Kitten's Joy

G1 Irish Derby ARTHUR'S KINGDOM (IRE) (Camelot {GB}-Madeira Mist {Ire}, by Grand Lodge) Bred by Skymarc Farm, Arthur's Kingdom was a €260,000 Goffs Orby yearling purchase by MV Magnier. The G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and G2 King Edward VII S. runner-up is out of the GIII Dance Smartly H. winner Madeira Mist and therefore a three-quarter brother to triple GI Canadian International winner Joshua Tree (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). CHIRICAHUA (IRE) (Camelot {GB}-Dowager {GB}, by Groom Dancer) Bred by Lynch Bages and Rhinestone Bloodstock, Chiricahua was bought by Gaelic Bloodstock for...

Trainer Andrew Balding said he has "been really pleased" with Kameko (Kitten's Joy) since his victory in the June 6 G1 2000 Guineas, and that the Qatar Racing colorbearer came through a racecourse gallop at Kempton on Wednesday well. He is aiming for the July 4 G1 Investec Derby. "He went to Kempton [on Wednesday] for a gallop, which we did before Newmarket 10 days prior, and it went well," Balding said. "We had the option of going to Epsom, they kindly offered, but I felt he needed a decent...

Scott Heider enjoyed a memorable couple of days on both sides of the Atlantic last week. Thoughtfully (Tapit) debuted on Thursday at Churchill Downs and was named a TDN Rising Star. The following day Crossfirehurricane (Kitten's Joy) carried his colours to victory in the G3 Coolmore Ten Sovereigns Gallinule S. at The Curragh.

In bloodstock circles, plenty of air is devoted to rueing the unforgiving nature of the market, not least the tendency to toss a mare out with the bath water should she fail to sparkle with her first few foals. When Kameko (Kitten's Joy) won the G1 2000 Guineas on June 6, he made a fairly strong case for perseverance. His dam, the well-bred graded stakes winner Sweeter Still (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), had been the co-second highest priced lot at Keeneland's January Sale in 2014 at $750,000 in foal...

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 fifth foal of the well-bred Group 1 winner Nayarra. 1.40 Doncaster, Novice, £5,400, 2yo, 7f 6yT SEVENTH KINGDOM (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is the fifth foal out of Prince Faisal's G1 Gran Criterium winner Nayarra (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), who is in turn a half-sister to...

Kitten's Joy's reputation hardly needed any further enhancements after the weekend, but another came nonetheless at The Curragh on Friday as his son Crossfirehurricane extended his perfect run in the G3 Coolmore Ten Sovereigns Gallinule S. Held up with one behind early by a confident Shane Crosse, Scott Heider's Feb. 28 Listed Patton S. winner was gradually unwound to reel in the G2 Beresford S. third Gold Maze (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) with 200 yards remaining en route to a 1 1/4-length success at 7-1, with Sherpa (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire})...

There was a real buzz surrounding Qatar Racing's Kameko (Kitten's Joy) as the delayed G1 QIPCO 2,000 Guineas approached and the G1 Futurity Trophy winner justified all the expectation as he swooped to conquer the Newmarket Classic on Saturday. Arriving at the forefront of his generation with an emphatic win in Doncaster's traditional juvenile feature which was re-arranged on Newcastle's Tapeta in November, the bay had earned rave reviews from Andrew Balding's Kingsclere base during this year's prolonged waiting period. In mid-division on the rail as the pace proved strong...

Trainer Andrew Balding had a positive report regarding G1SW Kameko (Kitten's Joy) in advance of the G1 English 2000 Guineas on June 6, Racing TV reported on Tuesday. The Qatar Racing runner galloped at Kempton last week. A last out winner of the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. over the Newcastle all-weather, the big bay opened his career with a debut win at Sandown, before a pair of runner-up efforts in the G3 Solario S. and the G2 Royal Lodge S. "He had a gallop at Kempton last week and...

Last year's G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy winner Kameko (Kitten's Joy) is, like the rest of the Classic cohort, ticking over in winter quarters as connections await news of the resumption of racing. David Redvers, advisor to owner Sheikh Fahad's Qatar Racing, said on Thursday that the dark bay is in "incredibly good form" at trainer Andrew Balding's Kingsclere stable as he prepares for a run in the G1 2000 Guineas on a date yet to be confirmed. "We couldn't be happier with the horse; he's done magnificently physically," Redvers said....

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Nakayama, Hanshin and Chukyo Racecourses: Saturday, March 14, 2020 5th-NKY, ¥9,680,000 ($92k), Maiden, 3yo, 1600mT CHAROITE (f, 3, Uncle Mo--Taboo, by Forestry) turned in a creditable debut effort, finishing fourth on her lone appearance over course and distance Dec. 22....

Andrew Balding could look to the G3 bet365 Craven S. at Newmarket as a potential starting point for Kameko ahead of an outing in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas. The Kingsclere handler believes the mile Group 3 contest could be the ideal stepping stone for the son of Kitten's Joy, before returning him to the track for the opening Classic. After finishing second over course and distance in the Royal Lodge S. on his penultimate start, Kameko ended the year on a high when winning the first Group 1 race...

The first foal from the lone crop of 2018 Cartier Horse of the Year Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy), a colt, was born on Jan. 11 at Jeffrey and Phoebe Hobby's Brightwalton Stud in Newbury. He is the second foal out of Counterweight (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), who is a sister to a trio of stakes horses including the G1 Irish Oaks and G2 Ribblesdale S. second Scottish Stage (Ire) (Selkirk) and the G2 Blandford S. winner Eleanora Duse (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}). Brightwalton Stud Manager Sean Keane said, "He is a well-made,...