Europe

Simple Verse (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire})'s team have yet to discuss which race last year's dual Classic heroine will contest on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Oct. 15. The Ralph Beckett-trained 4-year-old, winner of the G1 St Leger in 2015, holds entries in the G1 Fillies & Mares S., which she won last season, and the G2 Long Distance Cup. After falling short in three races over a mile and a half this term, Simple Verse got her head back in front with a last-gasp victory in...

12.40 Saint-Cloud, Mdn, €27,000, 2yo, c/g, 8fT FRANKED (GB) (Frankel {GB}) debuts for Khalid Abdullah and Andre Fabre and is a homebred son of Price Tag (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who was demoted from first to third in the 2006 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches for the Pascal Bary stable prior to winning that year's GI Matriarch S. switched to Bobby Frankel's barn. Also sporting the Juddmonte livery is the Criquette Head-Maarek-trained On the Sea (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a half-brother to the MGSW Excess Knowledge (GB) (Monsun {Ger}) who was...

My favourite story of the week is also a perfect story for the time of year; a time when all of us--the dreamers, and the cynics, and everyone in between--follow each new yearling round the ring much as gamblers do the ball bouncing round the roulette wheel. Of course, the business needs the guys who pile millions on odd-or-even, red-or-black. But it also needs them to watch in bemusement, from time to time, as their chips are scooped by the fellow who has staked his modest all at far more...

1st-GOW, €15,500, Mdn, 9-18, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:42.50, sf. +QUEEN ANNE'S LACE (f, 2, Lonhro {Aus}--Harpeth, by Sadler's Wells) was caught napping as the gates opened, but recovered well through a large field to track the leaders along the fence in fourth after the initial exchanges of this unveiling. Gaining one spot at halfway, the 10-1 chance eased to the front passing the quarter-mile marker and was ridden clear before gearing down late to score by an impressive 4 1/2 lengths from Bound (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). “I don't know much...

2.50 Gowran Park, Mdn, €15,500, 2yo, c/g, 8fT RICH HISTORY (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) debuts for Moyglare Stud and Dermot Weld with much to live up to, being a half-brother to the G1 Prince of Wales's S. winner Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies' and Mares' S. heroine Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB}) and the multiple group winner Custom Cut (Ire) (Notnowcato {GB}). He will have to be above average to account for the China Horse Club International, Qatar Racing and Triermore Stud's World War (Ire) (Galileo...

1st-NEW, £7,000, Mdn, 9-17, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:38.10, gd. SOBETSU (GB), f, 2, by Dubawi (Ire) 1st Dam: Lake Toya (SW & GSP-Fr, SW-Eng, $135,852), by Darshaan (GB) 2nd Dam: Shinko Hermes (Ire), by Sadler's Wells 3rd Dam: Doff The Derby, by Master Derby Sobetsu was a promising debut third going seven furlongs in a winner-producing maiden at Newmarket's July track in her only prior start Aug. 26, and was a class above her rivals in this one, winning by daylight in highly impressive fashion. Sharply into stride and in...

Backed into favouritism despite being the only member of the seven-strong cast not to have won, Harry Angel proved up to the hype to secure this prestigious prize staged on rain-softened ground which ruled out Mokarris (More Than Ready) and probably compromised the leading protagonists. Having caught the eye when a nose second to Godolphin's Reach High (GB) (Distorted Humor) over five furlongs at Ascot on his sole start May 7, the bay was subsequently withdrawn from his intended next outing in a maiden at Glorious Goodwood after becoming upset...

5.05 Newbury, Mdn, £8,000, 2yo, 7fT CRYSTAL OCEAN (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) makes his debut for his owner-breeder Sir Evelyn de Rothschild and Sir Michael Stoute, who enjoyed many memorable days with his half-siblings Crystal Capella (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Hillstar (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). The former won two renewals of the now-defunct G2 Pride S. and also the G2 Princess of Wales's S., while the latter was successful in the 2014 GI Canadian International. In a useful-looking maiden, the China Horse Club's unraced colt Emmaus (Ire) (Invincible...

Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the favourite for the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Oct. 2, is "where he needs to be" ahead of the €5-million contest, said trainer Roger Varian on Friday. "Postponed is doing fine and all his preparations are going well," Varian. "I'm pleased with him. He is where he needs to be and is on schedule for the Arc." Postponed, campaigned as a homebred by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, will be looking for his seventh straight win–and four Group 1s in succession–in the Arc. The 5-year-old...

One of Royal Ascot's headline stories, The Queen's Dartmouth (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), returns from his summer holiday in fighting form in Saturday's G3 Dubai Duty Free Legacy Cup at Newbury as he preps for Woodbine. Having beaten Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G2 Hardwicke S. at the Royal meeting June 18, he was third behind that rival when held up in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at that venue July 23 and emerged with plenty of credit. The Queen's racing advisor John Warren said,...

After Newbury was hit by torrential rain on Thursday night, Saturday's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. lost its star turn with the withdrawal of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Mokarris (More Than Ready), leaving the contest open. Dr Johnny Hon's Global Applause (GB) (Mayson {GB}) was fourth when that colt was runner-up in the G2 Gimcrack S. over this trip at York Aug. 20, but was subsequently eighth in the Weatherbys Hamilton £300,000 2-Y-O S. over 6 1/2 furlongs at Doncaster nine days ago. If he can...

7th-NBY, £16,000, Cond, 9-16, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:31.22, sf. DABYAH (IRE) (f, 2, Sepoy {Aus}--Samdaniya {GB}, by Machiavellian), a 100,000gns TATOCT yearling who beat the subsequent Beverley dead-heaters Amabilis (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) and Dubara (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) on debut over this trip at Newmarket July 9, started as the 1-2 favourite for this race won by seven lengths by the same connections's Nathra (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) 12 months ago and which has been taken by the likes of L'Ancresse (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) in the past, quickly established command on...