Royal Patronage (Fr)

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Chez Pierre (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}) in the GI Maker's Mark Mile S. at Keeneland earlier this month.   Chez Pierre Right At Home In Maker's Mark The ultra-consistent Chez Pierre (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}) improved his record to six-for-seven with a 3 1/2-length tally in the GI Maker's Mark Mile S. at Keeneland on Apr. 14 (video), defeating hot favourite Modern Games (GB) (Dubawi...

The G1 Cazoo Derby just got much more interesting after TDN Rising Star Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}--Desert Berry {GB}, by Green Desert) injected much-needed adrenaline into the mix by registering an impressive success in Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. at York. Sir Michael Stoute may have tried to hide the light of Saeed Suhail's once-raced colt under a bushel, describing him as "workmanlike" at home, but the news about him had nevertheless spread like wildfire through Newmarket and now we know why. Impressive enough on his...

It's May, it's sunny, it's the Dante meeting in the county of England known as "God's Own Country" and we have a Sir Michael Stoute Derby plunge horse about to appear. While the kingpin of Newmarket is still prepared to train racehorses, there will continue to be moments like these and this time the bearer of the Freemason Lodge standard is the unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. Bred at Gary Robinson's Teversham-based Strawberry Fields Stud, Saeed Suhail's...

Since Charlie Appleby took up the mantle at Moulton Paddocks in 2013, Godolphin's fortunes on British soil have been back on the rise and there is no greater exponent of that trend than Saturday's G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas leading light Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). The way Appleby's runners have been sweeping up the Spring's black-type contests so far this term is reminiscent of the days when Henry Cecil's Warren Place was at its height and provides further evidence that Ballydoyle has a heavyweight of mutual prowess to trade blows...

Charlie Appleby will have to be sharp-eyed on Saturday after the draw for Newmarket's G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas saw his high-class pair Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) on opposite sides of the track. William Buick's mount, the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. and G1 Dewhurst S.-winning unbeaten champion juvenile Native Trail, was handed 15 of 15 while his G3 Autumn S.-winning stablemate is in one. Their handler was unconcerned about the draw on Thursday. "With the stalls in the centre of the track, being drawn 15...

Classic aspirants were in action prior to racing at Newmarket on Tuesday, and G1 Darley Dewhurst second Dubawi Legend (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is pleasing trainer Hugo Palmer ahead of the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas on Apr. 30. The Dr. Ali Ridha colourbearer galloped a mile alongside stablemates Power Of States (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Battered (GB) (Foxwedge {Aus}), before edging away from them and crossing the wire five lengths to the good of the twosome, with Tom Marquand in the irons. The colt was last seen running off...

Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who won the G3 Acomb S. and G2 Royal Lodge S. in succession in August and September, respectively, has developed well this winter and is likely to try the G1 Cazoo Derby route, according to co-trainer Charlie Johnston. Eighth in the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. on Oct. 23 where he picked up an injury, the bay has been recuperating, but looks more of a "mile-and-a-quarter-plus" horse to Johnston and his co-trainer father Mark. Originally, the training duo had pencilled in...

Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who finished last of eight after being struck into in the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. at Doncaster on Saturday, will not race again this season and will return for a 3-year-old campaign. The Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-owned colt won the G3 Acomb S. at York in August and added the G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket on Sept. 25. Harry Herbert, managing director for owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, said, "Unfortunately he was struck into and returned with a nasty gash just above his...

Two-time group winner Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) will take part in the Oct. 23 G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster. The Mark Johnston trainee won the G3 Acomb S. two starts back on Aug. 18 and defeated subsequent G3 Autumn S. victor Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G2 Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket on Sept. 25. "We're heading to the Vertem Futurity," said Harry Herbert, racing manager for owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing. "Mark and Charlie [Johnston] are very happy with him--I've seen them at the sales--and the...

Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's 62,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) shed maiden status in style when routing his rivals by five lengths and more in a July 29 Epsom novices' event and the Mark Johnston trainee defied odds of 25-1 when value for his 2 1/4-length score in York's Aug. 18 G3 Acomb S. when last seen. The April-foaled bay had previously encountered Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) when second to that subsequent G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. hero in a June 11 Sandown...

Trading as the largely unconsidered 25-1 outsider-of-five for Wednesday's G3 Tattersalls Acomb S. at York, Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) turned that logic on its head with a command performance from the front. Coming off an impressive five-length success over this seven-furlong trip in an Epsom novice July 29, the bay was on his mettle at the break and a sharp getaway yielded immediate control. Unflustered on the lead down the centre of the track in the straight, he bore all the hallmarks of a typical...