) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), G1 July Cup hero Mill Stream (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire} and dual G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes winner Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel...

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. Wednesday's Observations features a half-brother to a Group 1-winning juvenile filly. 6.55 Sandown, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, 7fT KING'S CHARTER (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) is a significant newcomer for Godolphin, being their €650,000 Goffs Orby Book 1 purchase who is a half-brother to the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Skitter Scatter...

Shadwell's Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Adhwaa {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) was highly tried after posting a career high in last term's G2 Sky Bet York Stakes, finishing just off the podium behind Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in September's G1 Irish Champion Stakes and last month's G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes on seasonal return, and secured back-to-back renewals in a tactical affair on the Knavesmire. The Owen Burrows trainee employed patient tactics and raced under a firm hold, behind all three opponents, through the initial fractions as King's...

It has been the season of all seasons for the ever-young Dark Angel (Ire). So much so that Gay O'Callaghan has agreed to go in front of the camera to talk about the horse he describes as "part of the family".  The master of Yeomanstown Stud speaks about Dark Angel like a father of his favourite son. But when the 19-year-old stallion comes up trumps year after year with genuine top-notchers like Battaash (Ire), Harry Angel (Ire) and now Charyn (Ire), it's hard not to dote over the loveable grey. ...

The first U.S.-based horse to sell on the Tattersalls Online platform, Moqadama (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) (lot 101) duly topped the July Sale, when ended on Thursday. Andrea Brereton of Fortune Bloodstock, bidding online, secured the 6-year-old mare for 160,000gns post-sale from the consignment of Castleton Lyons for an unnamed client. In foal to 2015 American Triple Crown hero American Pharoah, the bay is a full-sister to dual G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes hero Khaadem (Ire) and stakes winner Log Out Island (Ire). "Obviously the Khaadem update was a...

There was a buzz around Newbury for The King and The Queen's newcomer Handcuffed (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Make Fast {GB}, by Makfi {GB}) and the filly did not disappoint with a debut win full of promise. Sent off the well-backed 13-8 favourite for the six-furlong fillies' novice, the homebred half-sister to the G2 July Stakes winner Tactical (GB) (Toronado {Ire}) travelled easily in the pack until asked to close by Oisin Murphy passing halfway. Finding the front under hands and heels with half a furlong remaining, the Andrew Balding trainee asserted...

We're not quite halfway through the Flat season but Royal Ascot feels like a pivotal point. It's not just the fact that it coincides with the summer solstice (even though summer has really only just arrived in these parts) but it includes the first properly meaningful two-year-old contests along with a set of races for the Classic generation which start to underline the really serious prospects. While the yearling sales may tell one story of the popularity of stallions, one only needs to peruse the stakes race results on a...

Swooping to record back-to-back successes in Saturday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, Fitri Hay's Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}--White Daffodil {Ire}, by Footstepsinthesand {GB}) proved himself a true horses-for-courses sprinter under Oisin Murphy. Let go at 80-1 getting the full Jamie Spencer treatment 12 months ago, the Charlie Hills-trained 8-year-old who was 14-1 this time was always travelling like the winner in behind and when finally given the command swamped Swingalong (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) inside the final furlong for a half-length win. Mill Stream (Ire) (Gleneagles...