Westerberg

Coolmore and Westerberg's 2-year-old colt Alexandroupolis (Ire) (Camelot {GB}--Jazz Cat {Ire}, by Tamayuz {GB}), who is a 240,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 graduate loaded with Group 1 entries, was let go at odds of 17-2 for Tuesday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over an extended mile at Galway and displayed a rare turn of foot in the closing stages to outclass overmatched opposition for a 'TDN Rising Star'. The eventual winner settled in a midfield seventh through the early fractions of this debut. Taking closer order rounding the home turn,...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never--Muirin {Ire}, by Born To Sea {Ire}), who was collared in the dying strides of June's G2 Railway S. at the Curragh, outpointed reopposing stablemate The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in last month's G2 Darley Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly and enhanced a banner weekend for his all-conquering sire (by Scat Daddy) with a career high in Sunday's G1 Darley Prix Morny - Finale des Darley Series at Deauville. In so doing, he provided O'Brien with a fourth winner of the six-furlong...

2nd-Curragh, €16,500, Mdn, 8-20, 2yo, 7fT, 1:24.70, gd. CONTINUOUS (JPN) (c, 2, Heart's Cry {Jpn}--Fluff {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) broke well and led after the initial strides of this first go. Rowed along with three furlongs remaining, the 10-3 pick came under sterner urging inside the final quarter mile and was driven out in the closing stages to hold King Of Scotia (Ire) (Kessaar {Ire}) by an ultimately snug 1 1/2 lengths, becoming the first winner in Ireland for his sire (by Sunday Silence). "Ryan [Moore] was very happy with...

It may not have been the wide-margin success prohibitive odds of 2-9 might have implied beforehand, but Westerberg and Coolmore's G1 Futurity Trophy hero and G1 2000 Guineas third Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}--Attire {Ire}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was on the comeback trail from his storied muscular woes in Saturday's G3 Fitzdares Royal Whip S. at the Curragh and not only proved his wellbeing, but much, much more with an impressively game performance in the card's 10-furlong feature. The day's star attraction was allowed find his own rhythm and stalked...

Coolmore, Westerberg & Brant's G2 Prix Robert Papin second The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Anna Law {Ire}, by Lawman {Fr}), a 750,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 full-brother to Battaash (Ire), rebounded off that Chantilly defeat to secure a first stakes success in Tuesday's G3 Darley Prix de Cabourg at Deauville. The February-foaled grey had earlier backed up two early-season wins with a seventh in Royal Ascot's June 16 G2 Norfolk S. before hitting the board in June's Listed Tipperary S. in his last-but-one start. Missing a beat at the kick,...

Tuesday's G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup was every bit as engaging from start to finish as it had promised to be, with ultimately Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) winning out ahead of Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in a pulsating finale. Sent forward by Ryan Moore from the break to provide his two big rivals with their target racing in third overall, Ballydoyle's June 16 G1 Gold Cup hero was the first to commit up the straight with his initial task seeing off last year's title-holder Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire})...

Westerberg and Coolmore's 450,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Shadow Hunter {Ire}, by Arcano {Ire}) gained much benefit for his debut run, tackling an extended seven furlongs at Tipperary last month, and earned a 'TDN Rising Star' badge with a dominant display down to seven furlongs for Saturday's Juddmonte Farms Expert Eye Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden at the Curragh. The 10-11 favourite was sharply into stride to gain immediate control. Nudged along when the pack threatened approaching the quarter-mile marker, he held a comfortable buffer entering...

Delivering the potent acceleration that had seen her claim joint-champion status among the juvenile fillies in the G1 Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket in September, TDN Rising Star Tenebrism (Caravaggio) was firmly in command under optimum conditions in Deauville's seven-furlong G1 Haras d'Etreham Prix Jean Prat on Sunday. Able to draft in mid-pack early, Ballydoyle's 13-2 shot who sports the Westerberg silks was unleashed between Lusail (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and Rozgar (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and after gaining the lead 100 metres from the line stayed on strongly to...

Kept at home as Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) went to Royal Ascot, TDN Rising Star Statuette (Justify--Immortal Verse {Ire}, by Pivotal {GB}) was able to comfortably follow her stablemate's lead by taking Sunday's G2 Airlie Stud S. at The Curragh. Already the focus of attention on breeding, the chestnut put fuel on the fire with a fluent win on debut over an extended five furlongs at Navan May 28 and travelled easily throughout the early stages of this six-furlong contest formerly known as the Balanchine. Asked to take closer...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Aikhal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Diamond Fields {Ire}, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who ran fourth in last term's G3 Autumn S. and G1 Criterium International, came back off a 234-day sabbatical to finish last of 11 in this month's G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot and bounced back in style to register a career high in Saturday's G3 ARM Holding International S. on the G1 Irish Derby undercard. Stalking the pace in second until sent to the fore approaching the quarter-mile pole, the 20-1 chance quickened in...

All the rage for Friday's G2 King Edward VII S., Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) issued a display of resolute galloping in the Westerberg silks to make it a landmark 80th Royal Ascot winner for Aidan O'Brien. Fifth in the Derby only 13 days ago, the G3 Chester Vase winner was taken to the lead by Ryan Moore soon after the start and was asked several questions on the long journey to the home straight, but kept responding to pressure to see off all bar the Derby 11th Grand Alliance (Ire)...

The heat was on at Royal Ascot on Friday, but Aidan O'Brien could rest easy with Ryan Moore and Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) keeping it simple as they dominated the G3 Albany S. with a performance that was as impressive as it was straightforward. Sent off the 5-2 second favourite with Godolphin's Mawj (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) shading it at 2-1, the €360,000 Arqana Deauville August graduate who had already passed the test of Naas's G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint S. with comfort was sent to...