Observations for Apr. 20

[Wandering Eyes]

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. Saturday’s Insights features a relative of Henrythenavigator.

2.35 Kempton, Cond, £25,000, 3yo, f, 8f (AWT)
RAINBOW HEART (IRE) (Born To Sea {Ire}) represents the Sunderland Holdings-William Haggas link which was thrust into the limelight by Sea of Class (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) last term and earned TDN Rising Star status at Newmarket in October. Reappearing in the old Masaka S. which used to carry listed status and was a Guineas trial, the homebred daughter of the G2 Prix de Royallieu winner Sea of Heartbreak (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) encounters six rivals including one of Roger Varian’s team of talented fillies in Nausha (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Nurlan Bizakov’s homebred relative of Henrythenavigator (Kingmambo) scored on debut at Newbury on her sole start in October and her trainer has a line to her merit after the Craven meeting.

3.05 Cork, Cond, €16,000, 3yo, 7fT
WESTERN FRONTIER (Scat Daddy) is upped in trip by Aidan O’Brien on this seasonal bow, having signed off 2018 with a five-furlong maiden win at Navan in October. Last year’s €825,000 Arqana May Breeze-Up topper who is a half-brother to the graded-stakes performer Carried Interest (Henny Hughes) is up against some potentially smart types including Scott Heider’s Kiss For Luck (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), a Joseph O’Brien-trained daughter of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Yesterday (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) who scored over this trip at Dundalk in November.

3.10 Kempton, Cond, £25,000, 3yo, c/g, 8f (AWT)
SENZA LIMITI (IRE) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) is another exciting William Haggas representative who received a favourable mention by his trainer after Wednesday’s Craven S. After the display there of stablemate Skardu (GB) (Shamardal), Simon Munir and Isaac Souede’s taking Salisbury novice scorer from the family of Pennekamp is likely to start favourite for this race, formerly the Easter S. and a listed Guineas trial.

4.10 Cork, Mdn, €12,500, 3yo, 7fT
MARWARI (IRE) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) is a half-brother to the G1 Champion S. hero Fascinating Rock (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) who races in the same Newtown Anner Stud Farm silks for the same Dermot Weld stable. The homebred encounters 17 rivals in this introduction which is more than winnable if he has inherited a share of his sibling’s class.

View the full article