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Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Khalid Abdullah, is taking it one step at a time when it comes to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe prospects of New Bay (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), eye-catching winner of the G1 Prix du Jockey Club on the weekend. Grimthorpe noted the colt's pedigree leads to concerns about whether he can stay the 12 furlong trip.  "You've got to be a little bit steady before we get to that stage mainly because he's by Dubawi, who was basically a miler out of a mare by Zamindar,...

You'resothrilling (Storm Cat) was bred to be good, named to be good and was in fact pretty good in her racing days for Michael Tabor and Sue Magnier, winning at Group 2 and 3 level in just seven starts. But anything she achieved on the track has been surpassed, almost in the blink of an eye, in her still-fledgling broodmare career.  The sister to Giant's Causeway has been aided in her success by repeat visits to the champion sire Galileo (Ire), but to have produced two Guineas winners from her first...

GI Kentucky Oaks winner Lovely Maria (Majesticperfecition) and stablemate and third-place finisher I'm a Chatterbox (Munnings) left the Twin Spires for Keeneland Friday night and have been doing well since, according to trainer Larry Jones.  "We started loading up the van about 9 o'clock and left about 9:30," three-time Kentucky Oaks-winning trainer Larry Jones said. "They made the trip over no problem. They ate all their feed and they acted like they'd done something to get hungry. Everything's apparently fine this morning. It's nice and quiet at Keeneland--nobody's milling around. They're getting their rest...

It is time for the G1 Deutsches Derby hopefuls to step up to the plate, and Frankfurt's G3 Albert von Metzler-Rennen is primed for a big show from Qatar Racing's unbeaten Rogue Runner (Ger) (King's Best) on Sunday. Two-for-two at Hoppegarten when successful by nine lengths over six furlongs in July and when forced to work on his sophomore bow in a mile conditions race Apr. 5, the Andreas Wohler-trained bay will be tested by the likes of the similarly unexposed pair of Gestut Gorlsdorf's Dresden maiden scorer Space Cowboy (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) and...

One of France's leading 12-furlong performers of 2014, Spiritjim (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}) steps into new territory on Sunday, as the 5-year-old tackles a staying trip for the first time in Longchamp's G3 Prix de Barbeville. Successful in the G3 Prix d'Hedouville here in May and the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly in early June, he caught Noble Mission (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in the dying strides of the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud later that month before being disqualified for a prohibited substance. All three performances came over the Arc trip, but in...

Longchamp's G3 Prix Vanteaux sees the Prix de Diane hopefuls square up on Sunday, with His Highness The Aga Khan's Vedouma (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}) adding that all-essential emerald-green-and-red to proceedings. Touted as a live G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches possible before finding the mile of the G3 Prix de la Grotte a bit short when third here Apr. 12, the homebred should be more at home over this extended nine-furlong trip. Trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre also has the Wildensteins' Akatea (Ire) (Shamardal), who beat the re-opposing Burma Sea (Fr) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in the Apr....

Upgraded to Group 2 status this year, Newmarket's Charm Spirit Dahlia S. has been rewarded with the presence of some bright prospects for the year ahead, including Godolphin's Fintry (Ire) (Shamardal). Successful in the G2 Prix de Sandringham at Chantilly in June, the bay came off a break to win Sandown's G3 Atalanta S. in August before filling third spot in the G1 Sun Chariot S. at this venue in October. Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard commented, “Fintry is in great form and has wintered really well. Andre Fabre is confident that she will...

Surprising all when ending the unbeaten record of Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) in Longchamp's G1 Prix Ganay 12 months ago, Cirrus des Aigles (Fr) (Even Top {Ire}) stages his comeback for the race on Sunday as the seemingly endless saga continues. Last seen finishing fourth in the Dec. 14 G1 Hong Kong Cup over 10 furlongs at Sha Tin, the 9-year-old must be losing some of his old luster, but he has become a law unto himself since arriving center stage when taking the inaugural running of the G1 Champion S. at...

Jim Bolger knows all there is to know about producing a Classic contender at a peak, and the master of Coolcullen is back at Newmarket on Sunday with a live hope for the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas in Godolphin's Lucida (Ire) (Shamardal). Runner-up to Cursory Glance (Distorted Humor) in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. over seven furlongs at The Curragh in mid-September, the bay was here 12 days later to outbattle Fadhayyil (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) in the G2 Rockwell S. over that trip. Only fifth when encountering rain-softened ground in the G1 Fillies' Mile...

After beating up on the best local milers since November, Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal) faces a fresh challenge--on paper, at a minimum--in the form of Hong Kong Derby hero Luger (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}) in Sunday's G1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin.  Able Friend, runner-up in the 2014 Derby, has since cut back in distance to become the world's joint-highest rated horse. The strapping chestnut, a doppelganger for Dortmund in terms of his physical stature, ran away from the competition in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile in December and was equally condescending in adding...

Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway) looks to solidify his spot as one of the top GI Kentucky Derby contenders in this afternoon's GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland. With a total of 170 Derby points on the line, seven other competitors are up to the challenge. Carpe Diem has been close to perfect so far in his budding career. A pillar-to-post debut winner at Saratoga in September, the chestnut romped by 6 1/4 lengths in the GI Breeders' Futurity over this course  Oct. 4. Wide throughout, Carpe Diem rallied nicely as...

Qatar Racing's Peace and War (War Front), winner of the GI Alcibiades S. over this track Oct. 3, will headline the seven-horse field that will line up for the GI Central Bank Ashland S. this afternoon. The Olly Stevens trainee was successful in her debut over the Lingfield synthetic last May and was sixth in Ascot's G3 Albany S. trying the turf in June. She was a narrowly-beaten second in a Haydock allowance before her rallying upset in the Alcibiades. She was sidelined with a minor injury and has been on the...