ParisLongchamp

Relishing the testing ground at ParisLongchamp on Saturday, Denford Stud's three-year-old Consent (Lope De Vega) dominated the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu to announce her arrival. Patiently campaigned by Sir Mark Prescott, the 12-1 shot who had been second to Santorini Star (Golden Horn) in Doncaster's Park Hill last month kept that compatriot company on the lead before brushing her aside approaching the final quarter mile. "She's improved all year and that was an easy a watch as it gets," assistant trainer William Butler said of the Luke Morris-ridden 4...

With all the leaders of the staying category AWOL on Saturday, Caballo De Mar (Phoenix Of Spain) took full advantage as the one true improver with the stamina for ParisLongchamp's G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran. Having conquered Dortmund's G3 Deutsches St Leger last month, Victorious Racing's 9-2 shot refused to give compatriot Coltrane (Mastercraftsman) more than a length advantage throughout and once sent by the 11-5 favourite by Tom Marquand two out asserted to score by 1 3/4 lengths. Runner-up in the Chester Cup and Royal Ascot's Copper Horse Stakes...

Thursday saw the all-important draw made for the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, with the key take-out being the disastrous post position of 17 for the leading Japanese hope Croix Du Nord (Kitasan Black) among the 18 final confirmations. Things didn't get much better for the nation seeking its elusive first Arc, with the Tokyo Yushun winner's wide post compounded by the draw of 15 for the impressive Prix Foy winner Byzantine Dream (Epiphaneia). Some good news finally arrived during the live draw at 11am French time, with...

Aidan O'Brien looks set to saddle Los Angeles (Camelot) and Minnie Hauk (Frankel) in Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp, with the latter expected to be supplemented later this week to join the current cast of 17 contenders for Europe's richest race. Minnie Hauk has enjoyed a faultless campaign so far and will make her first trip to France following three consecutive Group 1 wins in the Oaks at Epsom, Irish Oaks at the Curragh and Yorkshire Oaks at York. Coral make her the 4/1 joint-favourite...

Thursday, Doncaster, post time: 15:00, THE BETFRED PARK HILL FILLIES' STAKES-G2, £150,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 14f 115yT Field: Chorus (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Danielle (GB) (Cracksman {GB}), Elana Osario (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Queens Fort (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Santorini Star (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}), Strassia (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), Zilfee (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Consent (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Crepe Suzette (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Floresta (Ire) (Waldgeist {GB}), Secret Of Love (GB) (Sea The Monn {Ger}). TDN Verdict: Connections of Danielle will be hoping it gets softer for the...

Sunday's G2 Qatar Prix Niel looked the least-convincing on paper of all the Arc "trials" on the ParisLongchamp card and, while the times backed up that impression, few would count the improving Andre Fabre colt Cualificar (Lope De Vega) out for next month's feature. Up to a mile and a half for the first time, Godolphin's Prix du Jockey Club runner-up had to do it all late on as he was freed from the pack to master his peers but had the answers for William Buick to enter the fray...

Having played bridesmaid in last year's Qatar Prix Vermeille and in the Arc, the Wertheimers' Aventure (Sea The Stars) put matters right in the first of those this time around without any degree of difficulty to earn a merited initial Group 1 victory. So easily was the homebred able to brush aside the Prix de Diane heroine Gezora (Almanzor) under a confident Maxime Guyon on Sunday, the prospect of her going one better in next month's showcase is now distinctively brighter. "She won very well and accelerated really well," trainer...

Coming into Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp very much under the radar, Al Shaqab's Sahlan (Wootton Bassett) became the latest of Francis Graffard's brigade to enter the spotlight during the trainer's unforgettable year. Edging a tight photo ahead of Rosallion (Blue Point), the highly-regarded three-year-old whose finest hour prior to this had been a latest win in the G3 Prix Daphnis landed odds of 16-1 from racing's relentless hard-luck story. Securing an unexpected eighth top-level victory for the stable in 2025, Mickael Barzalona thrust him to a...

Arc clues were in abundance at ParisLongchamp on Sunday and the first piece of the puzzle was put in place by Japan as Byzantine Dream (Epiphaneia) upstaged the Euro contingent in the G2 Qatar Prix Foy. Earning the special voyage with a win in Riyadh's G2 Red Sea Turf Handicap and a second in the G1 Tenno Sho Spring, Kazumi Yoshida's four-year-old was sprung from his cover by Oisin Murphy to overwhelm the 8-5 favourite Sosie (Sea The Stars) in the final yards and record a half-length success. "He has...

Thursday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 19:42, PRIX DE LIANCOURT-Listed, €50,300, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT Field: La Bonne Etoile (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), Benamira (GB) (Waldgeist {GB}), Hollys Graces (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Mahiya (Ire) (Sottsass {Fr}), Galene (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), Victory Queen (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Merveilleux Lapin (Ire) (Mohaather {GB}), Revoir (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), Reine De Medicis (Ire) (Romanised {Ire}), Model Yuko (GB) (Al Kazeem {GB}). TDN Verdict: Godolphin's Victory Queen, one of five international visitors, finished ahead of Revoir in July's Listed Lyric Fillies' Stakes...

ParisLongchamp's Prix de Fontenoy looked a fascinating affair on paper beforehand and didn't disappoint as Zaraki (Zarak) surged to TDN Rising Stardom on Sunday. Sent off the 19-10 favourite for the mile event for unraced colts, the Wertheimer homebred was always happy shadowing the leader Houblon (Wootton Bassett). Committed two out by Maxime Guyon, the Andre Fabre-trained grandson of Plumania was impressive from there and hit the line with ears pricked by two lengths. "We expected a good debut from this horse," the owner-breeders' racing manager Pierre Yves Bureau said...

The tears were flowing following a dramatic finale to Sunday's G1 Cygames Grand Prix de Paris, with Jean-Claude Rouget pulling off an upset with Leffard (Le Havre). Rested since beating only one rival in the Prix du Jockey Club, Gerard Augustin-Normand and Ecurie Antonio Caro's 15-1 shot was able to run down Ballydoyle's favourite Trinity College (Dubawi) in the dying yards under Cristian Demuro for a short-head success. Rouget, who is in an ongoing battle with lymphoma, said, "Of course this is a very emotional moment for me. I was always...