Invincible Spirit (Ire)

Emotions ran high deep into the opening session of Book 3 at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when young pinhooker Luke Coen produced an incredible result with his Invincible Spirit (Ire) filly selling for 115,000gns.  Coen may be in his early 20s but he knows the time of day and came to Park Paddocks full of confidence with his €23,000 foal purchase from Goffs last November.  After an entertaining bidding war, it was Olivia Perkins-Mackey, who works closely with bloodstock agent Justin Casse and trainer Joseph O'Brien--and who was involved...

Unbeaten entering Saturday's G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket but untried in black-type company, Jeff Smith's Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) came through the test with flying colours to count himself among the 2024 Classic contenders. Always travelling easily in the wake of Ballydoyle's front-running G2 Champions Juvenile S. runner-up Capulet (Justify), the 100-30 second favourite who hails from the Juddmonte family of a former giant to master this Rowley Mile in Zafonic took the measure of that 7-4 favourite when sweeping to the fore two out. Pushed out...

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 a half-sister to a seven-figure Arqana yearling. 14.23 ParisLongchamp, Mdn, €50,000, unraced 2yo, f, 8fT Pascal Bary trainee LADY INVINCIBLE (FR) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is the second of three foals out of a half-sister to MG1SW sire Shamardal (Giant's Causeway). The May-foaled bay is a €300,000...

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 a relation to listed winner English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}). 18.15 Haydock, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, 7f 212yT AGE OF TIME (FR) (Dubawi {Ire}) was, at €800,000, the second-highest-priced breezer at Arqana May when purchased by Godolphin and is the first foal out of a half to...

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. Sunday's Observations features a half-brother to dual Group 1 winner and sire Recoletos (Fr). 14.33 Deauville, Debutantes, €50,000, 2yo, f, 6fT MONTE SANCHA (FR) (Frankel {GB}) is a significant member of this valuable Prix de Lisieux, being a full-sister to the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and G1...

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. Wednesday's Observations features a half-brother to Group 1 winner Sudirman (Henrythenavitagor). 16.45 York, Novice, £30,000, 2yo, c/g, 5fT THE CARIBBEAN (IRE) (No Nay Never) is a rare Ballydoyle debutante in Britain these days, albeit at the track which the stable used to introduce smart juveniles such as Stravinsky in...

Shadwell's 5-year-old entire Mutasaabeq (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}--Ghanaati, by Giant's Causeway) was rewarded for his consistency in pattern-race company with a course-and-distance win in September's G2 Joel S. and, penalised three pounds for that success, made a winning seasonal return in Friday's rescheduled G2 bet365 Mile at Newmarket. Racing on the front end after a slick getaway, the 4-1 chance poached a decisive advantage approaching the quarter-mile marker and kept on powerfully under continued urging inside the final furlong to easily account for MG1SW G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Native...

A 5% share in 5-year-old entire Old Flame (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (lot 198), a Group 2 winner, sold for A$70,000 to Chatsworth Farm at the Inglis Digital February (Early) Sale on Wednesday. Bred by Juddmonte Farms, the bay is a son of juvenile winner Lilyfire (First Defence) and made his first four starts in the Northern Hemisphere, winning two. Purchased for 250,000gns out of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale in 2021 by Snowden Racing/Will Johnson Bloodstock, he has thrived Down Under. A winner of three of his eight starts...

Out and about on the opening day of the Irish Thoroughbred Stallion Trail One of the early highlights of the year for pedigree buffs and casual observers, the Irish Thoroughbred Stallion Trail, got underway with a bang on Friday with heavy footfall reported at over 30 of the stallion farms taking part in the two-day extravaganza.  The TDN Europe team were out and about in the Kildare area on Friday and visited Kildangan Stud, The Irish National Stud, Yeomanstown Stud and Derrinstown Stud before venturing further south on Saturday.  Don't...

Value is relative. A homebred yearling by a lowly stallion who goes on to reap rich rewards on the track, or one by a more fashionably expensive name who brings a bonanza return in the sale ring could each be considered to have offered 'value' for their breeders. In a slight departure from the norm for this annual series, we will be looking at the profitability of stallions in four key price brackets according to their yearling sales returns of 2022 set against their fees at the time of covering,...

Ecurie des Monceaux's G2 Rockfel S. heroine Hello You (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (lot 195) made €1.55 million to Shadai Farm in the Deauville ring on Saturday. A €350,000 Arqana September Yearling Sale alumni, Hello You was also second in the G3 Albany S. and third in the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. and G3 Nell Gwyn S. Her dam had brought €710,000 earlier in the day as lot 164, also from the Monceaux draft to BBA Ireland. A half-sister to Signs Of Blessing (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Lucrece is...

Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), an outstanding racemare with seven wins, including the G1 Matron S. and over £500,000 in career-earnings to her name, has rightly earned her billing as one of the star attractions at next week's Sceptre Sessions at Tattersalls. Trained by Paddy Twomey for the majority of her career, the Haras de Saint Pair homebred raced with great distinction in Ireland across four seasons and 17 starts, culminating with that top-flight triumph in September. Her story is one of fortune favouring the brave, as connections resisted...