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. Tuesday's Observations features Kikkuli, a half-brother to champion and leading sire Frankel.
16.05 Newmarket, Mdn, £10,000, 3yo, c/g, 7fT
KIKKULI (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is a key player in this often-informative Alex Scott Maiden, as the eighth foal out of Juddmonte's diamond mine Kind (Ire) (Danehill). Her previous septet include racing's biggest household name of recent memory in Frankel (GB) and the fellow G1 Champion S. hero Noble Mission (GB), as well as the smart Bullet Train (GB) and Joyeuse (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who has become a notable broodmare for the operation in her own right. Taking on the resident of Harry Charlton's base where Kind resided during her racing career is Godolphin's Kempton runner-up Creative Story (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), a son of the Oaks and Irish Oaks third Volume (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}) and half-brother to the fellow Charlie Appleby-trained G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. and G2 Superlative S. hero Quorto (Ire) by Too Darn Hot's sire Dubawi (Ire).
13.20 Newmarket, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, 5fT
HALLASAN (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}) takes the eye as Godolphin's first-string representative in this opening juvenile race of the 2024 Newmarket season, being a son of the operation's star 2-year-old of 2019 and a precociously-bred £180,000 Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale graduate whose listed-winning dam Fig Roll (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) has already produced the G3 Prix d'Arenberg winner Al Raya (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}). Joining him in action is the fellow Charlie Appleby-trained newcomer Al Qudra (Ire) (No Nay Never), a 425,000gns Tatts Book 1 purchase whose dam was a sharp 2-year-old. Interestingly, one who is not bred to be in that mold is the Gredleys' Bretton Wood (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the first foal out of their high-class G1 Prix Morny and G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. winner Pretty Pollyanna (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who hails from the James Owen stable.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
