Unquestionable (Fr)

Grade I winner Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) has moved to the yard of Richard Hannon, according to Al Shaqab Racing's Ali Begley. The news was reported on the Nick Luck Daily podcast on Thursday morning. The 2023 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf victor was formerly with Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle. He raced for Al Shaqab, Coolmore and Westerberg until the start of the month, and now is soley raced by Al Shaqab. "After Ascot, Sheikh Joaan has bought 100% of the horse and he has moved over to Richard...

Sunday saw the confirmations for 2024 Royal Ascot's opening day fixture, where the G1 St James's Palace S. is the rightful stage for the coming together of the 2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroes Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}). The latter has been supplemented for the mile contest and is joined by fellow French raider Darlinghurst (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), while Ballydoyle rely on last year's G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. hero Henry Longfellow (Ire)...

Six-figure yearlings River Tiber and Unquestionable, both by Wootton Bassett, head the home defence in the first Classic of the Irish Flat season, but they face stern opposition from a pair of British raiders trained by Richard Hannon. Bargain-buy Haatem, from the first crop of the 2019 winner of this race, Phoenix Of Spain, ran a huge race when finishing third in the Newmarket equivalent, but he has work to do to reverse the form with Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's homebred Rosallion, runner-up on the Rowley Mile and a...

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's G1 2,000 Guineas runner-up Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), trained by Richard Hannon, will face seven rivals, including a trio from Ballydoyle, in Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh. Bidding to become only the fifth English-trained runner to win since 2010, the year of the stable's Canford Cliffs (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}), last year's G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere hero is likely to start favourite over the Aidan O'Brien-trained top-level performers River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). Hannon...

   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 victories of Team Europe at the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita.   Auguste Rodin Carves BC Masterpiece Already a four-time Group 1 winner including both the Derby and the Irish version, Coolmore partners' Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) delivered another win in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf last Saturday (video) for Aidan O'Brien. The 'TDN Rising Star' had been bred by Coolmore, and...

All five of the 'Future Stars Friday' winners at Santa Anita appeared to emerge from the efforts unscathed, with connections looking forward to their Classics campaigns in 2024. The very domination of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) will likely have put the colt at the head of the class for champion 2-year-old honors, and the Repole Stable homebred looked good Saturday morning. "We were extremely happy with the way Fierceness ran," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "The race kind of unfolded the...

   Beautiful sunshine bathed ParisLongchamp on its biggest day and Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere proved a fitting opener to the action with Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}--Rosaline {Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}) dominating the closing stages of this up-to-scratch renewal. Brilliant in Ascot's Listed Pat Eddery S. in July but disappointing when third in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster last month, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's homebred was truly on song here to provide Sean Levey with all the good vibrations in this qualifier for the GI...

The Curragh stages Europe's first Group 1 contest for the current crop of 2-year-olds on Saturday and it is fair to say that a Keeneland Phoenix S. without the anticipated presence of River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is up for grabs. While Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore contingent opted to send the G2 Coventry S.-winning 'TDN Rising Star' to Deauville for the Prix Morny, the way is clear for another 'TDN Rising Star' son of that sire to step into his place. Unquestionable (Fr) has the obstacle of yet...

Usurped for favouritism by 'TDN Rising Star' Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in Sunday's G2 GAIN Railway S. at the Curragh, Amo Racing and Giselle De Aguiar's G2 Coventry S. third Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Frida La Blonde {Fr}, by Elusive City) gained a measure of compensation for that Royal Ascot reversal with a thrilling victory over his main rival in Sunday's renewal of the six-furlong staging post. Bucanero Fuerte, a debut scorer over five furlongs on opening day here in March, was swiftly into stride and allowed a...

Team Ballydoyle got off to a perfect start on Irish 2000 Guineas day when the once-raced Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Strawberry Lace {GB}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}) powered clear of his five rivals in Saturday's Tally-Ho Stud Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden at the Curragh for a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette. The July 2 G2 Railway S. entry lined up as the 4-6 favourite coming back off a promising debut third in this month's Listed First Flier S. and broke sharply to seize an immediate lead upped to six furlongs...

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. Saturday's Insights features the unusual step down in class when Unquestionable tries a maiden off a Listed stakes placing. 15.20 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, 6fT UNQUESTIONABLE (FR) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) takes the unusual step of dropping in class for a maiden on his second start, having caught the eye...