Twain (Ire)

In the kind of fascinating group 1 encounter that the preceding Criterium de Saint-Cloud definitely was not, Ballydoyle and Wootton Bassett (GB) were the main stories again at the culmination of Sunday's Criterium International. Ryan Moore had picked last Saturday's impressive Leopardstown maiden-winning TDN Rising Star Twain (Ire) over the stable's Arqana Series Criterium d'Automne winner Mount Kilimanjaro (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and his judgement proved spot-on once more as the son of Wading (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) emerged with the Rosegreen bragging rights to stamp himself as a genuine Classic candidate for...

With an aggregate 104 engaged at the beginning of the week, contestants for Sunday's two juvenile Group 1 contests at Saint-Cloud have been whittled down to 10 after declarations were confirmed Friday morning. The one-mile G1 Criterium International has six declared for a mouthwatering renewal which features 'TDN Rising Stars' Maranoa Charlie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), the lone French-trained runner remaining, and supplementary entry Twain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). The latter, who makes a swift return to action after debuting in style at Leopardstown last Saturday, is set to be...

Saturday's card at Leopardstown offered many clues to the 2025 Classics and it may have saved the best until last as Ballydoyle's Twain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Wading {Ire}, by Montjeu {Ire}) became his sire's 10th TDN Rising Star in the closing seven-furlong maiden. Sent straight to the front by Mark Crehan, the son of the G2 Rockfel Stakes winner stayed on the rail as all others opted to race wide and surrender ground for a better racing surface. Turning for home with a sizeable advantage, the 28-1 shot kept galloping...