Decorated Knight

Imad Al Sagar's Blue Diamond Stud is the new owner of Stonereath Farm in Kentucky in a purchase which "underlines the intention of the stud to compete on the world stage". The Kuwaiti-born owner-breeder of Group 1 winners Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Decorated Knight (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) has a burgeoning involvement in racing and breeding in North America, where his Blue Diamond Stud has been represented this season by the homebred Wonderful Justice (Justify), winner of the Black Gold S. at Fair Grounds. The 3-year-old colt is trained by...

Such a high-profile split, whether temporary or not, between Frankie Dettori and the John and Thady Gosden stable, has naturally dominated the headlines of the last week. Whatever one's thoughts of the events during and post-Royal Ascot, there was no mistaking the affection in which Dettori is held among racegoers as he was cheered back into the winner's enclosure on his sole ride in Britain since the Saturday of the royal meeting. He has nothing booked for this week either, but intriguingly Dettori has been snapped up by Charlie Appleby...

Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who stands his first Northern Hemisphere season next year at the Irish National Stud, will debut at €15,000. Raced by Yulong Investments, Lucky Vega won the G1 Phoenix S. at two and placed in this year's G1 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S. before retiring to stand at Yulong's Australian headquarters. Also new at the Irish National Stud for 2022 is last year's G2 Coventry S. winner and G1 Prix Morny and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere runner-up Nando Parrado (GB) (Kodiac...

The wait is very nearly over for the young pretenders we will examine in this fourth installation of our multi-part Value Sires series: stallions with their first runners in 2021. While the full verdicts must be delayed until these are given a fair shake with their first full seasons with 2- and 3-year-olds, the reality is that the first juvenile races in the coming months will be akin to a perpetual Christmas morning in the bloodstock world, with each of us eager to unwrap the packages we have been examining...

The Irish National Stud announced breeders using Decorated Knight (GB) (Galileo {Ire}--Pearling, by Storm Cat) in 2021 will be entitled to a bonus nomination for the 2022 season. Decorated Knight will stand for €7,500 (Oct. 1 Terms). The G1 QIPCO Irish Champion S. winner will be represented by his first runners in 2021. The stallion's dam Pearling, a daughter of GSW Mariah's Storm (Rahy), is a full-sister to European champion 3-year-old and leading sire Giant's Causeway and You'resothrilling, dam of Irish champion 2-year-old and 3-year-old champion Miler in Europe Gleneagles...