CHICHICASTENANGO AND NEVER BEND

  • by Alan Porter  on June 7, 2012  -  
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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

  • by Alan Porter  on May 29, 2012  -  
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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

  • by Alan Porter  on May 9, 2012  -  
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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

  • by Alan Porter  on May 8, 2012  -  
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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

EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES IN AUSTRALIA

Australia is currently witnessing a real purple period, and four of its most exciting performers – Black Caviar, Pierro, Atlantic Jewel and More Joyous were all in action at Randwick last Saturday.  World Champion Black Caviar; Pierro, who completed a sweep of the juvenile triple crown in the Moet &

TRINNIBERG: SON OF TEUFLESBERG COULD BE A DEVIL IN KENTUCKY DERBY DETAILS

  • by Alan Porter  on April 26, 2012  -  
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One of the most surprising twists in the build-up Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and the attendent scramble to make the field by graded earnings, has been the declaration of Trinniberg. It’s not that Trinninberg hasn’t shown a considerable level of talent – on his last two starts he’s won graded stakes by

MEGA NICK OR FLUKE

The result of the David Jones Australian Derby (gr. I), run on April 14, was an interesting one. The winner,Ethiopia, was making only his fourth start, and more remarkably was taking his first win. The classic winner started his career finishing third in a 1700m (8½ furlong) maiden back in

THE LONG AND SHORT OF BROKEN VOW

  • by Alan Porter  on April 18, 2012  -  
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Unbridled’s son, Broken Vow is currently on a good run, with graded stakes winners in each of the last two weekends boosting his total of stakes winners for the year to six, and seeing him move into a slot among the top 20 Kentucky sires by earnings. In his first crop –