Doncaster

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 daughter of Oaks winner Was (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 2.20 Doncaster, Mdn, £30,000, 2yo, 8fT FRANTASTIC (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is one of the St Leger Festival's opening card's main attractions, being a full-brother to the illustrious dual G1 Champion S. hero Cracksman (GB). One of two...

The William Hill Racing League ended at Newcastle on Thursday evening with Team talkSPORT crowned the winner. A total of 12 teams competed in the weekly Thursday races that began six weeks ago, with Gosforth Park, Doncaster, Windsor and Lingfield (twice) all hosting a night. Each race carried a £50,000 purse, with 25 points awarded to the winner, with points available through 10th place. Besides the £1.8 million in prizemoney on offer throughout the contest, another £200,000 in bonuses was on off with £150,000 going to the winning team. At...

DONCASTER, UK--The desire of John Dance to develop Manor House Stud into a major force was well on show during the first day of the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale in Doncaster yesterday as the owner came out on top at £120,000 for the session-topper (lot 109), a well-related son of Dark Angel (Ire). While the day's ceiling was a far cry from the record high of £440,000 achieved in 2019 by the Kingman (GB) colt Admiral Nelson (GB), no one could dispute the vibrancy of a trade that wound...

Classic winner Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who won the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and G1 Grand Prix de Paris already this summer, will line up for Godolphin in the G1 Cazoo St Leger on Sept. 11, one of 18 colts and fillies left in the fall Classic. G1 Cazoo Derby hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who also races for Godolphin, will not take part, and instead target the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Richard Hannon's Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), one better than...

The word was out about Dubawi Legend (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) for Thursday's Cazoo EBF Novice S. over seven furlongs at Doncaster and it was easy to see why as the apple of Hugo Palmer's eye flashed past the post an emphatic five-length winner to earn TDN Rising Star status. Talked up by the trainer after the Listed Aphrodite S. success of the half-sister Golden Pass (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) on Saturday, the latest classy prospect for Dr Ali Ridha showed speed to track the leaders racing wide throughout the early...

Godolphin's pair of 2021 Derby winners-G1 Cazoo Derby winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby victor Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) are both progressing well since their Classic scores according to trainer Charlie Appleby. The former, who was second in the G3 bet365 Classic Trial on Apr. 23 and the May 8 Listed Novibet Derby Trial S., turned in a solid piece of work on Saturday. The bay is pointing toward the July 24 G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. at Ascot....

Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), runner-up in the G1 Cazoo Derby at Epsom at the beginning of June and fifth after a rough trip in the Irish equivalent on Saturday, has emerged from his latest effort in good order. Trainer Richard Hannon is considering the Sept. 11 G1 St Leger at Doncaster, as well as targets earlier in the summer. Second at Newbury in October, the bay filled the same position there when making his 3-year-old bow on May 14, prior to his runner-up effort in the blue...

DONCASTER, UK--It takes more than mere pandemic-induced travel restrictions to blunt the ardour of the bloodstock industry. A new record for turnover and median set the tone for a robust day of trade in Doncaster and, just as would be expected in normal times, the buyers' list at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale represented many nations, with plenty of help from the Middle East. The familiar duo of Anthony Stroud and David Loder leaned nonchalantly on the parade ring rail to make their play for the Medaglia d'Oro colt who would...

DONCASTER, UK--On paper, there has been clear evidence over a number of years that the breeze-up sector has collectively raised its game when it comes to the quality of product on offer. Many of the 2-year-olds who will pass through the ring in Doncaster on Friday for the relocated and slightly delayed Arqana Breeze-Up Sale would not have looked out of place in an elite yearling sale. The advantage for potential buyers now is that they don't just have the chance to watch the horses walk up and down, but...

It is unlikely that Arqana will want to make South Yorkshire the permanent home for its breeze-up sale, but swapping Deauville for Doncaster worked perfectly well last year and, with ongoing tricky travel conditions, the return to the Goffs UK complex in 2021 was perhaps inevitable. Owing to the relative lateness of last year's sale--which was held several weeks  after Royal Ascot on July 1--and the change of location, only 77 juveniles stood their ground, but the returns were good for those vendors who held their nerve. Having been staged...

Happy D'Ex (Fr) (Saddler Maker {Ire}), a 15-length winner of her career debut for owner Denis Murphy, fetched a final bid of £195,000 to top the opening session of the Goffs UK Spring HIT/P2P Sale at Doncaster. The gray filly (lot 469) was consigned by Murphy's Ballyboy Stables and was purchased by Aidan O'Ryan and Gordon Elliott. A total of 144 lots of 156 through the ring were reported as sold (92% clearance rate) for turnover of £4,580,900. The session managed to eclipse pre-pandemic numbers, with the median of £22,000...

Buyers were out in force during the first day of the Goffs UK Spring Sale at Doncaster, which resulted in record trade across the board at the end of the first of two days of selling NH stores. A gelded son of Kayf Tara (GB) (lot 101) drew the highest price of £165,000 when knocked down to the duo of Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls. Consigned by Lulham Bloodstock, the bay is a son of Gaye Sophie (GB) (Environment Friend {GB}), already the dam of Grade 2 hurdler Silver Hallmark...