Palace Pier (GB)

"It feels like a holiday!" joked Ed Player when discussing the task of showing Whatton Manor Stud's three-strong consignment to potential buyers ahead of Book 1 of the Goffs Orby Sale, a historic offering as the first at this particular sale from an operation with over 40 years of experience in the industry. Player has been the one responsible for overseeing this latest chapter in Whatton Manor's history since taking over at the helm from father Peter, but don't mistake him for a man taking his responsibilities lightly because of...

The colt crowned Cartier Horse of the Year in 2021 when he retired as a five-time Group 1 winner; an elite miler who also won five races at the top level, notably at Royal Ascot in both 2020 and 2021; and the GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero of 2021, speedy enough to win the previous year's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest over six and a half furlongs. Those three summations alone should give some idea of the calibre of racehorse we're dealing with when it comes to the 2025 crop...

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 Insights features the half-brother to five-time Group 1 winner Palace Pier. 17.30 Newcastle, Mdn, £11,400, 3yo, 7f 14y (AWT) MY CLOUD (IRE) (Blue Point {Ire}) is a notable newcomer for the Roger Varian stable as a half-brother to Kingman's five-times group 1 winner Palace Pier (GB) and last...

Classic winner and Group 1 sire Night Of Thunder (Ire) is one of seven European-based Darley stallions available on Southern Hemisphere time whose fees were revealed on Thursday. Set to stand for €50,000 at Kildangan Stud in Ireland, the son of Dubawi (Ire) sired his first international Group 1 winner with Kukeracha (NZ) from his only Australasian-bred crop. Former shuttler Palace Pier (GB) leads the way at Dalham Hall Stud at £25,000; and roster veteran and fellow former shuttle stallion Iffraaj (GB), who has accounted for 11 Group 1 winners...

Multiple Group 1 winner Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) will not return to Darley Australia this year, Darley announced via Twitter. "In the horse's best interest, Palace Pier will not shuttle to Australia for the 2023 Southern Hemisphere season," the organisation tweeted. "It is expected that he will return for the following season." A winner of five Group 1 races, Palace Pier has stood for two seasons in the Northern Hemisphere and his first foals arrived this spring. Based at Dalham Hall Stud in England, his 2023 fee is £50,000....

Five-time Group 1 winner Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}), GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), and the Classic-winning Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal) all have had their first mares scanned in foal, Darley Europe announced on Monday. Each stallion also has a full book. A crack miler, Palace Pier stands for £55,000 at Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket. Also, a winner of the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, Space Blues commands €17,500 at Kildangan Stud in Ireland. Rounding out the trio, Victor Ludorum landed the G1 Prix...

St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), a four-time Group 1 winner in 2021 and five-time top-level scorer overall, was named the Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier 3-Year-Old Colt during the 31st annual Cartier Racing Awards at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Wednesday evening. The sixth Cartier Horse of the Year for the Coolmore partners since the awards began in 1991, the Aidan O'Brien trainee joins the illustrious company of stablemates Giant's Causeway (Storm Cat) (2000), Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) (Danehill) (2002), Hurricane Run (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) (2005),...

Dubawi (Ire) (Dubai Millennium {GB}) will stand for an unchanged fee of £250,000 at Dalham Hall Stud and anchors the 2022 roster for Darley Europe. His fee is the most expensive in Europe. He enjoyed a notable success at the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships, with three winners in a single year, the first sire to reach that mark in the 37-year history of the Breeders' Cup. The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf went to Modern Games (Ire), Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Mile was won by new Kildangan Stud resident...

Godolphin's June 5 G1 Epsom Derby and July 24 G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will be one of the 10 starters in Saturday's G1 QIPCO Champion S. at Ascot after Charlie Appleby pushed go on Thursday morning. Fourth in last Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp, the homebred has given all the right signals in the interim period and adds substance to a renewal robbed of Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) who has been re-routed to take the...

Coming into Sunday's G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois short of his peak having suffered a blood disorder last month, Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) nevertheless had sufficient ammunition to deny Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and gain membership to an elite club on the honor roll of the feature of Deauville's month-long festival. Meeting the younger generation for the first time, the four-times group 1 winner was the subject of the most interest among the Normandy crowd and started at 7-10 drawn away from the...

Having missed the G1 Sussex S. due to a minor setback, Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is back in the picture as he defends his title in Sunday's G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville. More workmanlike than impressive when last seen in the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot June 15, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's TDN Rising Star has a six-pound weight-for-age gift to present to Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and will need to be at his best to contain...

G1 Cazoo Derby hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) has joined dual French Classic winner and G1 Coral-Eclipse hero St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) on top of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings. Both are now rated 127 after the Godolphin silksbearer won the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), third behind St Mark's Basilica and Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) (121) in the Coral-Eclipse, moved up to a mark of 124 after running second to Adayar in the Goodwood feature. Palace Pier (GB)...