Sandown

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features another foal out of a Group 1 winner. 14.50 Sandown, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, 7fT COSMIC YEAR (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is the 11th foal out of Juddmonte's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud heroine Passage Of Time (GB) (Dansili {GB}), with her previous Kingman being the dual group 3...

Emulating the feat of his sire Kingman (GB) in winning Sandown's G3 Solario Stakes on Saturday, Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Field Of Gold (Ire) continued his upward trajectory for the Gosdens who have enjoyed some big moments in this seven-furlong juvenile staging post. Impressive when dealing with some smart contemporaries in a Newmarket novice at the July Festival, the grey son of the well-connected Princess De Lune (Ire) (Shamardal) was keen early for Kieran Shoemark tracking the pace set by chief market rival Royal Playwright (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire})....

One of the season's more exciting 2-year-old prospects, Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Field Of Gold (Ire) bids to emulate his sire Kingman (GB) on Saturday as he looks for a first pattern-race success in the feature G3 Solario Stakes at Sandown. Kept back for this seven-furlong staging post by John and Thady Gosden since his impressive success in a Newmarket novice at the July Festival, the grey meets some other fascinating types in Jeff Smith's clear-cut Salisbury novice winner Royal Playwright (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), an Andrew Balding-trained son...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred 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 an expensive auction purchase. 18.45 Sandown, Mdn,, £10,000, 2yo, 8fT DUNAMASE (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) debuts in the Wathnan silks in this maiden won in recent times by Too Darn Hot (GB) and Westover (GB), having cost the operation 500,000gns at Tattersalls Book 1. Introduced by Too...

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. Wednesday's Observations features a half-brother to a Group 1-winning juvenile filly. 6.55 Sandown, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, 7fT KING'S CHARTER (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) is a significant newcomer for Godolphin, being their €650,000 Goffs Orby Book 1 purchase who is a half-brother to the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Skitter Scatter...

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 seven-figure sales graduate. 14.40 Sandown, Mdn, £10,000, 2yo, 7fT Godolphin's RULING COURT (Justify) caused a stir when realising a whopping €2.3-million at this year's Arqana Breeze-Up sale and makes his eagerly awaited debut in a contest won in recent years by Arabian Crown (Fr) (Dubawi...

Thursday's stakes action centres on a trio of juvenile heats at Leopardstown and Sandown, with runaway Listed Chesham Stakes victrix and 'TDN Rising Star' Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) the star attraction in the G3 Jockey Club of Turkey Silver Flash Stakes over an extended seven furlongs at the Foxrock track. The five-runner field also features her Aidan O'Brien stablemate Exactly (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and last month's G2 Airlie Stud Stakes fourth Barnavara (Ire) (Calyx {GB}), from the Jessica Harrington yard. Ballydoyle is also represented by another 'TDN Rising Star'...

City Of Troy (Justify) posted the lowest performance rating of any Coral-Eclipse winner this century, Timeform revealed on Monday. The previous lowest in the Eclipse this century was in 2010 when Twice Over (GB) clocked a bare figure of 122, but City Of Troy was handed a performance rating of only 120 after he made hard work of fending off Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) at Sandown. City Of Troy's Timeform master rating remains 127p--the figure he was awarded after the Derby--and he...

After the anti-climax of the Guineas and euphoria of the Derby, Ballydoyle's City Of Troy (Justify) arrives at Sandown on Saturday with expectations high from a public now ready to fully submerge in his abundant talent. In many ways, the G1 Coral-Eclipse is the ideal framing for all his best qualities, with the mile-and-a-quarter trip allowing him to fully express himself with his blend of speed and stamina and the uphill rise to the line certain to suit his renowned galloping strength. With older-horse heavyweights White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire})...

Ballydoyle's Derby-winning TDN Rising Star City Of Troy (Justify) will face seven rivals in Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown following Thursday morning's confirmation stage. While the self-titled "clash of the generations" is missing key representation among the older brigade after it was announced that White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) would be missing from the line-up, the four other 3-year-olds preparing to take on the long odds-on favourite include Jeff Smith's smart Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and trainer Clive Cox is hopeful of a bold show. "I think we are all realistic...

White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) will not line out in Saturday's Coral-Eclipse after connections revealed the Group 1 scorer has recorded an unsatisfactory blood test. In the John Murphy-trained four-year-old's absence, City Of Troy (Justify) is now as short as 2-5 to build on his Epsom heroics at Sandown. George Murphy, assistant trainer to his father John, told the Racing Post, "White Birch had a blood test this morning and unfortunately it hasn't come back 100 per cent perfect. "As a result, we've decided not to travel to Sandown for...

The participation of White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) in Saturday's Coral-Eclipse at Sandown hinges on how the Group 1 scorer comes through a crucial gallop on Wednesday, according to George Murphy, assistant trainer to his father John.  White Birch got the better of Aidan O'Brien's Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on his most recent start but missed the rematch in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot. He will face another Ballydoyle big gun in this year's Derby winner City...