George Strawbridge

Trying the contours of Epsom in Tuesday's 10-furlong Listed Weatherbys Digital Solutions Blue Riband Trial, TDN Rising Star Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}--Thistle Bird {GB}, by Selkirk) executed the plan by making a smooth winning return under Frankie Dettori without convincing that the mile-and-a-half trip of the Derby is the way to go. Sent off the 2-5 favourite on the back of his second in the G1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster in October, George Strawbridge's son of the G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine travelled comfortably in third until asked to take...

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. Tuesday's insights feature the return of Group 1-placed Epictetus (Ire) at Epsom. 14.25 Epsom, Listed, £50,000, 3yo, 10f 17yT EPICTETUS (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) makes his eagerly-awaited 3-year-old bow in this Listed Weatherbys Digital Solutions Blue Riband Trial, which should be his for the taking if he is able to...

The passing of Burt Bacharach last week evokes a couple of complementary tales that reflect instructively not only on the great man himself, but also on the different ways that different farms go about their business. Back in the early 1980s Bacharach was staying in downtown Lexington, having been driven down from a concert in Cincinnati the night before so that he could visit his mares and foals before flying on to his next show. Catherine Parke was still in her twenties, having barely established Valkyre Stud on a parcel...

Providing a timely boost to Saturday's St Leger protagonist Haskoy (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), George Strawbridge's Mimikyu (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) dominated Thursday's G2 Coral Park Hill Fillies' S. to bring up back-to-back editions of Doncaster's "Fillies' St Leger" for her owner-breeder following the romp of Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) 12 months ago. Only seventh behind that Juddmonte homebred in the Aug. 18 Listed Galtres S. at York, the 13-2 shot was anchored in last early with Frankie Dettori happy to track the every move of Shadwell's 6-4 favourite Eshaada...

George Strawbridge's 2-year-old colt Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}--Thistle Bird {GB}, by Selkirk) was the pick of a baker's dozen on breeding, but not so in the betting, for Friday's Weatherbys British EBF Maiden S. at Newmarket and made a mockery of 11-1 odds with a 'TDN Rising Star' display in a heat won last term by subsequent G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere runner-up and G3 Jersey S. victor Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}). The 2022 G1 Derby entry was swiftly into a comfortable rhythm behind the leaders and raced on the...

George Strawbridge's 4-year-old filly Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Alive Alive Oh {GB}, by Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) prevailed in three out of four starts last term and closed her sophomore campaign with a seven-length rout in September's G3 Park Hill S. at Doncaster. She was sent postward as the 11-4 joint-favourite for Saturday's G2 bet365 Lancashire Oaks, her seasonal return, and overcame severe traffic problems in the closing stages of the 12-furlong test to register a career high in taking fashion. The eventual winner settled into a smooth rhythm behind...

6th-Keeneland, $109,450, Alw (NW1X), Opt. Clm ($80,000), 4-22, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:24.11, ft, 2 3/4 lengths. MOUFFY (f, 3, Uncle Mo--Truly Together {GSP, $119,760}, by Smart Strike), pounded into 7-10 favoritism off a big-figure runner-up effort when trying conventional dirt for the first time at Gulfstream Park Feb. 20, gave her backers some anxious moments as she raced in heavy traffic down the backstretch, but the homebred bay took advantage of an inviting opening at the fence when heads were turned for home and quickened up nicely to clear her...

The stakes placed Dubawi (Ire) colt In Crowd (GB) has been added as a wild card to the Arqana Arc Sale on Oct. 2. Offered as lot 20, the George Strawbridge homebred is trained by Frederic Head and was runner-up in the Listed Prix Haras de la Haie Neuve. Out of the Group 1 producer and G3 Prix de Flore heroine In Clover (GB) (Inchinor {GB}), the chestnut is a half-brother to Group 1 winners We Are (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), Call The Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and With You (GB)...

14.00 Sandown, Nov, £10,000, 2yo, f, 8fT George Strawbridge's homebred 2-year-old filly NATASHA (GB) (Frankel {GB}) stepped up from an Aug. 2 debut second tackling one mile at Kempton to earn 'TDN Rising Star' status with a five-length Aug. 20 win back over that course and distance in her only other start. The John and Thady Gosden trainee faces five rivals in this turf introduction, headed by Woodford Thoroughbreds' 400,000gns Tattersalls December foal River of Stars (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who is a Ralph Beckett-trained half-sister to stakes-winning G2...

George Strawbridge's 325,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 acquisition Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was the stylish winner of Deauville's G3 Prix Minerve last month and simply outclassed overmatched rivals with a seven-length rout in Thursday's G2 Hippo Pro3 Park Hill Fillies' S. over the full G1 St Leger trip. The upwardly mobile sophomore had encountered the reopposing Golden Pass (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) when a 3/4-of-a-length runner-up to that rival in July's Listed Aphrodite Fillies' S. at Newmarket in her penultimate start and exacted revenge in style. The well-backed 15-8...

Triple group winner Suesa (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}), who most recently ran fourth in the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. at York on Aug. 20, will make her next start in the Oct. 3 G1 Qatar Prix de l'Abbaye at ParisLongchamp. "She, all being well, will run in the Prix de l'Abbaye," said James Wigan, racing manager to owner George Strawbridge. "I think that she ran a very good race, she was probably on the wrong side of the course." "All the speed was on the other side...

Green when runner-up in her Aug. 2 unveiling tackling one mile at Kempton, George Strawbridge's homebred 2-year-old filly Natasha (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a half-sister to Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), returned to the scene of that defeat to earn 'TDN Rising Star' status with an imperious performance in Friday's Try Our New Price Boosts At Unibet Fillies' Novice S. over the same one-mile strip. Sent forward to gain an early lead after breaking fourth from the outside gate, the 8-11 favourite  was untroubled on the front end throughout and powered...