Wednesday, York, post time: 15:30, THE GO LOCAL STORES MINSTER STAKES-G2, £165,000, 3yo/up, 6fT
Field: Big Mojo (Ire) (Mohaather {GB}), Ain't Nobody (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}), American Affair (GB) (Washington DC {Ire}), Aramram (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Cool Hoof Luke (GB) (Advertise {GB}), Crestofdistinction (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), Diligent Harry (GB) (Due Diligence), Elmonjed (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Jasour (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Kind Of Blue (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}), Quinault (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Regional (GB) (Territories {Ire}), Time For Sandals (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}).
TDN Analysis: With the sprint division badly in need of a talismanic figure, the older brigade enjoy a tussle before the three-year-old big guns appear at Royal Ascot with four Group 1 winners in the line-up. Time For Sandals, Kind Of Blue, American Affair and Big Mojo all had their big days elsewhere and this is a specialist track so it could be that the 2024 Gimcrack winner Cool Hoof Luke is the answer. He had the ace juvenile Shadow Of Light and Big Mojo behind in that course-and-distance contest before injury intervened, but after a year off comes in on the back of a confidence-restoring success in the Lady Wulfruna Stakes in March. [Tom Frary].
Wednesday, York, post time: 16:05, THE TATTERSALLS MUSIDORA STAKES-G3, £130,000, 3yo, f, 10f 56yT
Field: Della Pace (GB) (Camelot {GB}), Felicitas (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), K Sarra (GB) (New Bay {GB}), Legacy Link (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Moments Of Joy (Justify), Sea The Storm (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).
TDN Analysis: The Oaks needs a boost from somewhere and this could provide it, with TDN Rising Star Felicitas having looked a class act in an important Sandown pointer last month. Juddmonte's Legacy Link is a granddaughter of Kind who was fourth in the Fillies' Mile, with Ballydoyle's Moments Of Joy a place behind on that occasion. Sea The Storm needs to step up on her comeback win at Wetherby, while the Aykroyds' K Sarra is at a far more suitable trip than when down the field in the Fred Darling and bids to emulate her full-brother Pride Of Arras's Dante success. [Tom Frary].
Wednesday, Vichy, France, post time: 15:57, PRIX DES REVES D'OR – JACQUES BOUCHARA-Listed, €54,900, 2yo, 5fT
Field: Witchway (Fr) (Sealiway {Fr}), Timur (Fr) (Blackbeard {Ire}), Opium Of Success (Fr) (Penny's Picnic {Ire}), Say Squirrel (Fr) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), Maiakovska (Fr) (Goken {Fr}), Say My Name (Fr) (Blackbeard {Ire}), She's Box Office (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}), Valentina Bella (Fr) (Armor {GB}), Aralia (Fr) (Muhaarar {GB}), Azamra (Fr) (Texas {Fr}).
TDN Analysis: France's first juvenile black-type contest of the year has attracted seven prior winners in a field of 10. Fresh off yet another banner weekend, Francis Graffard relies on Saint-Cloud winner Say Squirrel, who ran second over this trip at Chantilly four weeks ago. First-crop sire Blackbeard is represented by Timur, who defeated subsequent winner Belisa Bay at Lyon Parilly in March, and the once-raced maiden Say My Name. Fellow freshman Sealiway also seeks a first stakes winner and is responsible for the Patrice Cottier-trained Witchway, who is two-for-two following wins at Marseille-Borely. Aralia and Maiakovska come back off successes at Chantilly and Deauville, respectively, while Azamra – a daughter of freshman Texas – and Valentina Bella notched their victories in the provinces. [Sean Cronin].
Thursday, York, post time: 16:05, THE AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI DANTE STAKES-G2, £180,000, 3yo, 10f 56yT
Field: Action (Ire) Frankel (GB), Al Zanati (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Christmas Day (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Guildmaster (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Item (GB) (Frankel {GB}), King's Trail (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Morshdi (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Wise Prince (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}).
TDN Analysis: There is a sense that we've already seen the Derby winner this year and so this time-honoured trial will have to produce something extra special to change the picture. Christmas Day sports the O'Brien-Moore badge and has already taken an established trial in the Ballysax, but even if he does something impressive may only be his stable's third or even fourth string for the one that matters next month. He faces a greater speed test than he did at Leopardstown and may not be suited to that, something his stablemate Action might relish and it would be no surprise if the latter goes out in front and doesn't come back. Item and Morshdi look like pure 10-furlong types, while the talented King's Trail has to bounce back from a tough race in the 2,000 Guineas. [Tom Frary].
Thursday, York, post time: 15:30, THE AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI MIDDLETON FILLIES' STAKES-G2, £165,000, 4yo/up, f/m, 10f 56yT
Field: Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Diamond Rain (GB) (Shamardal), Fairy Glen (Fr) (Farhh {GB}), Red Letter (GB) (Frankel {GB}), See The Fire (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).
TDN Analysis: If she is in the same form as when winning this by 12 lengths last year, See The Fire will prove a tough nut to crack at a track she loves. Unfortunately for her, there is an even faster conveyance engaged in the habitual Group 1 winner Fallen Angel, whose spectacular effort on the clock in the Sun Chariot in October marked her as something special. Back up in trip and saddled with a penalty, she will be vulnerable to proven stayers like Diamond Rain, who got so close to She Feels Pretty in the E. P. Taylor before running third in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. [Tom Frary].
Thursday, York, post time: 16:40, THE BRITISH STALLION STUDS EBF WESTOW STAKES-Listed, £70,000, 3yo, 5fT
Field: Aspect Island (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), Black Star Boy (Ire) (Starman {GB}), Boston Dan (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}), Dickensian (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}), Exclamation (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), Manatee Mehmas (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Revival Power (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}), Palmeira (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Simplify (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}), Temple Of Athena (GB) (Magna Grecia {Ire}), Wor Faayth (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}).
TDN Analysis: Revival Power returns under the maximum penalty gained in the Flying Childers, having won the course-and-distance Roses at the Ebor Festival. That means she gets no weight concession from the colts, including the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint third Aspect Island and the highly-regarded gelding Manatee Mehmas, who impressed on debut at Doncaster last month. [Tom Frary].
Thursday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 17:48, PRIX DE PONTARME-Listed, €50,300, 3yo, 7fT
Field: Mardad Fal (Fr) (Ardad {Ire}), Trinquette (Fr) (City Light {Fr}), Lyneham (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Romanticon (GB) (Time Test {GB}), Canalejas (Fr) (Armor {GB}), Persian Imp Cen (Ire) (Persian King {Ire}), Valdorcia (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Kozlovskha (Ire) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}).
TDN Analysis: Lyneham relinquished his perfect record in a hot renewal of last month's G3 Prix de Fontainebleau, but that race's winner Komorebi has since run second in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains. Kozlovskha had the measure of both Valdorica and Romanticon when second over this course and distance in the Listed Prix du Pont Neuf three weeks ago, while G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte fourth Trinquette confirmed his wellbeing with a defeat of Persian Imp Cen, who makes his stakes debut here, on seasonal return in April. September's G3 Prix de Chenes third Canalejas is one of just two nominees to have already achieved black type and Mardad Fal completes the line-up. [Sean Cronin].
Thursday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 18:58, PRIX DE L'AVRE-Listed, €50,300, 3yo, 12fT
Field: Derawar (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Montsecret (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), Birgham Dub (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ire}), Czajkowski (Fr) (Flintshire {GB}), Victoire Magique (GB) (Victor Ludorum {GB}), Bright Light (Fr) (City Light {Fr}), Alter Meister (Ger) (Japan {GB}), Rumoriste (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
TDN Analysis: Francis Graffard's Fontainebleau maiden winner Derawar and the Wertheimers' consistent Rumoriste, an Andre Fabre trainee, head the home defence against a strong international challenge in this trial for July's G1 Grand Prix de Paris. Jane Chapple-Hyam nominee Birgham Dub is two-for-two after victories at Haydock and Southwell, while undefeated German raiders Bright Light and Alter Meister once again slip across the border seeking to boost their one-for-one records. The former, representing Andreas Suborics, bagged a Strasbourg maiden last month and Alter Meister prevailed at Lyon Parilly for the Waldemar Hickst barn four weeks ago. October's G3 Prix de Conde second Czajkowski is the only contender with black type already in the bag. [Sean Cronin].
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