Europe

Runner-up descending Longchamp's seven-furlong chute last year, Limato (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) makes a second overseas foray bidding to go one better in Sunday's G1 Prix de la Foret at Chantilly. The gelded bay was no match for G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Make Believe (GB) (Makfi {GB}) in this contest 12 months ago, but his cause will be aided by a drying surface coming back off a decisive triumph in Newmarket's G1 July Cup and a second to G1 Prix de l'Abbaye contender Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})...

Perfect in three starts, Jean-Claude Rouget trainee Toulifaut (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), bids to provide her freshman sire with a first top-level triumph in Sunday's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac at Chantilly. Fresh from victory in last month's G3 Prix d'Aumale over the same one-mile strip, she is reopposed by Normandel (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), who ran her to one length in that contest. Rouget, enjoying yet another banner season, has yet to taste success in this event and also saddles the Joseph Allen colourbearer First of Spring (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who...

Impressive when winning the G1 Falmouth S. on the July Course here July 8 and in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown Sept. 10, Alice Springs justified market confidence with an admirably straightforward defeat of Always Smile to carry her momentum into the autumn. Her record could arguably be more enhanced had she not met trouble in running when second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and third in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 17 and were it not for two fruitless trips to France....

Second in the G2 Goodwood Cup last July, Quest For More was 16th in the G3 Geelong Cup over 12 furlongs in October and ninth in the G1 Melbourne Cup the following month before returning this year to be second in the Listed Grand Cup over 14 furlongs at York May 21. Third in the Listed Silver Cup over the same course and distance July 9, the bay was sixth in the latest edition of the Goodwood Cup July 28 before making all in the G2 Lonsdale Cup over two...

Successful on seven occasions in the G1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in its different guises, Aidan O'Brien has two colts to target Sunday's edition at Chantilly headed by Whitecliffsofdover (War Front). Second in the G3 Tattersalls S. over seven furlongs at Newmarket Sept. 22, he is joined by Utah (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who was also in that position in a nursery over an extended seven furlongs at Tipperary Aug. 25. Best of the French looks to be the Sept. 5 G3 Prix la Rochette winner Kontrastat (Fr) (My Risk {Fr}),...

Unbeaten and as a consequence totally unexposed, Lady Lloyd-Webber's So Mi Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) looks poised for a breakthrough in Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Opera at Chantilly. Impressive when winning the G3 Musidora S. over an extended 10 furlongs at York May 11, the homebred dealt with a penalty and some smart rivals with ease on her return to action in the Listed John Musker Fillies' S. over this trip at Yarmouth last time Sept. 14. Simon Marsh, racing manager for her owner-breeders, said, “She's in very good...

Having enjoyed a virtual clockwork build-up to Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) now has to deliver in the test he seems to have been prepped for all his life. Gradually built up by Luca Cumani over the past three seasons, he is now the formidable racehorse that he always promised to be and has been on a winning streak since turning around his fortunes in last year's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. Roger Varian has...

Not seen since extending his enviable juvenile record in the G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket in October, Shalaa returned in the same mood to use his customary speed to make all and stay firmly on track for the Oct. 15 G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. Quickly at the fore under Frankie Dettori, the bay who also garnered the G1 Prix Morny, G2 July S. and G2 Richmond S. last term started to turn the screw inside the last quarter mile. Despite the strong effort of the filly Mehronissa,...

The Juliet Rose built on a seasonal debut second to the subsequent G1 Prix Saint-Alary runner-up Camprock (Fr) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) in the 10 1/2-furlong G3 Prix Penelope at Saint-Cloud Apr. 18 to win the Listed Prix de la Seine over 11 furlongs here May 10 and G3 Prix de Royaumont over this track and trip June 5. Only 13th in the G1 Prix de Diane over 10 1/2 furlongs also at this venue a fortnight later, the dark bay was second attempting to give Golden Valentine (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}) five...

Third to Makahiki (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 Prix Niel over 12 furlongs last time Sept. 11, Doha Dream showed battling qualities to open Arc weekend with a 12th renewal of this prize for Andre Fabre. Allowed to creep his way into contention by Gregory Benoist, the 9-10 favourite gained a narrow lead with 300 metres remaining and kept digging deep to fend off Moonshiner after a tussle to the line. "The second is a good horse and gave us a good fight, but my horse is tough,"...

Following the exploits of her dual Derby winning son Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Hazariya (Ire) (Xaar {GB}) will be offered for sale by Newsells Park Stud at the Tattersalls December Sale. The 14-year-old mare is in foal to Invincible Spirit (Ire) (Green Desert) and she could well be the proud mother to an Arc winner, should Dermot Weld's colt triumph in Sunday's feature at Chantilly. "Broodmares the quality of Hazariya are very rare jewels and after the extraordinary update to her pedigree, we felt it made sound commercial...

It must be said that the anniversary claimed this year for Newmarket, as a racing town, is somewhat contrived. Yes, 1666 was the year Charles II first raced there following the Restoration, but racing had been recorded on the Heath during the reign of his grandfather James I and had resumed by 1663. No doubt there are sounder commercial than historical reasons for confining Newmarket's true antiquity to a nice, round 350 years. There is nothing spurious, however, about the simultaneous anniversary being marked at the sales company that has...