Godolphin

Godolphin's Anno Domini (GB) (New Bay {GB}--Alegra {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}), racing under a five-pound penalty, maintained his unbeaten record with a 3/4-of-a-length tally in Friday's Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Novice Stakes at Sandown. 4th-Sandown, £40,000, Nov, 7-5, 2yo, 7fT, 1:30.96, g/f. ANNO DOMINI (GB) (c, 2, New Bay {GB}--Alegra {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}), penalised five pounds for annexing his June 13 debut at Newbury last time, was quickly into stride and tracked the leading duo for most of this return. Taking closer order in the straight, the 11-10 favourite quickened...

Godolphin's hitherto unraced Shadow Of Light (Ire) (Lope De Vega (Ire}--Winters Moon {Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}), a homebred three-parts brother to dual Group 1-winning sire Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal), shed maiden status at the first attempt with a one-length victory in Thursday's Weatherbys EBF Maiden Stakes at Great Yarmouth. 2nd-Great Yarmouth, £9,950, Mdn, 7-4, 2yo, 6f 3yT, 1:13.60, gd. SHADOW OF LIGHT (GB) (c, 2, Lope De Vega {Ire}--Winters Moon {Ire} {G1SP-Eng}, by New Approach {Ire}) broke on the front end and accepted a lead in fourth after the initial...

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. Thursday's Observations features close relatives of two Darley sires. 15.00 Great Yarmouth, Mdn, £9,950, 2yo, 6f 3yT Godolphin homebred SHADOW OF LIGHT (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is a three-parts brother to dual Group 1-winning first-crop sire Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal) and has William Buick in the plate for this...

The 2024 Churchill Downs Spring Meet leading jockey race came down to the wire on closing day Sunday with Tyler Gaffalione and Jose Ortiz tying for the most wins. Gaffalione and Ortiz shared leading rider honors with 45 wins apiece. For Gaffalione, it was his 12th Churchill Downs title as leading jockey. It was the first local championship for Ortiz, who began riding in Kentucky this spring. Luis Saez, who had 32 wins following Day 42 of the 43-day meeting, was in third place followed by Florent Geroux (22), Cristian...

With the Breeders' Cup a little over four months away, the 'Win and You're In' tickets to the signature event, the GI Longines Classic, are definitely numbered. The road to Del Mar currently goes through Churchill Downs on Saturday as Classic hopefuls enter the starting gate for the GI Stephen Foster Stakes. Looking to punch his ticket to the seaside oval is Godolphin homebred First Mission (Street Sense). The 'TDN Rising Star' certainly burned brightest when he took home the GIII Essex Handicap by five lengths at Oaklawn Park in...

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. Saturday's Observations features a half-brother to Snowfall (Jpn) in a deep field of maidens at the Curragh. 13.15 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, c/g, 7fT ROCK OF CASHEL (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is the pick of Ryan Moore from a Ballydoyle trio in this maiden used by Aidan O'Brien for...

Victorious Racing's Isle Of Jura (GB) (New Approach {Ire}--Falls Of Lora {Ire}, by Street Cry {Ire}), who enjoyed a lucrative winter campaign snagging four of five starts in Bahrain, made a winning European comeback in last month's Listed Festival Stakes and stepped forward to secure an emotional victory for rider Callum Shepherd in Saturday's G2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. The 16-1 chance was positioned fifth through the initial strides and improved one spot after the opening exchanges of this 12-furlong contest. Easing closer on the home turn and moving...

Making his first start since finishing well down the field in the G1 Saudi Cup at the end of February, reigning Japanese champion dirt horse Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) resumed with a two-length victory in Wednesday's Listed Sakitama Hai at Urawa Racetrack about 20 miles north of Central Tokyo. Crunched into $1.20 (1-5) favouritism, the $70,000 Keeneland November weanling acquisition was away without incident from barrier seven and was content to track pacesetting Alain Barows (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) through the early sections of the contest, run over a two-turn,...

Wednesday saw the draw made for Friday's two group 1 contests at Royal Ascot, with the 10 fillies set to contest the Coronation S. headed by Ballydoyle's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Opera Singer (Justify) and Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's 1,000 Guineas heroine Elmalka (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Opera Singer, who was returning from a setback when third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, has drawn an outside stall in nine for the mile feature while the Roger Varian-trained Newmarket Classic heroine is in seven. James Doyle takes over from Silvestre De...

They say that good things come in threes. The team at Dalham Hall Stud could be forgiven for bending that old adage a little to say that good things come from Reem Three.  This time 12 months ago one of the breeding stories of Royal Ascot week came in the very first race when Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's homebred Triple Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}) won the Queen Anne S. to become not just the second Group 1 winner for his dam, Reem Three (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}), but...

Sunday saw the confirmations for 2024 Royal Ascot's opening day fixture, where the G1 St James's Palace S. is the rightful stage for the coming together of the 2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroes Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}). The latter has been supplemented for the mile contest and is joined by fellow French raider Darlinghurst (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), while Ballydoyle rely on last year's G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. hero Henry Longfellow (Ire)...

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 Observations features a seven-figure 2-year-old by Galileo (Ire). 14.40 Sandown, Mdn, £10,000, 2yo, 7fT ROYAL OFFICER (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is Godolphin's 1million gns Craven Breeze-Up topper who missed his intended debut at Haydock last week due to the quickening ground. A half-brother to the listed scorer Hidden Dimples...