Fancy Blue

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 half-sister to 2020 Classic scorer Fancy Blue. 1.25 Naas, Mdn, €15,500, 2yo, f, 5f 205yT CONTARELLI CHAPEL (IRE) (Caravaggio) is a half-sister to last year's G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Nassau S. heroine Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) who debuts for Westerberg, Magnier,...

The turn of the year seems like a long time ago but the recollection of goals set, targets to reach or plans made still live fresh in the memory even if a worldwide pandemic may have put paid to some of them. For 20-year-old apprentice jockey Gavin Ryan, though, the course is firmly set. His big aim for the year was to ride out his five-pound claim by the Galway Festival, which he achieved, and now his trajectory is pointing toward the Irish Champion Apprentice title. Ryan has an easy...

G1 Prix de Diane winner Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) could surface next in the G1 Nassau S. at Glorious Goodwood on July 30, said trainer Donnacha O'Brien. "Fancy Blue has come out of her race well," said O'Brien of his first Classic winner. "We're still not a hundred per cent sure where she will go next, but the Nassau at Goodwood is a strong possibility at the minute." The Coolmore partners' Fancy Blue was winning for the third time from four starts in the Prix de Diane, her...

Before we go any further, let's just make one thing clear: for all the excitement of Saturday and the fact that the Oaks and the Derby were even able to take place this year, let's not lose our heads and start to think that they should in future take place on the same day in July. They should not. This is an extraordinary year for one big reason beyond our control and it should remain just that. Right, where were we? Ah, Epsom. I'll go to my grave failing to...

Aidan O'Brien has yet to win the G1 Prix de Diane Longines and son Donnacha has the jump on him in his first season training after Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) battled to glory in Sunday's Chantilly Classic. Runner-up but the major eye-catcher in the June 13 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh, Michael Tabor's second-string behind the winner of that Classic Peaceful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was always close to the pace set by the G1 Coronation S. heroine Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}). Gaining the...

There's a heavier bias towards smart homebreds but of those who went through the sales ring, the prices for the runners in the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas started at just €1,000. Albigna (Ire) Zoffany (Ire) - Freedonia (GB) (Selkirk) Classy Niarchos family homebred who won the G1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac and G2 Airlie Stud S. last term before running fourth to Sharing in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf. Her dam won the G2 Prix de Pomone and is herself out of a half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup...