Kodiac (GB)

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-sister to Group 1 winner Tenebrism (Caravaggio). 1.05 Navan, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, f, 5f 162yT STATUETTE (Justify) is the fifth foal out of the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois heroine Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), making her a half-sister to last...

York's Knavesmire had witnessed a TDN Rising Star on Saturday as Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) streeted his 2-year-old peers and there was another to earn that tag on Sunday as Amo Racing Limited's Walbank (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) romped to a seven-length success over the track's flat fast five furlongs. The 2022 Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale topper at 525,000gns had the misfortune to run into Godolphin's TDN Rising Star Noble Style (GB) (Kingman {GB}) on debut at Ascot May 7, but this Sky Bet Sunday Series EBF Novice S. offered...

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 daughter of Grade I winner Athena (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). 1.40 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, f, 6fT NEVER ENDING STORY (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) is another significant Ballydoyle newcomer on this important weekend, being the first foal out of the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational winner Athena (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. Saturday's Observations features a pair of Kingman (GB) colts at Naas.   2.50 Naas, Cond, €22,000, 2yo, 5f 205yT AGE OF KINGS (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) is the first foal out of the G2 May Hill S. winner Turret Rocks (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) who debuts for Westerberg and Coolmore...

NEWMARKET, UK—The excellence of the Tattersalls marketing team is familiar, but nobody realised they had friends in quite such high places. For the racing gods, as a rule so notoriously uncooperative, have this week followed a script that could scarcely have promoted the Craven Breeze-Up Sale more lavishly—with graduates of last year's auction winning Classic trials, just up the road on the Rowley Mile, shortly before each of its two sessions. On Wednesday it was the turn of champion juvenile Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who extended his unbeaten...

NEWMARKET, UK—We know that these breeze-up consignors have nerves of steel: otherwise they simply couldn't do the job. As such, the bloodstock industry could not have appointed a better echelon to test the stormy waters of the last couple of years, when they were first to be broadsided by the pandemic and then tried to put things back on an even keel last year. The opening session of the opening sale of the European circuit, then, gave them a chance to put their world back on its axis—even as they...

The catalogues for the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up and Horses-in-Training Sale were released on Wednesday. There are currently 206 2-year-olds and 120 horses-in-training ready to go under the hammer on Apr. 28. Beginning at 9 a.m. local time on Apr. 26, the breezes will take place over Newmarket's Rowley Mile Racecourse. They will be shown live on the Tattersalls website and on the Tattersalls Facebook page. Graduates of the sale won group races in Britain, France, Germany and the U.S. in 2021, led by top-level winners Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) and...

New recruits Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Nando Parrado (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) have had their first mares scanned in foal, the Irish National Stud announced on Wednesday. In foal to G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. hero Lucky Vega is Solar Event (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), a daughter of Group 3 winner Time Away (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) from the families of Group 1 winners Digital Age (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Cursory Glance (Distorted Humor). The Iffraaj (GB) mare Cafetiere (GB), already the dam of G2 Norfolk S. third Imperial...

Kodiac (GB) (Danehill) has long been a sought-after source of precocity, and as he has risen toward the upper echelon of proven stallions, the hunt is now on for his heir. Or heirs, as the case may be, because just as Kodiac's winners are legion, his sons' foals are starting to display that same vaunted quick-maturing zest for racing: a quartet of group-winning sons of Kodiac retired to stud in 2017-Kodi Bear (Ire), Adaay (Ire), Coulsty (Ire) and Prince of Lir (Ire)--and all have sired group winners with only two...

KILDARE, Ireland--The momentum built up on day one of the Goffs November Foal sale carried through Tuesday when strong trade was again the order of the day. The step up in pedigree power on offer further buoyed trade and the trend of an improved set of figures also continued its upward trajectory. At the close of business, 84% of the 254 offered foals changed hands for a total sum of €7,374,500, a 49% rise admittedly from a slightly larger number offered. This contributed to an average of €34,460 (+23%) and...

Kodiac (GB) (Danehill) leads the seven-strong roster at Tally-Ho Stud at an unchanged fee of €65,000 in 2022. Responsible for 13 black-type winners in 2021, the 20-year-old's progeny enjoyed Group 1 success with G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero El Bodegon (Ire) and G1 Commonwealth Cup heroine Campanelle (Ire). Also among his group winners this term are Cloudy Dawn (Ire), American Bridge (GB), Bear Story (Ire), Glounthaune (Ire) and Fast Attack (Ire). Priced at €50,000, Mehmas (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who was the Champion First-Season Sire in Europe in 2022, celebrated 11...

Ardad (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who is one of the leading European-based first-season sires, will stand for an increased fee of £12,500 SLF at Overbury Stud in 2022. Already the sire of G1 Middle Park S., G1 Prix Morny, and G2 Norfolk S. winner Perfect Power (Ire), the bay's 2021 fee was £4,000. Other high class runners for Ardad are G3 Sirenia S. heroine Eve Lodge (GB), who is one of 21 winners by the 7-year-old, and G2 Coventry S. third Vintage Clarets (GB). Ardad also had 12 winners prior to...