Facteur Cheval

The likely fields for the rich G1 Saudi Cup card are taking shape, with American champion and Japanese Horse of the Year Forever Young (Real Steel) set to defend his crown. Other Japanese entrants are Luxor Café (American Pharoah) and Sunrise Zipangu (Kizuna). Hall of Famer Bob Baffert sends GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Nysos (Nyquist) and GI Goodwood Stakes winner Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach). GII Clark Stakes winner Magnitude (Not This Time) represents Steve Asmussen, while Rattle N Roll (Connect) flies the flag for Kenny McPeek. Other American hopes...

Of late, the chance of spotting a potential luminary at the provincial tracks of France or the all-weather in England has become very real and now that January is nearing the midway point it is essential to pay close attention. Monday sees Cagnes-sur-Mer kick off its six-week flat programme aside the Mediterranean and it begins with the Prix de Caucade which has unveiled a recent jewel. It was in this 7 1/2-furlong three-year-old debutantes race for fillies in 2019 that Jean-Claude Rouget unveiled Siyouni's future E. P. Taylor heroine Etoile...

RIYADH, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA -- Fourteen horses with Grade I or Group 1 form from America, Argentina, Dubai, Hong Kong, Japan and even Uruguay will take their chance at the winner's share of the $20-million gross purse for the world's richest horse race, Saturday's G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. And few of them are without some sort of chance. Susumu Fujita's Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) returns to the Saudi capital 12 months on from a last-lunge success in the G3 Saudi Derby and looks to...

RIYADH, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA -- Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), a Group 1 winner at the back end of 2024 in the Tokyo Daishoten and third in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Classic, will jump from the widest alley in barrier 14 for Saturday's G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. Post positions were drawn Wednesday evening at the racecourse. Also victorious in a thrilling renewal of the G3 Saudi Derby on this program 12 months ago, the 4-year-old colt will once again have...

It's not easy to write a column while watching the Olympics, especially as Britain attempts to out-battle France for eventing gold at the Palace of Versailles, but here goes. It was France which had the upper hand at Ascot on Saturday or, correctly speaking, Francis-Henri Graffard, whose return from Chantilly to the Berkshire track with the rampaging Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) should have been eye-popping enough to ensure that his runners are never again sent off at such generous odds in Britain. We can now savour the prospect of once...

For France, there's a Classic weekend to contend with before Royal Ascot commences but next week's action in England could well include the strongest French challenge ever assembled for the royal meeting. Next Friday's G1 Coronation S. is already being hotly anticipated for its potential clash of the English, Irish and French 1,000 Guineas winners Elmalka (GB), Fallen Angel (GB) and Rouhiya (Fr), but before that the G1 St James's Palace S. could provide an equally enthralling meeting of some of the best three-year-olds in Europe. Notable Speech (GB) and...

Jerome Reynier has the Queen Anne in his sights for stable star Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) with the Marseille-based trainer bidding to bag a breakthrough Royal Ascot winner later this summer. Facteur Cheval played his part in some memorable Group 1 races last season before securing his own big day in the sun when landing the Dubai Turf on his seasonal debut at Meydan.  That win came off the back of placed efforts in the QEII, Prix du Moulin, Sussex S. and Prix d'Ispahan, with Reynier hoping that his...

After knocking on the door so many times--finishing second or third in four Group 1 events in his four most recent starts--Team Valor and Gary Barber's Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}--Jawlaat {Ire}, by Shamardal) got one of his own in an ultra-competitive renewal of the $5-million G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday. Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the Dubai Turf the last three years and seeking an historic four-peat, broke a bit awkwardly, but despite recovering quickly, finished off the board. The U.S. hope Catnip (Kitten's...

Ireland's Flat action may have already started and France's has been rumbling on for several days, but for many the real beginning to the season on the level is Doncaster's Lincoln H. on a Saturday which wrests the attention from the national hunt in no uncertain terms. Whether there is a horse of the calibre of Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) lurking in the prestigious mile handicap remains to be seen, but there is a strong vibe surrounding another member of the William Haggas tribe in 'TDN Rising Star' Al Mubhir...