Invincible Spirit (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. Monday's Observations features a full-sister to SW Dark Liberty (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). 1.30 Wolverhampton, Novice, £5,300, 2yo, f, 6f 20y (AWT) SUNSTRIKE (IRE) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who was a 390,000gns Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2 purchase by Qatar Racing, is an intriguing debutante for the John and...

Parislongchamp's Prix de la Michodiere for unraced fillies was the last race on the card on Thursday and it could be that the mile contest staged in gloom unearthed a future luminary as The Aga Khan's Dolia (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) earned TDN Rising Star status. Awkwardly away from the stalls, the second foal out of the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic heroine Dolniya (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}) was keen early tracking the tepid tempo set by the Niarchos Family's La Fiamma (War Front). Green throughout, the imposing bay was able to...

The Irish National Stud announced a new initiative that will provide shareholders an access point into the industry and to breed, own and sell a quality foal produced at a renowned nursery all at an affordable price. Kicking off the initiative is a filly by leading sire Invincible Spirit (Ire) (Green Desert), responsible for 20 individual Group 1 winners, including Kingman (GB), Magna Grecia (Ire), Nazeef (GB) and Moonlight Cloud (GB). The Feb. 16 foal is out of Irish National Stud broodmare Hanvarana (Ire) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}). Bred by HH The...

When Napa Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) won Friday's first race at Keeneland, bloodstock agent Ben McElroy was more relieved than ecstatic. Some six months earlier, he purchased Napa Spirit at the Goffs Orby Yearling sale in Ireland with a set goal in mind. He was looking for a unique type of horse, one that could win in the U.S. and Europe, would be fast and precocious, like the grass and be a good fit for the Royal Ascot meet. Friday's win was the latest sign that he had more...

A knee chip sustained while running in the G3 Greenham S. on Sunday has knocked Shadwell's Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) out of action until the autumn. The colt won a Goodwood maiden second up in July, and then added the G2 Mill Reef S. at Newbury on Sept. 19 prior to a last-placed run in the G1 Dewhurst S. on Oct. 10. Shelved until Apr. 18, the bay ran seventh in the Greenham over seven furlongs. Shadwell Racing Manager Angus Gold said, "Sadly he's come out of it with a...

It may have been one of the 3-year-old contests at Newmarket's Craven meeting that did not carry black-type, but Tuesday's bet365 British EBF Conditions S. witnessed a potential class act that could stand alongside any of this week's established Guineas trial winners as Shadwell's regally-bred Mutasaabeq (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) made all to blitz his rivals and earn TDN Rising Star status. Doing it the other way around when successful over this seven-furlong trip on heavy ground on debut here in October, the son of the G1 1000 Guineas and...

Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), a winner of six Group 1 races, has produced a colt by Invincible Spirit (Ire) as her first foal, owner John Dance announced via Twitter Tuesday morning. Successful in the G1 Fillies' Mile at two, she will visit Kingman (GB) in 2021. The bay is also a winner of the G1 Prix Saint-Alary, G1 Prix de Diane, G1 Matron S., G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. and G1 Prix Rothschild. It was announced last January that Laurens would visit the Irish National Stud stalwart, having...

There was little in Gifts Of Gold (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire})'s recent form to suggest that a win against top marathoners was on the cards, but a surface switch and the addition of cheekpieces as well as a few furlongs proved just the tonic for the Saeed bin Suroor-trained 6-year-old gelding to score an upset victory in the $2.5-million 3000 metre Red Sea Turf H. in Saudi Arabia on Saturday. Settling about two lengths off the moderate early tempo set by the defending champ and Group 1-winning stayer Call The...

In a temporarily upside-down world, a comforting air of normality can be found in a perusal of the end-of-year stallion tables. To Benjamin Franklin's certainties of death and taxes, in this smaller world we can add just about the only sure thing in racing and bloodstock: Galileo (Ire) is champion sire. Perhaps the greatest compliment that can be paid to the King of Tipperary is the fact that, even at his home at Coolmore, the operation which naturally has free-flowing access to the supersire via some of the best mares...

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. Monday's observations features a half-sister to Group 2 winner Buratino. 1.00 Lingfield, Nov, £9,600, 2yo, f, 8f 1y (AWT) The Queen's hitherto unraced VITAL FORCE (IRE) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), one of two contenders from the John Gosden stable, is a half-sister to G2 Coventry S. winner and MG1SP sire...

Invincible Spirit (Ire), who was this year represented by new Group 1 winners Nazeef (Ire) and Digital Age (Ire), once again leads the stallion roster at the Irish National Stud and will be priced at €80,000 in 2021. The 23-year-old is down from €100,000 this year, with the entire roster at the Kildare nursery taking fee cuts in the midst of a difficult economic climate. Invincible Spirit's eight stakes winners in 2020 were led by the aforementioned Nazeef, winner of the G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. as...

The catalogue for the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale is now online. Moved from its normal November slot to Dec. 21 due to the current Level 5 COVID restrictions imposed by the Irish government, the sale has featured in the past the dams of 2020 Group 1 winners Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}), Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never), and Tiger Tanaka (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}). The 2020 edition will see 270 mares and fillies go under the hammer...