Dermot Weld

Dual Group 1 winner Angel Bleu (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) will pass on the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas on Apr. 30 and wait for the May 15 G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains in France. Successful in the G2 Vintage S. in July, the grey earned a pair of Group 1 wins in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp and in the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud, both in October. The Marc Chan silkbearer resumed with a third-place effort in the G3 Greenham S. at Newbury on Apr. 16. Trainer Ralph Beckett...

Another Classic trial, another TDN Rising Star in the headlines as Moyglare's Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) surged to an impressive success in Saturday's G3 Ballylinch Stud "Priory Belle" 1,000 Guineas Trial S. at Leopardstown. Things had gone awry since her debut defeat of Agartha (Ire) (Caravaggio) over this seven-furlong trip and course in July, but Dermot Weld had the homebred fine-tuned for this competitive affair and all roads now lead to the May 1 G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. Held up worse than mid-division by Chris Hayes after missing...

Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf heroine Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal), who was a close second in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe when last seen, is in good order ahead of the 2021 Breeders' Cup at Del Mar. Trainer Dermot Weld is pleased with High Highness The Aga Khan's homebred's preparation and she leaves for California on Oct. 29 in a bid to defend her Turf title. "The Arc took a fair bit out of her, but she's an amazing animal with a wonderful constitution and huge determination,"...

After Saturday's exhilarating juvenile action at Doncaster and Saint-Cloud, Leopardstown pitched in late afternoon to offer up its own 2022 Classic hopeful in TDN Rising Star Duke de Sessa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in the nine-furlong G3 Eyrefield S. Impressive over a mile at The Curragh when breaking his maiden Aug. 21, Newtown Anner Stud Farm's homebred had disappointed when sixth of seven over the same track dropping a furlong for the Sept. 12 G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. and had a point to prove in a deep...

Search For A Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a two-time winner of the G1 Irish St Leger, will travel to France and contest the G1 Prix Royal-Oak at ParisLongchamp on Oct. 24. The 5-year-old Moyglare Stud homebred has been lightly raced this term, and ran sixth defending her Irish St Leger crown at The Curragh on Sept. 12, after winning that race in 2019/2020. She dominated the G3 Loughbrown S. at that course by 9 1/2-lengths on Sept. 26 when last seen. Trainer Dermot Weld said, "Search For A Song will...

Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf heroine Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) has exited Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in good order after running second to Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), and her connections are still considering at run at the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar in November. The Dermot Weld trainee opened her campaign with a 6 1/2-length win in the G3 Ballyroan S. at Leopardstown on Aug. 5 and was second to St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G1 Irish Champion S. there on Sept....

Christophe Soumillon will be reunited with the Aga Khan's Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 3. Soumillon, the Aga Khan's retained rider in France, was aboard Tarnawa for wins in last year's G1 Prix Vermeille and G1 Prix de l'Opera, but was replaced last minute by Colin Keane for Tarnawa's victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland after testing positive for Covid-19. Keane was in the saddle for Tarnawa's comeback score in the G3 Ballyroan S. on Aug. 5 and for...

Three-time Group 1 winner Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal), who won the G3 Ballyroan S. at Leopardstown on Aug. 5, will make her next start in the Sept. 11 G1 Irish Champion S. The winner of last year's G1 Prix Vermeille, G1 Prix de l'Opera and the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, the chestnut has been in good order since her Ballyroan appearance. After the Irish Champion, the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp on Oct. 3 is His Highness The Aga Khan homebred's long-term goal. "A decision has been...

Newtown Anner Stud's homebred 2-year-old colt Duke de Sessa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) made good, and then some, on the promise of a fast-closing July 26 debut third over seven furlongs at Galway with a blistering performance upped to one mile for Saturday's Coolmore Arizona Irish EBF Maiden at The Curragh. Finding cover along the fence in fifth after a sharp getaway, the 6-4 favourite cruised into contention on the bridle once past halfway and powered clear in hand once gaining an edge at the quarter-mile marker to easily...

She may have been a shade slowly into stride for Saturday's Irish Stallions Farms EBF Maiden at The Curragh, but Moyglare Stud Farm's 2-year-old filly Eclat de Lumiere (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) was motoring at the business end of the seven-furlong contest to earn TDN Rising Star status with a degree of panache and become the 12th 'TDN Rising Star' for her sire. Overcoming a dawdling getaway and an unfavourable outside draw to track the leaders in sixth after the initial strides, the 7-2 chance made smooth headway into...

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. Today's Observations features a blueblood from the Moyglare Stud nursery. 4.25 Curragh, Debutantes, €16,500, 2yo, 7fT ECLAT DE LUMIERE (IRE) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is one of several notable representatives of major breeding operations in this fascinating affair, hailing from the Dermot Weld stable seemingly well-equipped with talented juveniles...

Leading up to Thursday's G3 Grant Thornton Ballyroan S. at Leopardstown, Dermot Weld raised concerns that star distaffer Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal)) may not be as forward as in previous years, but His Highness The Aga Khan's 5-year-old showed little sign of ring-rustiness and plundered the Foxrock card's 12-furlong feature by daylight. The homebred chestnut enjoyed a banner 2020 season, going unbeaten through a four-race campaign which included wins in the G1 Prix Vermeille, G1 Prix de l'Opera and GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Sent postward as the heavily backed 1-2 favourite,...