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Zavateri
'This Would Be The Icing On The Cake': Zavateri Primed For The Dewhurst

Unbeaten Dewhurst winners are common, but unbeaten Dewhurst winners who have already won a July Stakes, Vintage Stakes and National Stakes are extremely rare and Zavateri (Without Parole) looks to complete that formidable quartet in Saturday's Darley-sponsored Newmarket feature. The one that very much got away from the bloodstock cognoscenti at 35,000gns, the huge talent whose third dam is the brilliant Zarkava has taken everything thrown at him at the July Festival, Glorious Goodwood and Irish Champions Weekend in his impressive stride. "He's great, he's been working really, really well...

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Japan's Croix Du Nord in action
Is The Arc Japan's Unreachable Star?

Is there an adequate Japanese proverb that conveys the nation's unflinching endeavour to win the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe? Perhaps "Ishi no ue ni mo san nen", to sit patiently on a cold stone for three years which relates to the power of perseverance, or "Nana korobi ya oki", to fall seven times and get up eight, or "Mateba kairo no hiyori ari". The latter points to waiting out the unpredictable to choose the right route and ultimately prevail. Since the country's first real go in 1999...

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Royal Fixation
'Horse Of A Lifetime' Royal Fixation Poised For Cheveley Park

Opulence Thoroughbreds is still in its infancy as a syndicate and their flagship filly Royal Fixation (Palace Pier) has already struck gold for them by winning the Lowther, but a follow-up in Newmarket's G1 Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions Cheveley Park Stakes on Saturday would see her enter new territory. Having met with defeat once when runner-up to Venetian Sun in the Duchess of Cambridge, the Ed Walker-trained daughter of the burgeoning first-crop sire currently heads the market for the six-furlong joint-feature on the card and Opulence's racing and communications manager Ed...

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Satono Reve
Star Sprinters Clash At Nakayama As Top-Level Racing Resumes In Japan

A 16-strong field loaded with two past winners of the G1 Sprinters Stakes will vie for the 1200-metre feature at Nakayama on Sunday. Seventh in the 2024 edition to Lugal (Duramente) with Namura Clair (Mikki Isle) third, Satono Reve ran third in the G1 Hong Kong Sprint last December. After defeating Namura Clair in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen in March, he was a good second to Hong Kong Horse of the Year Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) in the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize a month later. In action during Royal Ascot,...

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Dr. Agne at Saratoga
'Rising Stars' Square Off in With Anticipation

Capital Partner (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Dr. Agne (Into Mischief), a pair of 'TDN Rising Stars off debut maiden wins at the Spa, headline the GIII With Anticipation Stakes for 2-year-olds on the inner turf at Saratoga Thursday. The $175,000 event is run over 1 1/16 miles and features a field of eight. Klaravich Stables Inc.'s Capital Partner, favored at 5-2 on the morning line, did not have the smoothest of trips on debut Aug. 2 at this distance. He was fractious in the gate, bumped more than once, rank,...

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Ascoli Piceno
Ascoli Piceno's Jacques Le Marois Bid Lights Up The Weekend

Ahead of next week's York Ebor Festival, a middling Saturday in Britain and Ireland precedes a serious Sunday in France, where the G1 The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques le Marois offers a grand spectacle of international flavour. Sponsored by Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard for many moons, Deauville's jewel of their August Meeting is now graced by another huge operation with great prestige to fit what has always been one of Europe's key events. Fortunately this year we get to see how a top Japanese runner can fare against...

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Rebel's Romance
Black-Type Analysis: Rebel's Romance Returns To Germany In Preis Von Berlin

Sunday, Hoppegarten, Germany, post time: 15:40, WESTMINSTER 135TH GROSSER PREIS VON BERLIN-G1, €155,000, 3yo/up, 12fT Field: Cold Heart (Brz) (Alpha), Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}), Narrativo (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Straight (Ger) (Zarak {Fr}), Nastaria (GB) (Outstrip {GB}). TDN Verdict: Godolphin's globetrotting superstar Rebel's Romance has saluted seven times at the highest level and will bid for a repeat success having annexed the 2022 renewal of this contest. He will head postward at prohibitive odds and has little to fear coming back off a repeat third-place finish...

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Lambourn wins the 2025 G1 Betfred Derby at Epsom Downs Racecourse
O'Brien Relishing 'Independent Thinker' Lambourn's Quest For Derby Double

Cock Of The North at Ballydoyle in the present moment, Lambourn heads to Sunday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh looking to emulate his sire Australia in completing the notable double. A most unlikely Blue Riband hero at this stage last term, the ever-improving colt now sits pretty having mastered the ultimate test. Providing a blueprint of how to perform in a Derby three weeks ago, he is likely to be even better suited by this more conventional galloping track and has few if any weaknesses. With...

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Kalpana training this year
A New Chapter Begins On Irish Derby Weekend

Now that the Derby and Royal Ascot are in the rearview mirror, it is time for Flat Season Part 2 and that begins at The Curragh this weekend. Every year, there is a distinct shift that follows the high-pressure action on Epsom Downs and Berkshire as the summer envelops all and the paths open up for the various movements of the main players over the next weeks. While Sunday's Irish Derby is the key event of the next two days, the most notable change in tempo is with the two-year-olds...

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Black-Type Analysis: Best Lightning Aims For Wirtschaft Double

Sunday, Dortmund, Germany, post time: 14:55, 36TH GROSSER PREIS DER WIRTSCHAFT-G3, €55,000, 3yo/up, 9fT Field: Petit Marin (Ger) (Flamingo Fantasy {Ger}), Best Lightning (Fr) (Sidestep {Aus}), Merkur (Fr) (Kingman {GB}), Muhalif (Ger) (Lawman {Fr}), New Emerald (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger}), Calyx Rose (Ire) (Calyx {GB}), New York City (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), Zora (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}), Next Mine (Ger) (Dabirsim {Fr}). TDN Verdict: Best Lightning, who won this heat in 2023 and ran third last year, is one of two entries from the Andreas Suborics stable and the 2021 G2...

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'If There Is Any Weakness, It Will Be Found Out': Zarigana Faces Coronation Test

With France's Royal Ascot week having failed to lift off so far, all eyes will be on their darling Zarigana (Siyouni) to provide the rescue in Friday's G1 Coronation Stakes. As a granddaughter of Zarkava with a Classic under her belt, there should be very little for her to prove but the Aga Khan Studs representative has been edged out of both her big tests in photo finishes. Awarded a G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches that she may or may not have won had she not suffered interference, she could...

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Los Angeles On Deck, Prince Of Wales's Has X-Factor

If Tuesday's Group 1 bonanza was akin to absorbing a Mike Tyson combination, such was the ferocity of the action, Royal Ascot's day-two fixture takes a relatively measured approach to its Group 1 crescendo. The £1-million highlight of Wednesday's fayre is the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes in which a star-studded older brigade will race eight yards shy of a full 10 furlongs on the round course. The Breeders' Cup "Win And You're In" race is amply supported by the undercard, which opens with a trio of Group 2 events....

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