Darlinghurst (Ire)

One of the UK's biggest weeks is upon us and with perfect good-to-firm ground, Royal Ascot is set to welcome true summer Flat racing. That of the purest variety, favouring the faster of the breed, offering the opportunity for records to be threatened and broken. Two or three big names fell by the wayside on Monday, but most of the ones that matter in Europe will be here over the next five days as well as a select few from further afield. This meeting should be about the ability to...

Sunday saw the confirmations for 2024 Royal Ascot's opening day fixture, where the G1 St James's Palace S. is the rightful stage for the coming together of the 2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroes Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}). The latter has been supplemented for the mile contest and is joined by fellow French raider Darlinghurst (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), while Ballydoyle rely on last year's G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. hero Henry Longfellow (Ire)...

Listed winner Darlinghurst (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) (lot 9) has been added as a wildcard to the Arqana Online Sale on Thursday, March 28. Trained by Jerome Reynier, the three-year-old Darlinghurst was completing a hat-trick when winning the Listed Prix Maurice Caillault by a length and a half at Chantilly earlier this month. A 230,000gns purchase at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, he was bred by Yeomanstown Stud and is the first foal out of the G3 Mercury S. winner Dr Simpson (Fr) (Dandy Man {Ire}). "We...