Mostahdaf (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. Tuesday's Observations features a full-sibling to a pair of high-class Group 1 winners. 15.10 Nottingham, Mdn, £7,000, 3yo/up, 8f 75yT MUTAAWID (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is the seventh foal out of Shadwell's broodmare supreme Handassa (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who has gifted the operation both this newcomer's G1 Prince of Wales'...

Mostahdaf (Ire), the joint top-rated horse in Europe in 2023, has had his first five mares tested in foal, Shadwell announced on Friday. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Mostahdaf retired with an impressive strike-rate having won 10 of his 17 career starts, including back-to-back Group 1 victories last year when he struck in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and Juddmonte International at York. He is standing his first season at Beech House Stud in Newmarket in 2024 at a fee of £15,000. Stephen Collins, Shadwell's European...

Japanese superstar Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) has topped the rankings at 129 in the ninth edition of the 2023 World's Best Racehorse rankings followed closely by Arc winner Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) and Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who are tied for second with a rating of 128 each. Noteworthy movement in the rankings include dominant G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. victor Big Rock (Fr) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), now the co-fourth highest along with Hukum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). The Breeders' Cup had its impact on the...

The nominations for the 33rd Cartier Racing Awards, to be presented Thursday, Nov. 9 at the Dorchester Hotel in London, have been revealed with Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}), Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), and Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) named as finalists for Cartier Horse of the Year. Many in contention in other categories made appearances at the Breeders' Cup, including GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf victrix Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for Cartier Older Horse; Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and Warm...

ARCADIA, CA - Forty looks good on you, Breeders' Cup. With defending winners Caravel (Mizzen Mast) (Turf Sprint), Cody's Wish (Curlin) (Dirt Mile), Elite Power (Curlin) (Sprint) and Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) (F/M Sprint) all back to defend their titles, the two-day Championships--consisting of 14 races with purses and awards totaling more than $31 million--gets underway for a record 11th time at Santa Anita Friday. Sunny skies and temperatures in the 80s--welcome back to Southern California!--will be on the menu as the weekend kicks off with a 10-race, 'Future Stars Friday'...

Shadwell homebred Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Handassa {GB}, by Dubawi {Ire}), a dual Group 1 winner, will stand at Beech House Stud next season after a final start in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf on Saturday, the operation announced on Thursday. He will join the Shadwell UK roster which is relocating permanently to Newmarket. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the dark bay won five of his first six starts at three, including the G3 Darley S. At four, both the G3 Gordon Richards S. and G3 September S. went his...

Shadwell's Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) has been withdrawn from this afternoon's G1 Qipco Champion S. due to the ground. Angus Gold explained the decision to pull the G1 G1 Juddmonte International and G1 Prince of Wales's S. hero from the feature, for which he was favourite on Friday. "I asked two jockeys coming back in and one said it was horrible ground and the other that it was heavy, so we decided we didn't want to end his career on a bad note. He'll be prepared for the Breeders' Cup...

As if conjuring the renowned Babet as a personal Tempest for his [probable] European goodbye, racing's true Duke of Milan rides back into his beloved Ascot on Saturday as the eye of the storm for a suitably dramatic instalment of the Qipco Champions Day. While this fixture has fast become a resounding success, despite its mid-October nook being that bit too far into the wet season to deliver a fair playing field, it always needs at least one dynamo per year to power it into the headlines. Officials are lucky...

Storm Babet has decided the final shape of the fields for Saturday's Qipco Champions Day fixture, with the softening ground ruling Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) out of the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. and making up Aidan O'Brien's mind as to where to point Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}). That four-times group 1 winner takes up his engagement in the QEII, leaving a total of nine to take part in the G1 Qipco Champion S. Heading the list for the 10-furlong highlight is last year's winner Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay...

Just 35 minutes after Ryan Moore had given a copybook off-the-pace ride in the G2 Great Voltigeur, Frankie Dettori provided a masterclass of his own with a pillar-to-post exhibition aboard Shadwell's Mostahdaf (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Handassa {GB}, by Dubawi {Ire}) in a stellar renewal of York's G1 Juddmonte International as the Knavesmire crowd was treated to high-end examples of elite horsemanship on the opening day of the Ebor Festival. The G1 Prince Of Wales's S. victor was sharply into stride and soon held a three-length buffer, with Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr})...

   When a horse like Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) comes along, the challenge is to find a new narrative as big-race win follows big-race win. There is no up-and-down to colour the story, no bouncing back from adversity, no heroic turnaround from setback. It is a clear case of superiority winning out each time, as it feels to watch Man City's relentless march through football's major tournaments on the other side of the Pennines. Sometimes, the truth is the horse does the talking and it is clear that we are...

Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) heads a field of four for the G1 Juddmonte International S. at York with Aidan O'Brien's star three-year-old bidding for a fifth success at the highest level. His chief threat is Shadwell's G1 Prince Of Wales's S. hero Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). The John and Thady Gosden-trained colt will be accompanied by stablemate Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who bids to rebound off a third-placed effort in the G1 Nassau S at Goodwood. King Power Racing's Derby fifth The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) will have his first...