SWEDEN held its big international meeting of the year in Bro Park on Sunday and attracted some British-trained runners.
Richard Hughes trained Old News to win the Champagne Taittinger Svealandlopning, a conditions race for two-year-olds. Shane Kelly partnered the colt to a neck win.
The feature race, the Group 3 Stockholm Cup International, went to the favourite in terrific style. A trip to Royal Ascot next year could be on the cards for the Scandinavian star following this victory.
Square De Luynes, trained in Norway by Niels Petersen, is considered one of the finest prospects to emerge from Scandinavia in years and he bolted up by seven lengths under Robert Havlin, with British challengers Amazing Red and Crowned Eagle down the field.
The Listed Clarion Sign Bro Park Sprint Championship over six furlongs saw another British success with Corinthia Knight who took home first prize of almost €45,000 for Luke Morris and trainer Archie Watson.
The Listed Lanwades Stud Stakes for fillies and mares went to odds-on favourite Appelina, a daughter of former Swedish star Appel Au Maitre. The 4/6 favourite, trained by Wido Neuroth, won the mile contest by half a length.
Italy
THERE was an Irish-bred success in the feature at San Siro in Milan last weekend when the Group 2 Premio Federico Tesio was won by Chestnut Honey, an Irish-bred son of No Nay Never bred by Camogue Stud Ltd.
He found the mile and three0furlong distance no problem and beat the favourite, Royal Julius, by a short-neck, with Fabio Branca on board for Alduino Botti.
The Group 3 Premio del Piazzale Memorial Enrico Camici also went to an Irish-bred in the favourite Anda Muchacho, a five-year-old son of Helmet bred by Thomas Hassett, and ridden by Antonio for trainer Nicolo Simondi.
The other group race on the card, the Group 3 Premio Elena e Sergio Cumani over a mile for fillies and mares was won easily by the favourite Style Presa, ridden by Cristian Demuro for Rod Collet
THERE were two group races at ParisLongchamp last Saturday and the most impressive winner on the card was the Sea The Stars filly Soudania in the Group 3 Prix du Prince d’Orange.
She was completing a four-timer in the 10-furlong contest for three-year-olds and came home three lengths clear of another filly, Queen (by Kingman, out of Pride). The Freddy Head-trained bay races in the colours of her owner-breeders Wertheimer & Frere and is from the direct family of German champions Schiaparelli, Samum and Salve Regina, all Group 1 winners, and of Sanwa, the dam of Sea The Moon.
Much was expected of John Gosden’s favourite Dubai Warrior but the colt only beat one home after Dettori sent him for home over two out. Gosden and Dettori also supplied the favourite in the Group 3 Prix Bertrand de Tarragon for fillies and mares but had to settle for second with Duneflower. The race went to Silva, a daughter of Kodiac trained by Mme Pia Brandt.
Auteuil
Auteuil on Monday had some high-quality jumping and the Grade 3 Prix de Compiegne (Hurdle) saw the reappearance of one of the top jumpers in Galop Marin, last seen when fifth behind Benie Des Dieux in May in the Grade 1 Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil.
A previous winner of the Grade 1 Grand Prix d’Automne (Hurdle), he proved a length too good for the favourite Blue Dragon, with another of France’s top jumpers, Bipolaire, back in fourth.