ROYAL ASCOT: DAY 2 – RETHINK
New Zealand-bred So You Think came to the yard of Aiden O’Brien with a ranking as the official high-weight on the International Classifications in the long-distance category, as well being highly-rated at shorter distances. However, that long-distance rating, which was earned with a brave third under top-weight in Melbourne Cup
ROYAL ASCOT DAY 1: FRANKEL!
“He’s not a horse, he’s a bloomin’ steam engine…” We were reminded of that statement, made by the legendary jockey Fred Archer, after being run off with on Newmarket Heath by the mighty St. Simon. Frankel didn’t quite bolt off on Ascot Heath yesterday, although it did take Tom Queally
E DUBAI – A NORTH EAST STANDOUT
A couple of recent observations drew our attention to E Dubai, who we’ve noted before as a very good value-for-money sire. One was the upset victory last weekend of the progressive 3-year-old filly My Gi Gi in the Honeymoon Handicap (gr. II). The other was a look at the leading
UNION OF INFLUENCES
Although Union Rags went into winter quarters widely regarded as the leading prospect for the Triple Crown events, a superficial reading of his pedigree could have been interpreted to indicate than he’d struggle with the ten furlongs of the Derby, let alone the 1½ miles of the classic he did
CHICHICASTENANGO AND NEVER BEND
A few weeks ago, when looking at the emerging French second year sire, Turtle Bowl, we noted that he conformed something of a recent trend in France, the appearance of a number of good sires with relatively unfashionable pedigrees, other examples that come to mind including Linamix (by Mendez), Muhtathir
GHOSTZAPPER’S EXCELLENT WEEKEND
The most recent weekend’s racing in the U.S. was highlighted by an epic Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) duel between Shackleford and Caleb’s Posse. However, it also featured a notable achievement by a former Metropolitan Handicap victor – Ghostzapper – who was represented by graded winners on all-weather, turf and dirt. On
MAKING AN IMPACT
The astonishing start to his stud career made by the Japanese sire, Deep Impact, continued at the week when he enjoyed a graded stakes double that included a victory by his son Deep Brillante in the Japanese Derby (gr. I). Almost inevitably, Deep Impact is a son of the Halo stallion
TURTLE BOWL – THE NEW FRENCH STALLION STAR
At the end of 2011, the French-based sire, Turtle Bowl drew some attention to himself when his son French Fifteentook the Criterium International (gr. I) to propel Turtle Bowl to a position as Leading Freshman Sire and Leading Sire of Two-Year-Olds in France. Promising as that start was, it is
CAMELOT PAYS TRIBUTE TO LATE SIRE MONTJEU
Run a few hours before the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), the first English classic, the 2,000 Guineas (gr. I) saw Camelot pay tribute to his late sire, Montjeu. One of the most important sons of Sadler’s Wells, both as a runner and a sire, Montjeu captured six group one events,
ANOTHER DERBY SHOT FOR FLOWER ALLEY
In the 2005 Kentucky Derby (gr. I), Flower Alley was making very promising forward progress, when his momentum was halted by the imploding front-runner, Spanish Chestnut. Winner of the Lane’s End Stakes (gr. II) and runner-up to Afleet Alex in the Arkansas Derby (gr. II) going into the race, Flower
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