Friday, Saint-Cloud, France, post time: 15:10, AUGUSTE RODIN COOLMORE PRIX CLEOPATRE-G3, €80,000, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT
Field: Benamira (GB) (Waldgeist {GB}), Tajlina (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Danara (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Indalimos (Fr) (Cloth Of Stars {Ire}), Marinaleda (Fr) (Recoletos {Fr}), Zia Agnese (Fr) (Romanised {Ire}).
TDN Verdict: Further G1 Prix de Diane clues are available here, with little known about four of the protagonists but probably much expected from connections. Tajlina has vital course-and-distance form, having won the G3 Prix Penelope last month, so it is interesting that Francis-Henri Graffard is prepared to put The Aga Khan's Studs' Benamira up against her, particularly as she won over the mile-and-a-half trip that her pedigree suggests is a minimum also at this venue in March. Andre Fabre relies on Indalimos, a half-sister to last year's G2 Prix Eugene Adam scorer Bright Picture (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) whose only run so far resulted in a win over the re-opposing subsequent dual winner Zia Agnese under an eight-pound claimer at Chantilly in October.
Friday, Newcastle, Britain, post time: 13:15, BETMGM BURRADON STAKES-Listed, £100,000, 3yo, 8f 5y
Field: Bowmark (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Glittering Legend (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Michael Scofield (Tiz The Law), Nordic Norm (GB) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Royal Playwright (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Titanium Emperor (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).
TDN Verdict: An intriguing race, with last year's G2 Royal Lodge Stakes runner-up Royal Playwright taken on by five all-weather winners headed by Lordship Stud's TDN Rising Star Bowmark. From the family of the runaway Derby hero Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the 4 1/2-length Kempton winner was kept away from Newmarket's Craven meeting to stay on the Polytrack while Glittering Legend looks a surefire pattern-race performer based on his last start of 2024 and his return win also at Kempton last month.
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