Wandering Eyes

Skippylongstocking bids to become the first three-peat winner of the Charles Town Classic Stakes (G2) when the 6-year-old competes in the $1 million race the evening of Aug. 22.View the full article

6th-Saratoga, $90,000, (S), Msw, 8-20, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f (off turf), 1:04.58, sy, 3 lengths. CELTIC DAWN (f, 2, Honest Mischief–Tapa Liath, by Paddy O'Prado) was meant for the grass here but wound up rained off onto a sloppy main track for her debut facing fellow New York-breds. Caught inside from her rail gate, the 6-1 shot had to work to get position and was shuffled back while in tight at the half-mile pole. Fanned out from fourth to bid wide into the stretch, she had plenty of late run left and closed nicely to take over from late leader Midtown Mischief (Honest Mischief) and win by three lengths with Hot Currency (Central Banker) getting home second. Following the race, Celtic Dawn returned to the winner's circle lame in the left front and was vanned off to Rood & Riddle for further examination according to a release from NYRA. Tapa Liath has not reported a foal since Celtic Dawn in 2023 but was sent back to Honest Mischief for a full-sibling in 2026. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $49,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O/B-Blue Devil Racing Stable (NY); T-Carlos F. Martin. Per NYRA Veterinary Department, Celtic Dawn, winner of R6 @TheNYRA, returned lame left front & will be transported via equine ambulance to Rood & Riddle for further evaluation. — Keith-TripleDeadHeat (@TripleDeadHeat) August 20, 2025 The post Celtic Dawn Best In NY State-Bred Maiden But Vanned Off Post-Race appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Favored Ombudsman stamped his authority on the middle-distance division with a commanding performance in the Aug. 20 Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York Racecourse, reversing his Coral-Eclipse (G1) form with Delacroix. View the full article

R and H Stable's dual graded stakes-winning New York-bred Mo Plex continues to train forwardly for his upcoming outing in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1), a 1 1/8-mile dirt route Sept. 20 at Parx Racing.View the full article

Speed figures play an essential role in helping horsemen find the right races for their runners. Yet races are not always won on paper.View the full article

Apprentice jockeys are not supposed to win stakes races, let alone a $1-million race that is among the most coveted prizes in Canadian racing. But that's exactly what 20-year-old Pietro Moran, who has been dubbed “The Baby-Faced Bandit,” did last week, winning the King's Plate at Woodbine aboard the Kevin Attard-trained Mansetti (Collected). Moran, who is also the leading rider at Woodbine, has had quite the year. To discuss the King's Plate, his future, what it's like to ride against his father, David Moran, and other topics, Moran joined this week's TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. He was this week's Gainesway Guest of the Week. “I never would have thought that I'd get a King's Plate opportunity my first full year,” said Moran, who finished fourth in the 2024 King's Plate aboard Pierre (Tapiture) for Attard. “Im just so thankful for the opportunity. Obviously, Kevin Attard has been a huge supporter of my career and he got me started. And he's given me countless opportunities. My first ride in the Plate was a big opportunity and now I've had my first King's Plate winner in just my second year. I wouldn't be here without (Attard). I still can't believe it. To win the biggest race in Canada…I'm just still flying high.” Moran said there was never a time when he didn't want to be a jockey. “I think that even before I could walk or talk I wanted to be a jockey,” Moran said. “I always wanted to ride horses and be a jockey and I could never see myself doing anything else. I was always just so into the game and watching my dad ride. I was always working towards getting to ride races and slowly it became a reality.” Moran is a lock to be named champion apprentice in Canada and the favorite to win the Eclipse Award as the leading apprentice in North America. He's hoping there will be many more accolades to come. “I would love to be somewhere in the States,” he said when asked where he hoped to be in five years. “Obviously, my dream is to be able to ride in all the big races, the graded stakes. I'd like to be able to get on really good horses every year and ride in races like the Derby and the Breeders' Cup. That's the goal.” The “Fastest Horse of the Week” was She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}, who got a 104 Beyer figure when winning the GI E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine. The Fastest Horse of the Week segment is sponsored by WinStar. Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by 1/ST TV, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association, the KTOB and XBTV.com, the team of Zoe Cadman, Bill Finley and Randy Moss reviewed the E.P. Taylor and the win by Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GI Alabama Stakes at Saratoga, which pushed her to the head of the class when it comes to the Eclipse Award race. Saturday's card at Saratoga, which is topped by the GI Travers and four other Grade I stakes, was a major topic of conversation. Can they beat Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the Travers? The team doesn't see that happening. Click for the either the audio or video version of the podcast. The post The ‘Baby-Faced’ Bandit Pietro Moran Joins the TDN Writers’ Room Podcast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Minnie Hauk faces just three rivals at York Aug. 21 in her quest to secure a group 1 Oaks treble and emulate high-class Ballydoyle predecessors Alexandrova (2006) and Snowfall (2021).View the full article

Holding a 3-for-4 record at Saratoga Race Course, Book'em Danno looks to stay on top of his game Aug. 23 in the $500,000 Forego Stakes (G1).View the full article

DEAUVILLE, FRANCE – Less than a fortnight after Power Blue provided Space Blues with a breakthrough Group 1 success by producing a gritty performance from the front to land the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, the Darley stallion supplied the top lot of the Arqana August V2 Yearling Sale on Wednesday when Ghislain Bozo of Meridian International went to €110,000 to secure a colt by the first-season sire from Haras de l'Hotellerie. Records were broken during the August Yearling Sale here in Deauville and the 86% clearance rate for the V2 session – which was the highest posted since 2014 [91%] – illustrated the hunger for horses at every level here in France. However, while the clearance rate was up by 6% on last year, the €28,048 average was down by 16% on last year and the €3,817,500 aggregate was down by 16%. The median dropped by €2,000 to €25,000. Bozo has been buying at every level of the market over the past few days and the Space Blues colt represented the 14th individual horse that he signed for between the two sales. He commented, “A very nice colt by Space Blues, who is a sire we like a lot. This colt has a bit of class being out of a Wootton Bassett mare. He looks precocious and he cost more than we would have expected but sometimes you have to pay more for the horses you really like. Let's hope he is good now and then we can be proved right. “He is quite a small but correct horse and he has a bit of class and is well put together. He comes from a very good breeding operation and we bought him on behalf of a French-based owner. We haven't decided what trainer we will go to yet.” Speaking about the market in general here in Arqana over the past week or so, Bozo continued, “We bought 14 horses in total and it was a very busy week for us. The sale was very good and I think there were some very good horses here. It was very diverse at the top end with lots of different buyers. Maybe day one of the August Sale was a bit patchy but things picked up quite a bit thereafter.” Fantastic Sale For Briere's Fairway Consignment For the second year running, the Fairway Consignment enjoyed a memorable V2 Session, highlighted by the sale of a €100,000 Ten Sovereigns filly to Khaled Salami of KGS Bloodstock. That filly looked sure to provide Fairway boss Charles Briere with his second V2 sale-topper in as many years, following on from the €115,000 achieved for a Starspangledbanner colt in 2024, but he was knocked off his perch late in the day by the €110,000 Space Blues colt. But it was Briere's Fairway Consignment that ended V2 as the leading vendor with nine lots sold for a combined €412,000, vindicating the young consignor's decision to target this sale in a big way. Briere said, “A very good sale. I wasn't expecting €100,000 for the Ten Sovereigns filly at all. We bought the dam, Invaluable, for 68,000gns at Tattersalls a couple of years ago. She has a Little Big Bear foal at foot and is in foal to Vandeek. We're delighted with the Kendargent [sold for €70,000 to Oceanic Bloodstock] as well so we're delighted.” He added, “We didn't have any top horses in the August Yearling Sale but we sold a St Mark's Basilica filly for €300,000. We like to target the V2 session with horses we think can make anywhere between €50,000 and €100,000 and we've been lucky here. You need a good model and a good stallion for this sale – something with a bit of speed. If you have a mature horse, there is a bit of money around for them.” Khaled Salami of KGS Bloodstock ended the sale as leading buyer with four lots bought for a combined sum of €295,000. Speaking after signing for the Ten Sovereigns filly, who is a sister to Listed-placed Indispensable, Salami said, “She's a nice filly. Physically, she is good and she walks very well and her sister is a black-type performer. This is why we wanted to buy her. She will join the stud and enjoy some rest before joining Hedi Ghabri's training. We hope she will be as talented as her sister.” Talking points Arqana president Olivier Delloye explained to TDN Europe on the eve of V2 how the selection team here placed precocity and speed at the top of their list when assembling the catalogue. The idea is good in principle but was always going to be hard to execute. Michel Zerolo, director at Capucines, which ended the August Yearling Sale as the second-most successful consignment after selling more than €6 million worth of yearlings, said he believes that there is still room for improvement with the V2 format. Under his bloodstock agency banner of Oceanic Bloodstock, Zerolo purchased one of the fastest-looking horses in the sale in lot 309, a €70,000 Kendargent colt that looked as though he'd run through a brick wall. Speaking about that purchase and the overall format of this sale, he said, “The Kendargent colt is for a partnership that wanted to buy precocious, speedy two-year-old types and he will join Christopher Head. The goal of this sale was to attract sharp, early horses. Whether it has been attained or not, I am not sure. I am not sure that France breeds enough of those types of horses and the Irish are not going to bring those horses to sell here. We're sort of in between two stools. There are only so many faster types to go around but the idea is good. Just maybe we are in the wrong country.” The fast-looking horses with commercial appeal really stood out and Roger Marley had to see off a host of well-known breeze-up handlers to secure lot 417, a Starspangledbanner colt for €90,000. One of the results of the breeze-up season began at this sale when Roderic Kavanagh's recent winner Zanthos (Sioux Nation), who he purchased for €48,000 here 12 months ago, sold for €1 million to Anthony Stroud on behalf of KHK Racing at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale. Marley had already left the sale on Wednesday but relied on Paul Murphy of C&C transport to get the job done. Speaking from home, Marley said, “We looked at 20 horses yesterday and then narrowed that down to four on second looks. Then we narrowed it down to two and one of those failed the vert so we were left with only him on the list. So he was a standout for us. He has French premiums – he could go to the Craven, Doncaster or even back to France. He is a very solid lump of a horse and looked like he would take a bit of graft. That's why I really liked him.” The Starspangledbanner was bred by the late Lady O'Reilly and is out of a winning Siyouni mare who is a sister to three different black-type performers, including dual Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Calvados Blues. Marley wasn't the only breeze-up handler to get on the scoresheet and, on quick glance, it appears as though at least 10 horses were bought out of the V2 session for that discipline alone with Tally-Ho Stud, Willie Browne, Ana Calder, Con Marnane and Matthew White all featuring. One of the nicest horses in the sale was a De Treville filly who went the way of trainer Nicolas Perret for €72,000. De Treville has not had a huge amount of runners in Britain and Ireland but he is responsible for Gregarina, who won the Group 3 Athasi Stakes for Joseph O'Brien last year and earned a career-high rating of 103. Lot 436 was consigned by Haras de Ombreville and her full-sister Sy Ly is already a winner for Jean-Claude Rouget this year. Perret simply said of his acquisition, “My wife really liked this filly and she came within budget so it was nice to get her.” De Treville moved this year to Longford House Stud, where he stands for just €2,500. We had an opportunity to catch the first glimpse of the progeny of a few young stallions this week, including Haras de Beaumont's Champion Stakes winner Sealiway. It has been a pretty respectable start from him. John Hammond bought a colt by the young stallion for €60,000 at the August Sale while 10 sold for an average of €32,100 on Wednesday with a filly by the stallion selling for €90,000. Haras de Beaumont's stud manager Mathieu Alex said, “This week has obviously been one of the first very important steps for Sealiway and we are very pleased. We have seen some very nice models by him this week and he has been popular with the French and international buyers so it's very exciting.” Coolmore's Blackbeard has made a bright start with his yearlings. A filly by the Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes winner sold for €100,000 during the August Sale while one made €95,000 during the V2 Sale. Doubtless there will be bigger and better things to come for Blackbeard at the yearling sales in Britain and Ireland over the coming weeks. Buy of the day Lot 375, an Ebro River filly consigned by Antoine Bellanger's Arcadia Elevage outfit, is understood to be off to Irish-based trainer Ado McGuinness and could well be one for tracker as she looks a rocket of all rockets. Bought by BBA Ireland for €30,000, the daughter of the first-season sire Ebro River is out a Listed-placed Choisir mare. Choisir is the damsire of top-class horses like Winter, Create Force and Persuasive and this filly looks a proper bullet who will give her connections plenty of fun. Zanthos was the buy of the day at this sale last year so no pressure, Ado. Thought for the day De Treville is surely worth a second look at a fee of just €2,500. A Group-placed son of Oasis Dream out of top-class mare Dar Re Mi, he is a half-brother to Too Darn Hot and has proved he can get high-class horses. In fact, De Treville has had four stakes performers from just 64 individual runners and two more have been fourth in Group races so he's clearly a stallion who has done well with what he has been sent and arguably could do even better with more support. If there is another takeaway from Wednesday's V2 session it is that there is still a demand for the progeny of Ten Sovereigns despite the fact he has been sold to continue his stallion career in Turkey. The post Space Blues Colt Tops V2 Sale At Arqana As Middle Market Holds Up appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Bounced around early in the La Troienne Stakes (G1), leading to the worst loss of her career, Thorpedo Anna has a chance to turn the tables Aug. 23 in the $500,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course against the rivals who beat her.View the full article

The Jonathan Sheppard Handicap (NSA-1), initially scheduled for Aug. 20, has been postponed until Aug. 27 due to weather conditions at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

When Scylla enters the starting gate for the $500,000 Ballerina Stakes (G1), the 5-year-old daughter of Tapit will be looking to follow in the footsteps of her dam, Close Hatches, by becoming a grade 1 winner at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article

The 2025-2027 Godolphin Flying Start trainees arrived at Kildangan Stud on Monday, Aug. 18 to commence their two-year scholarship within the thoroughbred industry. The class comprises trainees from six different nationalities, including Spain, Morocco, India, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK. The week of Aug. 24, the students will commence ICT and Communications training and their Equine Anatomy and Physiology module at University College Dublin. “We welcomed our 23rd Godolphin Flying Start class to Kildangan Stud this week,” said Godolphin Flying Start Executive Director, Clodagh Kavanagh. “They will follow in the footsteps of the 248 alumni of the programme through Ireland, England, USA, Australia and Dubai experiencing the thoroughbred industry and learning as much as they can. As scholarship recipients, they are expected to be advocates for the programme and the industry, having a positive impact on those around them.” Jamie O'Connor from County Dublin and Emma Hunter from County Cork are the team leaders for the first Irish phase. “We are both grateful and delighted to be commencing Godolphin Flying Start,” O'Connor and Hunter said in a joint statement. “The opportunity it provides is truly extraordinary; the chance to learn from global industry leaders, further our academic development and our experience in the thoroughbred industry. We have really enjoyed our first few days in Kildangan and can't wait to see what's in store for us over the next two years.” The 2025 – 2027 trainees: Luke O'Neill, Ireland Saad Saidi, Morocco Kitty Ashby, UK Tara Carroll, Ireland Adrian Redondo, Spain Jamie O'Connor, Ireland Mageswar Periasamy Vishakan, India Harry Winnard, UK Emma Dillon, Ireland Callum Jeffries, New Zealand Raphael McCall, UK Emma Hunter, Ireland The post 2025-2027 Godolphin Flying Start Roster Arrives at Kildangan Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Date: 08/18/2025 Licensee: Anna Meah, trainer Penalty: A written Reprimand (per 9/26/23 HISA Guidance). Admission. Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole (Gastrogard)—a Class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Trouble Ahead on 7/9/25. Date: 08/15/2025 Licensee: Agustin Gonzalez Jr., trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on August 16, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horses' Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. The following treated as one violation. Admission. Explainer: Medication violations for the presence of Lidocaine—a Class B controlled substance—in samples taken from C V Ronin Legacy, who finished second at Horseshoe Indianapolis on 6/19/25; from Skippinjustice, who finished second at Horseshoe Indianapolis on 6/24/25; and from Money War, who finished second in the William Garrett H. at Horseshoe Indianapolis on 7/4/25. Date: 08/15/2025 Licensee: Timothy Murphy, trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horses' Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000 ($500 for each Controlled Medication Substance); imposition of 3 Penalty Points (1.5 Penalty Points for each Controlled Medication Substance). The following treated as one violation. Admission. Explainer: Medication violations for the presence of Phenylbutazone and Methocarbamol—both Class C controlled substances—in a sample taken from More Vino, who finished second at Finger Lakes on 5/12/25; and for the presence of Methocarbamol—a Class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Tacony Road, who won the George W. Barker Stakes at Finger Lakes on 5/26/25. Date: 08/15/2025 Licensee: Timothy Murphy, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on August 16, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a Class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Lookin' Super, who finished fourth at Finger Lakes on 6/9/25. Pending ADMC Violations 08/20/2025, Michael Sabine, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Methocarbamol—a Class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Flattery's Music, who finished second at Finger Lakes on 7/22/25. 08/20/2025, Kay Cooper, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a Class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Precise Timing, who won the Kent Stakes at Emerald Downs on 7/20/25. 08/20/2025, Jose Roberto Gonzalez, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Testosterone—a banned substance—in a sample taken from Ol' McClintock, who finished third at Horseshoe Indianapolis on 4/22/25. 08/15/2025, Tomas Medina, trainer: Pending medication violation for the use or attempted use of a Class C controlled substance on Night Kiss during the race period dated 7/5/25. Night Kiss did not make a start that day. 08/15/2025, Sergio Morfin, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Methocarbamol—a Class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Lady Dosia, who finished sixth at Santa Anita on 6/12/25. 08/15/2025, William Robert Bailes, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone—a Class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Next Girl, who finished second at Laurel Park on 6/6/25. 08/14/2025, Ilias Tapsas, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine—a Class B controlled substance—in a sample taken from Modern Midas on 7/7/25. 08/14/2025, Jesus Nunez, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a Class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Erebus, who finished second at Los Alamitos on 7/6/25. 08/14/2025, Steve Asmussen, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole (Gastrogard)—a Class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Jackman on 6/20/25. 08/14/2025, Tianna Richardville, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Methamphetamine—a banned substance—in a sample taken from R Guy Max, who finished third at Horseshoe Indianapolis on 5/15/25. Violations of Crop Rule Horseshoe Indianapolis Marcelino Pedroza – violation date August 14; $250 fine, one-day suspension The post National Regulatory Rulings, Aug. 14-20 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The 2026 G1 WS Cox Plate will be held at Flemington while Moonee Valley undergoes renovation, according to a joint release by Racing Victoria and the Moonee Valley Racing Club on Wednesday. “We believe that Flemington is the best location to maximise attendance, wagering and engagement with the meeting and we have confidence in the VRC's ability to present a high-quality track for Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day and the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival that follows,” said RV CEO Aaron Morrison. “We thank the MVRC for their work in exploring various options for the 2026 Ladbrokes Cox Plate in light of The Valley's redevelopment and for tabling an informative recommendation for our board to consider and ultimately endorse. We thank all clubs and commercial partners that were involved in submitting bids to the MVRC and congratulate the VRC and their partners on a successful bid.” Moonee Valley is scheduled to re-open mid-2027 in time to host the 2027 Cox Plate. The post Flemington to Host 2026 G1 Cox Plate appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

YORK, UK — What a day, or perhaps that should be, oh, what a Night. Fresh from providing the €3m top lot at Arqana on Monday, Night Of Thunder was by Wednesday ruling the Knavesmire, courtesy of his sons Ombudsman and Gewan. In Ombudsman, Godolphin and the Gosdens have the classic late improver, who set about his racing in the middle of last season and burst onto the Group 1 scene in impressive fashion at Royal Ascot. The narrowest of defeats in the Eclipse next time out did little to dent his allure and now the four-year-old colt has added to his résumé the Juddmonte International, the race which last year was judged to be the best in the world. Spend enough time at the sales and you might be fooled into believing that it's all about the money. Perhaps it is for some and, sure, it's what keeps the breeding world going round, but when a breeder, however commercial his mind may be, has just witnessed a horse he foaled and reared putting his name into serious contention for Horse of the Year honours, there is no doubting that this here, on the racecourse, is the only thing that matters. James Hanly was absent from Royal Ascot, briefly ducking out of father-of-the-bride duties at his daughter's Greek wedding to answer the phone to that pesky Brian Sheerin, looking for a quote or two on Ombudsman's Prince of Wales's Stakes victory. But the breeder made sure he was at the Knavesmire for the rematch with Delacroix, and there was no doubting the emotion in his voice when it came to trying to put words to what he had just witnessed. The drama of Ombudsman's runaway pacemaker Birr Castle was almost all too much for Hanly, as he saw the other Godolphin colt turn into the straight a country mile clear of the chasing pack. “Jesus, I thought we were beaten, and a pal of mine said, 'Well, these things happen.' I was walking away and they told me to come back,” he said. “That was the thrill of a lifetime. I just…I'm speechless.” Gathering his composure alongside Anthony Stroud, who bought Ombudsman for Godolphin, Hanly added, “But they [John and Thady Gosden] have just done such a good job in bringing him on slowly. They give them time. That's everything.” Stroud and Hanly go way back, and they often breed horses together in partnership with Trevor Stewart. Indeed, the trio could be represented in Thursday's Yorkshire Oaks by yet another Night Of Thunder improver, the four-year-old filly Estrange. Her appearance, however, will depend on a late decision over whether there is enough give in the ground. On the more precocious side is Gewan, the grey son of Night Of Thunder who is now two-for-two after winning the G3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes in pleasingly determined fashion for Andrew Balding and Al Rabban Racing. The colt was bred by Overbury Stallions and Dukes Stud from the Lethal Force mare Grey Mystere, a juvenile winner herself in France. Gewan was bought at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale – the same sale from which Ombudsman had graduated two years earlier – for 100,000gns by Mick Murphy and Sarah O'Connell of Longways Stables. Acomb Stakes winner Gewan | Emma Berry Overbury Stud's Simon Sweeting, who owns a number of mares in partnership with Charlie Wyatt of Dukes Stud, said, “We bought Grey Mystere in France and she was in foal to Too Darn Hot. Then we sent her to Night Of Thunder and we got what we thought was a lovely colt but his x-rays weren't great, which is why he didn't make a tremendous amount of money last year. He went to the breeze-ups and then Andrew [Balding] bought him privately through Billy Jackson-Stops. But we always thought he was a lovely horse and we are delighted with what he has done this year.” Sweeting added, “The mare then had a Ghaiyyath colt last year which died over in Ireland, and she then had a late covering to Native Trail, so had a late foal by him, and she is empty this year. Typical story for a breeder – up and down – but we will be able to find a nice early covering for her next year.” For good measure, Night Of Thunder also had the third home in the Acomb, the €1.9m Arqana breezer Distant Storm, who had won on debut at Newmarket last month. These results follow a successful Saturday for the Darley stallion, when the Aga Khan Studs' Zahraan won the G3 Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh and More Thunder took the G2 Hungerford Stakes at Newbury. Last Friday, the Sheikh Mohammed Obaid homebred Bow Echo earned a TDN Rising Star with an eye-catching debut victory at Newbury. Night Of Thunder is also the sire of this year's 1,000 Guineas winner Desert Flower, while in America he is responsible for the Grade 1-winning distaffers Choisya and Dynamic Pricing. The post ‘Thrill of a Lifetime’: Hanly Savours Moment as Ombudsman Storms the Knavesmire appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ricky Gonzalez won the second grade 1 of his riding career Aug. 16 in guiding Velocity to an upset victory in the Del Mar Oaks (G1T). A panel of racing experts voted Gonzalez Jockey of the Week for Aug. 11-17.View the full article

For a long while in Wednesday's G1 Juddmonte International Stakes, it looked as if we would have another pacemaker summer shock but ultimately the class of Godolphin's Prince of Wales's Stakes winner Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) told once again and common sense prevailed on the Knavesmire. Blessed with the best acceleration of the sextet, the Gosdens' 7-4 favourite was the first to claw back the operation's rabbit Birr Castle (Cloth Of Stars), who was proverbially in another district under Rab Havlin turning for home, and register a 3 1/2-length defeat of his Eclipse conqueror Delacroix (Dubawi). He was the only other runner able to get by the Andre Fabre-trained pacemaker, with half a length the margin between them at the line. “The idea was to run the pacemaker and the way he was going to be used would be determined by the way the race went,” William Buick said. “To be honest, Rab [Havlin] got the fractions spot-on on a proper Stakes horse, so I was thinking 'this is dangerous' and I had to cut the deficit myself. He then went again, which is a hard thing to do, but he has a great mind and is amazing. He's a beautiful horse to ride and we couldn't believe he got beaten in the Eclipse, but today he put it right.” John Gosden added, “Andre [Fabre] had said, if I lend you the horse make sure its like Goodwood! I thought it was dangerous two out, but all's well that end's well and our horse went into overdrive. This settles the Eclipse form and the obvious race is the Irish Champion–he is in the Arc, but I won't want to run on heavy ground as it would blunt his turn of foot. He's got tactical speed and the mile-and-a-half at Del Mar could work.” “It was a mess really,” Aidan O'Brien said of the runner-up. “When he sat in they started going slower and slower and he was in a pocket and the rest was history. We think he likes high-tempo races and hopefully this won't happen at Leopardstown.” Ombudsman strikes in a remarkable £1.3m Juddmonte International! @yorkracecourse pic.twitter.com/7Sr7ELnnQs — Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 20, 2025 The post Gosden Hails Ombudsman’s ‘Overdrive’ As Juddmonte International Tactics Threaten To Implode appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Bouncing back from two disappointing Derby displays, the Aykroyds' Pride Of Arras (New Bay) showed the benefit of a gelding operation to land Wednesday's G2 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes at York. Sent off at 12-1 despite his impressive Dante success here in May, the Ralph Beckett-trained homebred stayed on powerfully to take control approaching the furlong pole and beat the similarly-penalised Queen's Vase winner Carmers (Wootton Bassett). The Derby and Irish Derby winner Lambourn (Australia) ran flat in fifth. “I actually brought him here slightly underdone, having gelded him at the beginning of July and I've only really done maintenance stuff with him,” Beckett explained. “That was because it seemed to suit him the last time we brought him here and also because I wanted him to run well more than anything else.” “Really we came here with no expectation, but I think the track and the flat nature of York suits him really well,” he added. “I wasn't at all happy with the way he moved in the first half-mile at the Curragh, which isn't exactly undulating anyway. He just wasn't enjoying himself that day any more than he was at Epsom. After that it was a very easy decision to geld him. I would be tempted to think about California and Hong Kong for him. I think the nature of those races will suit him really well.” Pride Of Arras is back! The Dante winner bounces back in the @SkyBet Great Voltigeur and at 12/1 for @Rossaryan15 and @RalphBeckett pic.twitter.com/tnkZ2VJfaS — Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 20, 2025 The post Pride Of Arras Bounces Back In The Voltigeur As Lambourn Disappoints appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced juveniles from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes, sponsored by OBS Sales, highlights debuting and stakes-entered 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, including links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for Thursday at Saratoga and Del Mar. Thursday, August 21, 2025 Saratoga 2, $80k, Moc, 2yo, f, 8.5fT, 1:44 p.m. ET Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze Athena's Fury (Modernist), FTMMAY, 50,000, G C-Big Easy, agent; B-Amanda Gillman, Agent for High Step Saratoga 5, $80k, Moc, 2yo, f, 8.5fT, 3:27 p.m. ET Makealittlelove (Galilean), OBSAPR, 65,000, :10 1/5 C-Hoppel, agent; B-Three Diamonds Farm LLC Smiling Rosie (Silver State), OBSAPR, 30,000, :10 2/5 C-Harris Training Center, agent; B-Avibros Stables Saratoga 6, $80k, 2yo, f, (R), 6f, 4:02 p.m. Clap Back (Galilean), FTMMAY, 55,000, :10 2/5 C-Julie Davies LLC, agent; B-Arms Farm Margarita Molly (Knicks Go), FTMMAY, 40,000, :10 4/5 C-Wavertree Stables Inc (Ciaran Dunne), agent; B-KB Racing LLC Riyah Al Nil (Tacitus), OBSAPR, 35,000, :10 2/5 C-Omar Ramirez Bloodstock, agent; B-Ronald Schwartz South Philly Slide (Vekoma), OBSJUN, 30,000, G C-Grassroots Training & Sales, agent;B-Amanda Gillman, Agent for Lucky Hat Racing Del Mar 4, $80k, 2yo, f, (S), 5fT, 6:36 p.m. ET Violets Song (Violence)-AE, OBSAPR, 75,000, :21 1/5 C-Pick View LLC, agent; B-Jet Horse LLC, Peter Miller, agent The post Summer Breezes Sponsored By OBS: Thursday, August 21, 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Emulating Andrew Balding's former star Chaldean on Wednesday, Al Rabban Racing's Gewan (Night Of Thunder) came from the same Newbury novice to capture York's G3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes, an automatic qualifier for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Always prominent under P J McDonald throughout the seven-furlong contest, the 11-2 shot saw off Ballydoyle's Italy (Wootton Bassett) to score by 1 1/2 lengths, with 3 1/4 lengths back to the disappointing 11-20 favourite Distant Storm (Night Of Thunder) in third. “He was very well bought by Billy Jackson, as he wasn't expensive for a Night Of Thunder,” Balding said of the €80,000 Arqana May Breeze-Up graduate. “He's done everything right since he came in and we've always liked him. PJ was quite taken by his attitude and said he had a little bit more left. I think he'll stay a mile next year, but he'll stay at seven this.” Aidan O'Brien was far from downcast after the defeat of the yard's TDN Rising Star Italy. “He ran very well–he's a lovely big horse and he jumped a bit slow and was a length or two further back than Ryan wanted to and he had to expose him early,” he said. “He will progress. The Futurity and National were the plan.” Gewan (Night Of Thunder) fends off Italy and remains unbeaten in the £165,000 @Tattersalls1766 Acomb Stakes! @yorkracecourse @AndrewBalding2 pic.twitter.com/6fqsdQZkAY — Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 20, 2025 The post Night Of Thunder’s Gewan Wins The Acomb, Qualifies For The Breeders’ Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer partnerships aren't the "thing" in American racing but the father-son team of John and Thady Gosden is showing how it's done in Europe and around the globe.View the full article

Aidan O’Brien will look to Minnie Hauk as he bids to equal legendary trainers Sir Michael Stoute and Mathew Dawson on nine wins in the Group One Yorkshire Oaks (2,381m) at York on Thursday. According to the betting markets, the illustrious prize – won by the likes of Alpinista, Love, Enable and Alexandrova – could be turned into a procession by O’Brien’s dual Oaks winner. She defeated stablemate and subsequent Group One winner Whirl in the Group One Oaks (2,400m) at Epsom in June, before...View the full article

The spring racing season kicks off in style this Saturday at Royal Randwick with the Group 1 $1 million Winx Stakes (1400m), featuring a glittering field of elite gallopers led by Chris Waller’s reigning Cox Plate champion, Via Sistina. The eight-year-old mare, a daughter of Fastnet Rock, returns as the $2.70 favourite with Ladbrokes, aiming to […] The post 2025 Winx Stakes Field & Odds: Via Sistina First-Up Favourite appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au. View the full article

What Rowley Mile Day 2025 Where Hawkesbury Race Club – 1 Racecourse Rd, Clarendon NSW 2756 When Thursday, August 21, 2025 First Race 12:45pm AEST Visit Dabble Rowley Mile Tip: River Of Stars River Of Stars profiles beautifully for the Rowley Mile, landing a soft draw with James McDonald up and 58kg under the Listed conditions. The Waller import was placed in the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) last prep and has the class to put this away fresh at a mile. He trialled up soundly in Sydney, and a Soft track won’t worry him given his UK form and local ratings. With stablemate pressure likely to create a genuine tempo, his stalk-and-straighten pattern should prove ideal around Hawkesbury’s sweeping turn. She may lack fitness on key rivals, but if River Of Stars is near her best, she’ll take some beating. Rowley Mile Race 7 – #3 River Of Stars (6) 6yo Mare | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (58kg) Next Best at Hawkesbury: Writego Writego gets every chance to shed the maiden tag early on the card. The Waller mare has drawn perfectly (4) and strikes a Super Maiden where race experience counts. She chased strongly fresh on the Heavy and now returns to 1100m with J-Mac booked, which screams intent. With natural improvement second-up and a race shape that should see her blend in behind a solid speed, she can launch off the bend and prove too sharp late. Next Best Race 1 – #3 Writego (4) 4yo Mare | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (57kg) Best Value at Hawkesbury: Tong Ho Tong Ho took a big step forward second-up when breaking his maiden at Kembla Grange and can go right on with it in this Class 1. He maps to land leaders-back from barrier one, with Mitchell Bell keeping him out of trouble before using the cutaway. With race fitness on his side, a Soft track is no issue, and a cosy weight (56kg), he should punch through late. The each-way quote with horse racing bookmakers is too hard to ignore. Best Value Race 5 – #8 Tong Ho (1) 3yo Colt | T: Gary Portelli | J: Mitchell Bell (56kg) Thursday quaddie tips for Hawkesbury Hawkesbury quadrella selections August 21, 2025 2-3-8 4-5-7-9-14 3-4-5-13 1-3-7-11-15 Horse racing tips View the full article