True blue Sunday!

The Darley stallions dominate across Europe, with no fewer than five Group winners in one afternoon

The Darley sires enjoyed a truly sensational Sunday on 26 August, notching up an astounding five Group winners during the afternoon.

There were three Group races on the card at Deauville and every single one of them was won by a Darley-sired runner. Teofilo’s daughter Tantheem kicked off proceedings with a wide-margin victory in the G3 Prix de Meautry, run over six furlongs.

Shortly afterwards, the Darley stallions were responsible for the first two home in the G3 Prix Quincey, as Graphite (Shamardal) narrowly beat fellow Godolphin runner Salsabeel (Exceed And Excel) to provide his sire with his second Stakes winner of the week.

The Godolphin blue silks were once again to the fore in the feature race of the day, as New Approach’s exciting son Loxley brought up the treble with a hugely impressive win in the G2 Grand Prix de Deauville.

Settled just off the early leaders under William Buick, the Charlie Appleby-trained three-year-old was still cruising as his rivals were coming under pressure in the home straight, and once asked for his effort, simply cruised to the front to win by two lengths.

Loxley has now won three of his four starts this year, including a three-length win in the Listed Prix Nureyev on his last start. He was also second to Wells Farhh Go (Farhh) in the G3 Bahrain Trophy during July week at Newmarket.

New Approach is enjoying a superb year, siring Derby hero Masar, French Guineas second Hey Gaman, plus wide-margin G2 winner Waldlied.

Meanwhile in Germany, Raven’s Lady (Raven’s Pass) added a second Group victory to her record, and a first at G2 level, landing the six-furlong Goldene Peitsche at Baden-Baden.

Raven’s Lady is out of Pivotal Lady, a half-sister to G1 winner Best Of The Bests.

And last, but by no means least, no weekend would be complete without a Stakes winner for Dubawi, who is enjoying such a tremendous run of success at the moment.

Today, it was once again the turn of his brave three-year-old daughter Anna Nerium to enter the winners’ enclosure, as she landed the G3 Supreme Stakes, run over seven furlongs at Goodwood.

Anna Nerium was bred by Stowell Hill Ltd and is one of five Black type performers out of Anna Oleanda (Old Vic), also dam of G3 winner and Oaks d’Italia second Middle Club and Anna Nerium’s full brother Piping Rock, who won the G3 Horris Hill Stakes as a juvenile.