Leopardstown

Irish racecourses can host up to 50% of their outdoor capacity beginning on Sept. 6 following the Irish Government's latest COVID-19 response roadmap, Horse Racing Ireland announced on Thursday. Racecourses may also utilise 60% of their indoor capacity for hospitality purposes should attendees consume food and beverages indoors as long as they provide evidence of their Digital Covid Vaccine Cert (DCC). Attendance in both spheres will be increased to 100% as long as all covid restrictions are lifted on Oct. 22. Regarding Irish Champions Weekend on Sept. 11 and 12,...

    The Aga Khan's G1 Prix Vermeille, G1 Prix de l'Opera and GI Breeders' Cup Turf heroine Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) takes the 2021 flat season up another level on Thursday as she sets foot on a racecourse for the first time since her brilliant success at Keeneland. Bidding to repeat last year's comeback win when handing Cayenne Pepper (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Passion (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) 11 pounds weight-for-age in the G3 Give Thanks S. at Cork last August, the 5-year-old evades a penalty due to the conditions of the...

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-brother to Group 1 winner Quadrilateral (GB). 1.35 Sandown, Mdn, £10,000, 2yo, 7fT THESIS (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is an intriguing newcomer in the Juddmonte silks for the Roger Charlton stable, being a half-brother to their G1 Fillies' Mile-winning Quadrilateral (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Also a full-brother...

Ballydoyle's 'TDN Rising Star' Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) treads a familiar path on Thursday as he alights on Leopardstown for the G3 Japan Racing Association Tyros S., always one of the key staging posts ahead of the following year's Classics. Overcoming testing ground to double his tally in Royal Ascot's Listed Chesham S. over this seven-furlong trip June 19, the full-brother to Broome (Ire) follows the same route as the stable's former celebrity Churchill (Ire) in 2017. His defeat of The Queen's Reach For the Moon (GB) (Sea the...

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 daughter of the late Galileo (Ire). 5:30 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, f, 8fT MAGICAL LAGOON (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) debuts for Zhang Yuesheng and Jessie Harrington and is a 305,000gns Book 1-bought half-sister to the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., G1 Grosser Preis...

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 full-sisters to Group 1 winners. 1.20 Newmarket, Mdn, £25,000, 2yo, f, 6fT INVIGILATE (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) is a notable debutante to open Newmarket's July Festival as a full-sister to Juddmonte's GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Expert Eye (GB). Trained like that past luminary by Sir Michael...

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 full-brother to Niarchos start Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). 1.20 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, f, 6f 171yT DISCOVERIES (IRE) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) is the latest progeny out of the Niarchos Family's remarkable Alpha Lupi (Ire) (Rahy), which makes her a full-sister to the accomplished Alpha Centauri...

What had looked a match-up between Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Coolcullen's returning G1 Futurity Trophy hero Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) in Sunday's G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown proved anything but as the former produced a performance up with the best of his stable's previous 13 winners. Leading the main group as Ryan Moore kept it simple, the even-money favourite who had taken the G3 Ballysax S. over this 10-furlong trip here Apr. 11 was sent past the Bolger pacemaker Wexford...

Making all in Sunday's G3 Irish 1,000 Guineas Trial over a mile at Leopardstown, Ballydoyle's Joan of Arc (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was in the process becoming a sixth pattern-race winner from seven foals for Coolmore's remarkable You'resothrilling (Storm Cat). Last seen finishing sixth in the seven-furlong G3 Ballylinch Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial at this track Apr. 11, the full-sister to Gleneagles (Ire) set an honest tempo under Ryan Moore and stayed on strongly to deny Flirting Bridge (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) by 1 3/4 lengths on a day when racing prominently...

   Leopardstown's G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial has a considerable reputation as one of the leading preps for Epsom's blue riband, so it is a surprise that no horse since 2002 has won both this 10-furlong contest and the English Classic. That could change this year, with the current Derby looking a wide-open affair at present and Jim Bolger holding the aces in the 3-year-old colt department. Fresh from winning the G1 2000 Guineas with Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) last Saturday, the master of Coolcullen saddles Mac Swiney...

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 Insights features a daughter of MG1SW Again (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). 2.00 Leopardstown, Mdn, €15,000, 3yo, f, 10fT SURELY (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is one of two from Ballydoyle alongside the Listed Staffordstown Stud S. third La Joconde (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), but unlike that half-sister to Santiago (Ire) (Authorized...

Providing Aidan O'Brien with an 11th winner of the G3 P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax S. at Leopardstown, TDN Rising Star Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was comfortably in charge as Ryan Moore kept it simple in Sunday's Derby trial. Bogged down by testing ground when fifth in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in October having beaten this card's maiden winner O'Reilly (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) by four lengths eight days before at this track, the 2-1 favourite was the pick of the Ballydoyle brigade for this often-important early blue riband pointer....