Europe

Owen Burrows' talented 3-year-old Massaat (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) is to take a break following his disappointing effort in the G1 Investec Derby. The colt, considered by many beforehand as a doubtful stayer, finished ninth behind Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), but Burrows feels it wasn't a lack of stamina to contributed to the defeat. "He seems fine since Epsom and there are no real excuses as such - he just ran flat," said Burrows. "He was going up in trip there but was beaten too soon for that to...

Trainer Henry Candy is hoping the rain clouds stay away from Ascot this week, as he prepares Limato (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) for the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. on Saturday. The trainer is prepared to sidestep the race with the 4-year-old if the forecast rain materialises, having already removed him from the G1 Queen Anne S. on Tuesday. Limato reappeared this season with an encouraging closeup fourth behind Belardo (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. at Newbury May 14. "He has come out of that...

This year's renewal of Hoppegarten's G2 Diana-Trial is an open affair with a plethora of promising sorts looking to punch a ticket from Berlin to Dusseldorf for the Aug. 7 G1 Preis der Diana-German Oaks. Trainer Markus Klug holds a particularly strong hand and saddles two leading contenders in a race which resembles a cat's cradle of collateral form. Kasalla (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) arrives in the capital with a strong sophomore profile, having registered wide-margin victories at Dusseldorf Apr. 10 and at Cologne last time May 16. She ran...

Last year's Cartier 2-year-old champion Air Force Blue (War Front) has been supplemented to Friday's G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot at a cost of £35,000. The Aidan O'Brien charge has been disappointing this season, beating just one rival home in both the English and Irish Guineas, and he will drop back to six furlongs for the Commonwealth, the trip over which he won one of his three Group 1s last year, the Keeneland Phoenix S. Removed from the Commonwealth Cup on Saturday was the Mark Johnston-trained Lumiere (Ire) (Shamardal),...

Darley has secured the breeding rights to Profitable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}–Dani Ridge {Ire}, by Indian Ridge {GB}), who is among the favourites for Tuesday's G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot. The 4-year-old, who has won the G3 Palace House S. and G2 Temple S. in his last two outings, will continue to race in the colours of owner Alan Spence and be trained by Clive Cox. Jockey Alan Kirby will continue to ride the horse. "I'm delighted that Sheikh Mohammed has secured the rights to stand Profitable as...

Showing raw pattern-race material when winning his first two Polytrack outings by a cumulative margin of 10 lengths over 7 1/2 furlongs at Deauville Mar. 4 and over this trip at this track Apr. 6, Zelzal was disappointing when beating only two of his 13 rivals in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains back at Deauville last time May 15 but bounced back here to register a first black-type success in style. Reserved in last early by a confident Gregory Benoist as Moon Trouble set off in isolation with Mickael...

8.35 Chantilly, Debutantes, €25,000, 3yo, 8f (AWT) DECEMBER DAWN (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is Khalid Abdullah's full-sister to the 2013 G1 Nassau S. winner Winsili (GB) who begins her racing career under the tutelage of Andre Fabre. Among the fillies she meets here is His Highness The Aga Khan's Zarkatala (Ire) (Desert Style {Ire}), an Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained relative of Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar).

Wesley Ward-trained sprinter Acapulco (Scat Daddy), winner of the G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot last year, will contest only the G1 King's Stand S. on that meeting's opening card on Tuesday, Ward told attheraces.com. The 3-year-old Coolmore flagbearer had previously also been under consideration for Friday's G1 Commonwealth Cup, restricted to sophomores over six furlongs, but Ward noted the earlier contest is likely to play more to Acapulco's strengths, despite her odds likely being shorter for the Commonwealth. "Five-eighths is her game; she just won a nice race...

Shadwell's champion sprinter Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who this year stood his first season at the operation's Nunnery Stud in Britain, will be available to cover a select book of mares Southern Hemisphere-time later this year at a fee of £50,000, according to Racing Post. The winner of four straight Group 1 sprints last year for trainer Charlie Hills, culminating in the Qipco British Champion Sprint S. Oct. 17, Muhaarar has covered 125 mares in his first Northern Hemisphere season. "Muhaarar has had a great start to his stallion...

Al Shaqab Racing's Zelzal (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) was disappointing when beating only two of his 13 rivals in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, but the previously unbeaten colt still has potentially a lucrative future ahead of him as he is placed back on the tracks by Jean-Claude Rouget in Saturday's G3 Prix Paul de Moussac at Chantilly. Impressive when taking his first two Polytrack outings by a cumulative margin of 10 lengths over 7 1/2 furlongs at Deauville Mar. 4 and at this track Apr. 6, the...

Race favourite Order Of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who made a winning reappearance in the Listed Saval Beg S. at Leopardstown June 3, is among the 21 remaining in Wednesday's G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. Last year's G1 Irish St Leger winner could face the likes of G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Max Dynamite (Fr) (Great Journey {Jpn}) and that one's recent G3 Henry II S. conqueror Pallasator (GB) (Motivator {GB}), as well as recent G3 Sagaro S. winner Mizzou (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G2 Yorkshire Cup victor Clever...

Frankie Dettori, Ascot's leading rider with 52 winners, has already had a season to remember with the likes of G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas winner Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) on his book of rides, but the champion rider admitted that clinching Royal Ascot's leading rider title is his primary goal of the season. "Royal Ascot is the biggest week of my year," Dettori said. "I travel all over the world, but Ascot is still at the top of the pile and the Royal meeting is the pinnacle. I'm not...