Westerberg

The subject of a momentous gamble in Wednesday's Listed Windsor Castle S., Ballydoyle's Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never--Adventure Seeker {Fr}, by Bering {GB}) duly delivered to maintain the 100% record of the TDN Rising Stars in Royal Ascot's two-year-old contests. Hammered into 6-5 favouritism to get Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore off the mark for the week, the impressive Naas maiden winner raced near the pace far side before being sent forward with hands and heels passing halfway. In the end, the imposing bay had to fight to...

Coolmore, Westerberg and Merriebelle Stables' 2-year-old filly Statuette (Justify--Immortal Verse {Ire}, by Pivotal {GB}) was hammered into 11-10 favoritism for Saturday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Navan and justified that welter of support by powering clear of her rivals in the latter stages to attain TDN Rising Stardom on debut. The March-foaled chestnut was well away to track the leaders in a share of third through the early stages. Nudged along to close soon after passing the quarter-mile marker, she quickened smartly to lead with 150 yards remaining...

Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas has attracted a final field for 14 with Godolphin's Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) the only filly not to stand her ground at Friday's declaration stage. Her absence leaves Coolmore and Westerberg's G1 1000 Guineas third Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), one of four nominees from the Aidan O'Brien stable seeking a fourth straight renewal, as the lone contender representing Newmarket's Classic form. The ante-post favourite has drawn stall three, with stablemates History (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to her immediate...

Godolphin's quest for a unique 2000 Guineas treble with three different colts is set to culminate in Saturday's €500,000 G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh, where the hot favourite Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) will face eight peers. Drawn in stall one, which was occupied by two of the last three winners of the Classic in Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and Phoenix of Spain (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), he will start against the rail as he seeks compensation for his defeat in the Apr....

Coolmore and Westerberg's hitherto unbeaten 2-year-old filly Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never--Pembina {Ire}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) impressed with a 3 1/4-length debut tally tackling five furlongs at the Curragh last month and was equally adept over the six-furlong strip at Naas to secure Sunday's G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint S. en route to next month's G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot. Positioned in a close second after the initial strides, the 2-1 joint-favourite loomed large passing the quarter-mile marker and came under a late drive to assert superiority...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Alfred Munnings (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Best In The World {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) was all the rage for Friday's seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Leopardstown and justified market support, and then some, with a dominant debut performance, earning a TDN Rising Star rosette by 4 1/2 lengths on his birthday. The stable had won the contest in recent years with G1 Dewhurst S.-winning sire War Command (War Front) and G2 Vintage S.-winning sire War Decree (War Front) and also prepared Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to finish...

Team Ballydoyle had registered five prior wins in Lingfield's Listed SBK Derby Trial, including with subsequent G1 Epsom Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in 2019, and Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore teamed up once again with United Nations (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Christmas Kid, by Lemon Drop Kid) to continue their banner week with a hard-fought victory in this year's edition. For sire Galileo, it was a fourth new stakes winner of the week and extended the Coolmore icon's world-record tally to 351. United Nations graduated over seven furlongs...

Chester's May meeting, day two, status quo. Fresh off a day for the ages, Galileo extended his record tally of stakes winners to 350 when Aidan O'Brien trainee Star of India (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Shermeen {Ire}, by Desert Style {Ire}) displayed all the battling traits of his sire by finding plenty in the latter stages of Thursday's Listed Homeserve Dee S. to claim a first black-type rosette in ultimately impressive style. Star of India became a 'TDN Rising Star' with a taking score over seven furlongs in his debut at Leopardstown...

Westerberg and Coolmore's Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) may have face markings in the form of a question mark, but there was no doubting his class in Wednesday's G3 Boodles Chester Vase as the 10-3 chance bounded to an impressive 6 1/2-length triumph and extended sire Galileo's world-record tally of stakes winners to 349 in the day's extended 12-furlong feature. He had previously graduated by six lengths in an April Fools' Day maiden at Dundalk in his fourth start on seasonal return. Ryan Moore, who had made all aboard Ballydoyle's Thoughts...

Monday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Naas was under the co-sponsorship of Coolmore's No Nay Never in 2017 and 2018, when Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and Fairyland (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) launched their Group 1-laden careers by earning 'TDN Rising Star' status in the six-furlong contest, and this term's renewal went the way of Coolmore and Westerberg's Deneuve (Ire), a daughter of No Nay Never, who emulated those illustrious distaffers by digging deep for a debut success and a 'TDN Rising Star' of her own. The 13-8 favourite...

Aidan O'Brien's juvenile band is approaching full swing and the trainer's latest representative to hit the track, Coolmore and Westerberg's Aesop's Fables (Ire) (No Nay Never), earned 'TDN Rising Star' status with a taking debut display in Saturday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Navan. The 5 3/4-furlong dash was annexed last year by subsequent G3 Marble Hill S. runner-up, G2 Coventry S. fourth and G2 Railway S. third Masseto (GB) (Territories}) and Royal Ascot options abound for the half-brother to that meeting's Listed Windsor Castle S. hero Washington DC...

Coolmore and Westerberg's sophomore filly Above The Curve (American Pharoah) caught the eye when overcoming a slow getaway to finish strongly for third in a one-mile Leopardstown maiden last October. Back at the Foxrock venue for Wednesday's 10-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, a contest won in 2019 by MG1SW distaffer Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal), she stamped her class on a field stacked with well-bred individuals to earn 'TDN Rising Star' status with an eyecatching display. The 6-5 favourite was more in focus at the break this time and settled...