Muhaarar

In the blink of an eye, that's another turf season in the books, which means that this is the final Seven Days column for 2024. Next week Adam Houghton will be starting a new column which aims to keep tabs on those two-year-olds who are rising three and could make more of a name for themselves next year. An eagle-eyed former Timeform employee, Adam guarantees that if the next Notable Speech (GB) is out there, about to make his debut on the all-weather this winter before marching on to Classic...

In what could prove to be a useful trial run, Motorious (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) came flying over the Del Mar turf late to win the 'Win And You're In' GII Green Flash Handicap Saturday. Last year's winner, who parlayed this race into a fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita, broke as the 2-1 favorite despite not having found the winner's circle since taking this same race one year ago. Brought back as a 6-year-old to be seventh in the GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes...

Group 1-winning jockey Dane O'Neill has announced his retirement from the saddle. The 48-year-old's decision has been hastened by injuries sustained in a race fall last July at Wolverhampton, from which he has still not fully recovered.  During a career spanning three decades, O'Neill took his first rides in 1992, working for Richard Hannon Sr and later as stable jockey for Henry Candy. In 2012 he was appointed second jockey to Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's Shadwell operation.  In Sheikh Hamdan's colours he won the inaugural Commonwealth Cup on Muhaarar (GB),...

UK trainer Mick Appleby, who burst onto the international scene with a win in the $1-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint with Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) last year, doubled up on the world stage with a victory in the $2-million G2 Saudi National Bank 1351 Turf Sprint in Saudi Arabia by Fosnic Racing's ANNAF (IRE) (h, 5, Muhaarar {GB}--Shimah, by Storm Cat). Japan's La La Christine (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) finished second while Byline (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) was third. Last year's winner, Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), was...

By Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin On Tuesday the European Pattern Committee (EPC) announced that 42 races are at risk of being downgraded in 2025, including Britain's G1 Commonwealth Cup. Its status will depend very much on its performance in 2024, which will mark the tenth running of the race introduced to the British calendar in 2015 as a readymade Group 1 in order to "create a more balanced programme and better opportunities for high-class sprinters". The Commonwealth Cup, run at Royal Ascot over six furlongs for three-year-olds only, was...

Fans of the film Withnail and I, which surely includes every reader of TDN, will be all too familiar with Withail's immortal line: "We've gone on holiday by mistake."  Dave Lowe could claim similarly that he became a breeder by mistake. As mistakes go, however, it has been one with a joyous outcome, for Lowe is the owner/breeder of one the most spectacularly progressive fillies in training. Sparks Fly (GB), a daughter of Muhaarar (GB), is out of a mare whom Lowe raced in partnership with friends. Named Stepping Out...

Be Your Best made the most of a picture-perfect trip when debuted over this same track and distance July 31, sitting off the pace and powering home late to score by 3 1/4 lengths en route to a 'TDN Rising Star' nod. Bumped up to stakes company in just her second start, Be Your Best broke as the 6-5 choice and sat closer to the frontrunners this time, racing wide into the first turn in pursuit from third. Settled into a good stride against the hedge up the backstretch, she...

Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who notched his first Group 1 win as a sire with the one-two in last weekend's G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. with Eshaada (GB) and Albaflora (GB), will stand next season at Haras des Faunes near Bordeaux, Racing Post reports. A Shadwell homebred, Muhaarar was champion sprinter of 2015, when he won the G1 Commonwealth Cup, G1 July Cup, G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest and G1 British Champions Sprint S. as a 3-year-old. He has stood thus far at Shadwell's Nunnery Stud, beginning...

The mating plans for the high-quality Shadwell broodmare band were announced by the stud on Monday. Nunnery Stud's four stallions, led by new recruit Mohaather (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), will all be well supported by Shadwell. Several top-flight winners are booked to the 2020 G1 Sussex S. victor, among them dual Group 1 winners Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Ghanaati (Giant's Causeway) and South African multiple Grade 1 winner Majmu (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}). They are joined by Ghanaati's Rahy half-sister, the stakes winner and G1 Oaks third Rumoush, who already...

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 son of a Grade I-winning, seven-figure mare. 12.55 Newcastle, Mdn, £6,400, 2yo, 6f (AWT) THIRD KINGDOM (GB) (Make Believe {GB}) debuts for Prince Faisal, who purchased the GI Alcibiades S.-winning dam Spring In the Air (Spring At Last) for $1.65 million at the 2015 Keeneland...

Shadwell's champion 3-year-old sprinter Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) has had 10 mares tested in foal, including the dam of G2 Greenlands S. winner and fellow young sire, Mustajeeb (GB) (Nayef). Twilight Mistress (GB) (Bin Ajwaad {Ire}), whose G1 Haydock Sprint Cup-winning son Twilight Son (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) also finished runner-up to Muhaarar in the G1 QIPCO British Champion Sprint S., is another to have returned a positive test. Among the well credentialed mares from Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's own broodmare band to be visiting the young stallion is the...