Saint-Cloud

Haras de la Haie Neuve's deceased sire Pedro the Great was the unlikely source of a new TDN Rising Star on Tuesday after his son Breizh Sky (Fr) registered an eight-length win at Saint-Cloud. Sadly lost to the breeding world at just nine, the G1 Phoenix S.-winning sire had begun to excel from small numbers before his untimely demise and it could be that this year's crop serves as a statement of what might have been. Sent off at 15-2 for the six-furlong Prix Hunyade for unraced 2-year-old colts and...

Galileo (Ire) had been omnipresent throughout the week and his influence even extended less directly to Saint-Cloud on Sunday when Sibila Spain (Ire) registered a pattern-race double for Frankel (GB). Following on from the impressive G2 Prix Greffulhe success of Onesto (Ire) earlier on the card, Yeguada Centurion SLU's daughter of the G1 Irish Oaks runner-up L'Ancresse (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) took advantage of a change of plan to prevail in the G2 Prix du Muguet. Abandoning the front-running tactics that had been employed of late, Aurelien Lemaitre anchored the TDN...

Next month's Epsom Oaks looks more exciting than the Derby at present and Juddmonte's unbeaten Agave (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) could join the picture if she can master the colts in Sunday's G2 Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud. Kept at the same venue at which she has won twice this term and the same 10 1/2-furlong distance as the G3 Prix Penelope Apr. 2, the relative of Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) is one of France's most fascinating members of the Classic crop at present. Olivier Peslier retains the ride and jumps off...

Off the mark over nine furlongs at Fontainebleau Apr. 12, Al Shaqab Racing and Ballylinch Stud's Place du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) came through her first major test in style to annexe Friday's G3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud. Bred to appreciate at least this 10 1/2-furlong trip, being out of the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris winner Traffic Jam (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), the Andre Fabre trainee was held up in last early in contrast to her last outing when she was sent forward from 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. Friday's Observations features the return of a Frankel (GB) 'TDN Rising Star'. 1.30 Goodwood, Cond, £25,000, 3yo, 8fT AL MUBHIR (GB) (Frankel {GB}) makes his eagerly-awaited 3-year-old debut, having been forced to swerve the G3 Craven S. earlier this month. The fact that William Haggas was prepared to take...

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 Arqana graduate Mascaret (GB). 3.35 Saint-Cloud, Debutantes, €27,000, 3yo, f, 8fT MASCARET (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is one of two Andre Fabre representatives in this intriguing affair and at €620,000 was the fourth-highest-priced filly to sell at the Arqana Deauville September Yearling Sale. Out of the G3...

The Aga Khan's Erevann (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) was the key member of an intriguing Prix Comrade at Saint-Cloud on Tuesday as a son of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, G1 Coronation S. and G1 Prix du Moulin heroine Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). Labelled a TDN Rising Star on debut at Deauville in October, the homebred bay duly delivered to take his record to two-for-two in the mile conditions event which serves as a pointer to the Apr. 17 G3 Prix Fontainebleau and ultimately the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains....

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 'TDN Rising Star'. 2.25 Saint-Cloud, Cond, €28,000, 3yo, c/g, 8fT EREVANN (FR) (Dubawi {Ire}) makes his eagerly-awaited return to action, having earned TDN Rising Star status on his sole start at Deauville in October. The Aga Khan's son of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches,...

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 son of MG1SW Esoterique (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). 2.25, Saint-Cloud, Debutantes, €27,000, 3yo, c/g, 10fT INGRES (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is the first foal out of Baron Edouard De Rothschild's star miler Esoterique (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who garnered the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois, G1...

Now that Cheltenham's beloved festival has ended, the Flat picks up the thread seamlessly with an old favourite in the mold of some of the best-known jumps campaigners which have enriched this week's action in the Cotswolds. Step forward Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), Jean-Claude Seroul's veteran consumer of group contests who looks for back-to-back successes and an 11th Pattern race in Saturday's G3 Prix Exbury at Saint-Cloud. A repeat of his exploits when garnering ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix d'Ispahan and Munich's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis last term should be enough if he...

Last orders are being called for the European Flat turf season. Cheltenham and Aintree have been knocking loudly on the door but there are still some important scores to settle on the level, and in Paris, where this correspondent was fortunate enough to be billeted this weekend, the major Group 1 action was conducted in a blaze of life-affirming autumnal glory that may almost sustain us until the spring. The four Group 1 races around the world on Saturday, in England, France and Australia, went to the offspring of Irish-based...

Already well-acquainted with France, with two prior visits culminating in a success in the nine-furlong G3 Prix de Conde at Chantilly Sept. 29, Nas Syndicate and Anne O'Callaghan's El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) made all to provide up-and-coming trainer James Ferguson with a first top-level win in Saturday's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. Dominating the mile-and-a-quarter contest under 2021's supersub jockey Ioritz Mendizabal, the 9-1 shot shook off the threat of Goldspur (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in early straight and hit the line with 1 1/2 lengths to spare over Ballydoyle's Stone...