Frankel (GB)

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. Friday's Insights features 1.5-million Tattersalls October Yearling graduate Ylang Ylang. 17.30 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, f, 7fT YLANG YLANG (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who debuts for Ballydoyle in the maiden won in the last two years by the subsequent Group 1 performers Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Discoveries...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This column is highlighted by the victory of Skims in a Belmont affair. Frankel Filly Strikes In New York Last autumn's GII Sands Point S. heroine Skims (GB) (Frankel {GB}) ran out an easy winner in New York for breeder Andrew Rosen and trainer Shug McGaughey earlier this month (video). Now with four victories to her name, the $235,000 Keeneland September buy-back is the seventh foal out of Royal Decree (Street Cry...

Burying the unhappiness of his loss on Stradivarius at what turned out to be a controversial Royal Ascot 12 months ago, Frankie Dettori sealed immortality at the track that has done so much to elevate him with a heartstopping G1 Gold Cup victory on Wathnan Racing's Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Crimson Ribbon, by Lemon Drop Kid). Capping a day of days in the history of the distinguished meeting, what amounted to a brilliant piece of placing by the Gosdens saw the untried and raw 4-year-old defy all this great...

Paying tribute to his G1 Dubai Sheema Classic conqueror Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), Shadwell's Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Handassa {GB}, by Dubawi {Ire}) blitzed his better-fancied rivals to register a clear personal-best in Wednesday's G1 Prince of Wales's S., a qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in California in November. Anchored in last early by Jim Crowley, the 10-1 shot who had been freshened up since his fourth in that Meydan feature swung wide of the warring Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) entering the straight....

Royal Ascot began with a one-two for Frankel (GB), but it was the 33-1 shot Triple Time (Ire) and not the higher-profile Inspiral (GB) who came out on top after a thrilling finale to Tuesday's opening G1 Queen Anne S. Remarkably, both were having their seasonal debuts but were able to shake off any rustiness to ensure that Juddmonte's giant dominated proceedings in this qualifier for the $2-million GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita in November. Denied a run in the G1 Lockinge S. due to a bout...

Juddmonte stallions Frankel (GB) and Kingman (GB) will both be available to cover mares on Southern Hemisphere time, the TDN AusNZ reported on Thursday morning. The former will remain at £125,000 and his 50-mare SH book is already mostly full. The latter's fee will be £40,000. "I had it confirmed to me only this morning [Wednesday] that there are only two stallions in history who have sired a 2-year-old Group 1 winner in Australia having never stood there," Shane Horan, Juddmonte's stallion nominations manager, told the publication. "Frankel is one...

Impressive when off the mark by 4 3/4 lengths on debut at Haydock last month, Shadwell's Al Asifah (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Aneen {Ire}, by Lawman {Fr}) was prompting Classic talk after making light work of her first black-type test in Sunday's Listed Weatherbys Digital Solutions British EBF Agnes Keyser Fillies' S. at Goodwood. Not missed in the market as the 4-7 favourite for the 10-furlong contest, the John and Thady Gosden-trained relative of the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas-winning sire Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) was settled a few lengths off the...

Providing a boost to the form of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in which she was fourth last month, the Wertheimers' TDN Rising Star Kelina (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was in command in Sunday's G2 Prix de Sandringham at Chantilly. Tracking Zarinsk (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) in second throughout the early stages, the Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained 10-3 shot overwhelmed that rival 1 1/2 furlongs out before surging to an impressive two-length success from the Pouliches third Sauterne (Fr) (Kingman {GB}).

At a time when so many people seem to be allowing a duty of vigilance to crumble into morbid defeatism, it seems a little unfair that our sport should be going through such a hard time even as we approach the 50th anniversary of the most luminous tour de force in the story of the modern breed. Of course, as some powerful evocations of the time have lately reminded us, Secretariat arrived as a sunbeam into a wider world darkened by Vietnam and civic unrest. And nor should we deceive...

The BoyleSports odds for Frankie Dettori to be named the BBC Sports Personality of the Year have shortened from 16-1 to 6-1, prior to his G1 DahlBury Coronation Cup/G1 Betfred Oaks double over the Epsom Downs on Friday. The Italian reinsman is retiring at the end of the year, and Saturday's G1 Betfred Derby, where he will ride Arrest (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), is set to be his final appearance in the historic Classic. Arrest currently sits at 9-2 with BoylesSports, with Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) eased to 3-1....

John and Thady Gosden had the misfortune of losing Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion) from the start of Friday's G1 Betfred Oaks as David Howden's charge backed out of the stalls and got loose, but the Clarehaven duo ultimately came up trumps as Lady Bamford's G3 Musidora S. winner Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) triumphed in style. Reserved in rear early by a Frankie Dettori in rare form even by his exalted standards, the 11-4 second favourite swooped on the 5-6 favourite Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and 40-1 shot Caernarfon...

It still seems hard to imagine, given how long he has been omnipresent in British racing, but Friday's G1 Betfred Oaks will mark the penultimate Epsom Classic experience in the saddle for Frankie Dettori. It may also prove his best chance of going out in a blaze of glory, as Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) looks the more likely of his Friday and Saturday mounts to conjure that soon-to-be-missed flying dismount. Carrying the "Sariska" silks of Lady Bamford, the homebred left no one in any doubt that she is a...