Golden Horn

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 the latest debutante for excellent producer Magnificient Style. 1.10 Nottingham, Mdn, £6,300, 2yo, f, 8f 75yT John Gosden is somewhat familiar with the progeny of storied matriarch Magnificient Style (Silver Hawk), having moulded six off the production line, and the Clarehaven conditioner is set to unleash...

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 Insights features the return of an exciting John Gosden-trained 3-year-old. 3.25 Navan, Mdn, €15,500, 2yo, f, 8fT MADONNA (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is a full-sister to the G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner Maybe (Ire) and the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac runner-up Promise To Be True (Ire), with the former...

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 the latest 2-year-old out of a Grade I-winning sale topper. 1.00 Newmarket, Novice, £6,400, 2yo, 8fT MEGALLAN (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is the second foal out of the Listed Lord Weinstock Memorial S. winner Eastern Belle (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), a half-sister to Golden Horn (GB) who...

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 the debut of a half-sister to Group 1 winner Ribchester. 12.40 Ascot, Debutantes, £6,000, 2yo, 7fT MEGALLAN (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is the second foal out of the Listed Lord Weinstock Memorial S. winner Eastern Belle (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) who was placed three times at graded-stakes...

The saddest news of the week is the death of Mick Curran, whose face anyone who follows the sport will know because if you have seen any photographs of Golden Horn or Kingman in a winner's enclosure, you'll have seen Mick's smiling face there by the horse's side. Mick's fate is a salutary reminder that one never knows what is around the corner: it now seems a lifetime ago that he was looking after and riding the best horses in John Gosden's stable, and seemingly loving every minute of his life,...

Exactly five years ago, Golden Horn (GB) led home his stable-mate Jack Hobbs (GB) for a John Gosden-trained one-two in the G2 Dante S. at York, foreshadowing the result of the Derby a little over three weeks later. Golden Horn's Classic victory ignited a glorious season for his owner-breeder Anthony Oppenheimer, whose colt by Cape Cross (Ire) represented generations of his family's Hascombe And Valiant Studs' breeding. Golden Horn went on to claim victory in the Coral-Eclipse S., Irish Champion S. and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe before narrowly losing...

One of the last longstanding British-based breeding operations, Anthony Oppenheimer's Hascombe and Valiant Studs, is very much enjoying an upswing since the momentous 2015 campaign of Golden Horn (GB). As John Gosden's dynamo performed heroics in the G1 Investec Derby, G1 Eclipse S., G1 Irish Champion S. and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, he brought the red, black and white silks back to the fore. Shortly after, it was the turn of Cracksman (GB), a descendant of the late Sir Philip's 1982 1000 Guineas heroine On the House (Fr)...

'Dreams come a long way,' posted James Frank on Twitter this week after the Hascombe and Valiant Studs worker was named Employee of the Year at the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards in London. Frank has literally come a long way, from his native Zimbabwe to Newmarket, where he has been based for the best part of the last two decades. For the last seven years he has been employed by Anthony Oppenheimer, and the 42-year-old timed his run to perfection when he started his stint working with the...

While G1 Epsom Derby winner Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) stole the spotlight last weekend when running away with the G1 Coral-Eclipse, trainer John Gosden was busy Monday revealing plans for his 'other' 2015 Classic winners: G1 Irish Derby victor Jack Hobbs (GB) (Halling) and G1 Prix de Diane scorer Star of Seville (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}). Jack Hobbs, who emerged from the shadows of Golden Horn to take the Irish Derby June 27, has the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe as his long-term goal, and Gosden said the Godolphin colorbearer...