Lovcen

Despite missing the break and getting bumped by a foe to begin the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), favoured Lovcen delivered regardless stepping up to 2400 metres for the first time. His head victory over fellow tenacious closer Peintre Naif (Kizuna) handed his trainer Haruki Sugiyama his ninth JRA Group 1 win. The World Premiere colt is the 25th to win the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and then the Japanese Derby. The Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) over 3000 metres in October would give Lovcen the opportunity to become...

Classic winners tend to beget Classic winners, and with record-breaking G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) hero Lovcen, that adage certainly applies. If Lovcen delivers a Classic double in Sunday's G1 Tokyo Yushun, the colt would be the first to win the first two legs of the Japanese Triple Crown since Contrail six years ago. His sire, the Deep Impact stallion World Premiere, captured the 2019 G1 Japanese St Leger (Kikuka Sho). Said jockey Kohei Matsuyama of the ante-post market favourite, "He was calm on the day of the Satsuki...

Saturday, Carlisle, post time: 15:10, THE BETWAY LESTER PIGGOTT FILLIES' STAKES-G3, £125,000, 4yo/up, f/m, 11f 39yT Field: Azaniya (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Coedana (Ire) (King Of Change {GB}), Crepe Suzette (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Estrange (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Naga (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), Patagonia Girl (GB) (Australia {GB}), Sharpen (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), Waardah (Ire) (Postponed {Ire}). TDN Analysis: Moved from Haydock due to the well-documented ground concerns there, this represents a different test on a stiff track than it would have been at its traditional Merseyside home...

Last year's G1 Hopeful Stakes hero Lovcen took the G1 Satsuki Sho field pillar-to-post and set a new record of 1:56.50 in the process for the 2000 metres over firm turf on Sunday. The Forest Racing runner brought up a Japanese Guineas double for jockey Kohei Matsuyama, who'd won the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) aboard Star Anise (Drefong) last Sunday. Although the winner was bred in Japan by Northern Farm, there was a distinct European flavour in the pedigrees of the top three finishers. The winner is out...

Whether the Classic picture is any clearer this week than last is debatable but what the last seven days have brought us is some truly impressive performances to savour. And it is hard to pick just one, though it has to be said that Portcullis's Wood Ditton run was visually the most spectacular for all that you could see the colt learning with every stride he took, from being left at the start, to bounding through then clear of his rivals.  His maiden success for the King and Queen played...

Sunday, Curragh, post time: 15:35, TOTE GUARANTEE, NEVER BEATEN BY SP ALLEGED STAKES-G3, €42,000, 4yo/up, 10fT Field: Trustyourinstinct (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), Eastwatch (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), Edward Hamilton (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Green Impact (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Omni Man (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Red Letter (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Royal Rhyme (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Starford (Ire) (Beckford {GB}), Twain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Beset (GB) (Expert Eye {GB}), Bubble Gum (Fr) (Cloth Of Stars {Ire}), Carolina Jetstream (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}). TDN Analysis: This sees the keenly-anticipated return of TDN Rising...

He may look like a sprinter and act like a sprinter, but there is obviously something about the way Albert Einstein (Wootton Bassett) operates at Ballydoyle that makes it hard for those who know him to leave a 2,000 Guineas attempt alone. Luckily for us purists, that reticence to rule out the mile sees him steered to Newbury to add much spice to Saturday's G3 Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes. Defeat here will almost certainly extinguish all hope of going to Newmarket in a fortnight, but unfortunately...

Friday, Saint-Cloud, France, post time: 16:55, HENRI MATISSE COOLMORE PRIX CLEOPATRE-G3, €73,200, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT Field: Gilded Prize (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Takerya (Fr) (Ectot {GB}), Blanche De Medicis (Ire) (Waldgeist {GB}), Arkansas (Fr) (Sottsass {Fr}), Warriors Whisper (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Turbulente (Ire) (Australia {GB}). TDN Analysis: Francis Graffard has yet to win this contest and sends forth Juddmonte's undefeated Gilded Prize in this stepping stone to June's G1 Prix de Diane. Andre Fabre has a record 13 renewals already in the books and is represented here by Blanche...

Forest Racing's Lovcen maintained his unbeaten record with a three-quarter length win in the 2000-metre G1 Hopeful Stakes at Nakayama on Saturday. The son of World Premiere is the first horse to win the Hopeful in his second start since the race was promoted to Group 1 status in 2017. Sent off at 18-1, the dark bay was part of the early pace discussion but soon dropped back to midfield entering the first turn. The first 1000 metres was covered in 1:01.30 by T O Al Ain (Al Ain), with...