Europe

Connections of Buratino (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) have warned he is unlikely to take his place in Friday's G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot due to the ground. Although last year's G2 Coventry S. winner still holds an entry in the six -furlong Group 1 prize, the chances of the Godolphin colorbearer contesting the race appear to be slim unless the ground dries out. Having finished well down the field on his reappearance in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, the Mark Johnston trainee turned in an improved effort...

Time Test (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) has been ruled out of the G1 Prince of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot on account of the rain-softened ground. Roger Charlton's 4-year-old was a hugely impressive winner of the G3 Tercentenary S. at the showpiece meeting last year and made a successful return to action with a thrilling victory in the G3 Brigadier Gerard S. at Sandown last month. He was among the leading contenders for Wednesday's 10-furlong Group 1, but with conditions at Ascot having deteriorated, he will not take his chance. "Time...

Every day of this exalted week is a big day for Coolmore and Ballydoyle, but the G2 Coventry S. is where many of the early seeds have been sewn by the master of Rosegreen and Tuesday's renewal offers his team the opportunity of the outright record of eight wins to usurp the legends Frank Butters and Fred Darling. Since Harbour Master (Fr) (Bluebird) offered the portents of what was to come from the stable when scoring at 16-1 in 1997, the likes of Fasliyev, Landseer (Ire), Henrythenavigator, Power (GB) and...

Aidan O'Brien's record seven winners of the G1 St James's Palace S. include some of the Royal Meeting's benchmark performers of recent times and Tuesday's renewal offers one in the form of The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who could yet fit the mould of a Giant's Causeway, a Rock of Gibraltar (Ire) or a Henrythenavigator. Unraced until early April, Derrick Smith's colourbearer has enjoyed a meteoric rise in a short space of time with a nine-length maiden win on soft-to-heavy ground at Navan Apr. 17, offering the hors d'oeuvres to...

Unlike the G1 Queen Anne S., the G1 King's Stand S. has become synonymous with international glory at Royal Ascot with five of the last 13 winners emanating from either Australia or Hong Kong. Up until a few days ago, it looked likely that the US would join the honours list with the monstrous Acapulco (Scat Daddy) primed for Tuesday's burn-up, but then the mercurial English summer intervened and she was withdrawn by trainer Wesley Ward on Monday and re-routed to Friday's G1 Commonwealth Cup. On similar conditions at York's...

5th-CMP, €25,000, Mdn, 6-13, 3yo, f, 10fT, 2:16.24, hy. GOLDEN GAZELLE (IRE) (f, 3, Galileo {Ire}--Grey Lilas {Ire} {G1SW-Fr, $553,860}, by Danehill), who ran eighth in a Chantilly newcomers' heat in her only prior start May 6, found a smooth rhythm racing off the pace in mid division for most of this return. Urged closer rounding the home turn, the 97-10 chance was ridden into second approaching the final furlong and kep on well under continued rousting to assert by 3/4-of-a-length from Fancy Gem (Fr) (American Post {GB}). Golden Gazelle...

A rain-afflicted 2016 Royal Meeting opens up on Tuesday with a typically strong renewal of the G1 Queen Anne S., which has so far proven impervious to the international brigade, but which features another dogged threat in the US raider Tepin (Bernstein). While no winner of the race has been trained as far afield, there is a precedent for foreign influence succeeding in the 2008 hero Haradasun (Aus) (Fusaichi Pegasus), a horse who albeit was saddled by Aidan O'Brien here, and had established his reputation in Australia. Whether Tepin can...

American raider Acapulco (Scat Daddy), who won the 2015 G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot last year before chasing home the re-opposing Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G1 Nunthorpe S. at York, has been withdrawn from the G1 King's Stand S. due to soft ground. Trainer Wesley Ward had been looking forward to the rematch, but the prospect of rain-softened ground has prompted him to withdraw the hulking chestnut, who races for a Coolmore conglomerate. Acapulco holds an entry in the G1 Commonwealth Cup on Friday...

Many racehorse owners dream of having a horse good enough to run at Royal Ascot. For the team involved with Wednesday's G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. runner Miss Temple City (Temple City), the dream has become reality not once but twice. Sean Feld is the unofficial frontman for the Maryland-based group, which includes Allen Rosenblum, Sagamore Farm principal Kevin Plank--who in his 'day job' is CEO of the Under Armour sportswear company--as well as Sean's bloodstock agent father Bob Feld, Chris Closson and A J Jutte of The Club Racing...

In contrast with the dazzling spotlight on Belmont, the European theatre has been half-lit since the Derby while the stagehands shift the scenery from Epsom to Ascot. Nonetheless there have been a couple of cameos in recent days--both elaborating a theme of fathers and sons--that may yet prove more significant, in the long term, even than the most show-stopping performance at the Royal Meeting. If it does not turn out that way, in fact, you could almost accuse the author of introducing new characters with undue melodrama. Bloodstock professionals, of...

A total of 13 rivals will line up against Tepin (Bernstein) as she bids to transfer her Stateside prowess to English terrain in Tuesday's Royal Ascot-opening G1 Queen Anne S. With the ground now certain to ride on the soft side of good, the mare, who is on a streak of successes, has to prove her versatility as she bids to erase the memory of the flop of fellow American raider Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) who was only 11th when the 5-4 favourite in 2013. Robert Masterson's 5-year-old has at...

Classic winner and dual Group 1 heroine Covert Love (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}--Wing Stealth {Ire}, by Hawk Wing) has been retired from racing due to a strained ligament, trainer Hugo Palmer announced Sunday. "Very sadly we have had to retire Covert Love, which is a great shame," Palmer said. "She has a strained ligament, it came to light this morning with a swollen joint and is a stark reminder of why the big days are so special. It's obviously disappointing for her owners, who were looking forward to Royal Ascot and...