Darley

His grandfather managed studs for the late Queen Elizabeth II and his father has a notable track record as a bloodstock agent, so for Conor Norris a life in racing was perhaps inevitable. But he has gone his own way to a degree, and combines his role on Darley's nominations team with his hobby of running the syndicate Keep Kicking Racing. How did you first become involved/interested in racing and bloodstock? I was born and raised around a family passionate about racehorses and heavily involved in the industry. My grandfather,...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Officer (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Hydrangea {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) justified market support with a snug victory in Saturday's Coolmore Stud The Antarctic Irish EBF Maiden at The Curragh. The eventual winner was positioned in a prominent third after the initial strides of this debut. Rowed along to launch his bid with a quarter-mile remaining, the 7-4 favourite gained an edge approaching the final furlong and kept on strongly in the closing stages to prevail by a half-length from Storm Piece (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).   🇮🇪 Coolmore...

Clive Cox trainee Diligently (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}--Anna Of Lorraine {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) had failed to strike in five prior outings, but timed his breakthrough success to perfection and swooped late to garner Thursday's £626,462 Harry's Half Million By Goffs Premier Yearling Stakes at York. The February-foaled bay, a 30,000gns Tattersalls December foal turned £100,000 Goffs UK Premier yearling, was positioned in a handy seventh after an alert getaway in this six-furlong contest. Inching closer from halfway, the 22-1 chance was bustled along to go fourth entering the...

Ralph Beckett trainee Stanhope Gardens (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}--Pure Art {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) shaped with a great deal of promise when third behind the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Ruling Court (Justify) at Sandown last month and became his freshman sire's first winner by dominating Wednesday's New 911 EBF Maiden Stakes at Beverley. Positioned second for most of this extended seven-furlong test, the 4-7 favourite seized control in the home straight and was beyond recall once hitting the front to prevail by 2 1/4 lengths from High Season (GB)...

The colt crowned Cartier Horse of the Year in 2021 when he retired as a five-time Group 1 winner; an elite miler who also won five races at the top level, notably at Royal Ascot in both 2020 and 2021; and the GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero of 2021, speedy enough to win the previous year's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest over six and a half furlongs. Those three summations alone should give some idea of the calibre of racehorse we're dealing with when it comes to the 2025 crop...

Newly crowned Australian champion first-season sire Too Darn Hot (GB) may not be shuttling to Australia this year but he will still be covering a number of mares to southern hemisphere time in Newmarket. Those to be visiting the son of Dubawi (Ire) at Darley's Dalham Hall Stud include a sextet from Anthony Mithen and Ryan McEvoy's Rosemont Stud in Victoria. "We are actually sending more mares to him than we would've had he shuttled," said Mithen. Three of that group, who are all currently in foal to the Aga...

Juddmonte's homebred 3-year-old Lead Artist (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}--Obligate {GB}, by Frankel {GB}) hit the board behind the reopposing Al Musmak (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) in last month's Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket and made a smooth transition up to pattern-race level with a polished display in Friday's G3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood. The John and Thady Gosden trainee, sent postward at odds of 9-2, was swiftly into stride from the inside gate and gained an immediate lead. Unflustered on the front end shaken up with 2...

Shadwell's homebred Listed Cathedral Stakes victrix and G3 Summer Stakes sixth Raqiya (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}--Rihaam {Ire}, by Dansili {GB}) flashed past the post a head adrift of Jabaara (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) in Wednesday's G3 Visit Qatar Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood, but was awarded the seven-furlong distaffers' heat in the stewards' room after that rival was deemed to have caused interference in the closing stages. The Owen Burrows trainee, sent postward as a 7-1 chance, found a smooth rhythm along the fence in a handy third through...

Darley's Too Darn Hot (GB) has been crowned as the Champion Australian First Season Sire by earnings, becoming the first British-bred stallion to achieve that feat. Too Darn Hot was represented by 12 individual winners of 18 races from 41 runners. His progeny earned a total of A$4,151,305, with his standout performer, Broadsiding (Aus), contributing A$1,944,675. Broadsiding's victories included the G1 Champagne Stakes and G1 J J Atkins, while Arabian Summer (Aus) was another flagbearer for Too Darn Hot as the winner of the Listed Magic Millions National 2YO Classic,...

Newtown Anner Stud's homebred Darnation (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}--Monday Monday {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) will make a second visit to Dusseldorf this Sunday--for an enticing renewal of the €500,000 166th G1 Henkel-Preis der Diana (German Oaks)--and May's G2 German 1000 Guineas heroine is set to encounter 15 rivals as part of a fully subscribed cast of 16 in the Grafenberg venue's 11-furlong annual highlight. The Karl Burke-trained G3 Prestige Stakes and G2 May Hill Stakes winner ran second when stepping up to 10 furlongs for Newcastle's G3 Hoppings Stakes...

Lumbered with a five-pound penalty for his G1 Lockinge Stakes victory, Cheveley Park Stud's 5-year-old gelding Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}--Ladyship {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) was just too good for his rivals and surged to an impressive four-length triumph in Tuesday's G2 HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. The homebred bay, who finished last of six last year, was let go at generous odds of 4-1 coming back off a fifth in Royal Ascot's G1 Queen Anne Stakes and stalked the pacesetting Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})...

Patrice Cottier trainee Daylight (Fr) (Earthlight {Ire}--Latita {Fr}, by Silver Frost {Ire}) backed up a May 2 debut score at Chantilly with a third back there in June's G3 Prix du Bois and rebounded in style to register a first black-type score for her freshman sire (by Shamardal) in Sunday's G3 Prix de Cabourg at Deauville. The 29-10 third choice was swiftly into stride and stalked the pacesetting Naana's Diamond (Ire) (Invincible Army {Ire}) in second through halfway. Coming under pressure approaching the quarter-mile marker, she quickened to the fore...