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Taken down after the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Shes Perfect (Sioux Nation) has a second bite of the cherry on Sunday in Chantilly's G1 Prix de Diane Longines. Whether or not the pride and joy of the Basher Watts Racing Club would have mastered Zarigana in the ParisLongchamp Classic had she stayed on a true line is a matter of conjecture, but we know after her two fights with that Aga Khan Studs blueblood this term that she belongs in the top echelon of her generation. While this 10...

The stomping ground of Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) in 2024, this year's G1 Yasuda Kinen sees a contentious field line up at Tokyo, with the role of ante-post favourite handed to dual Group 1 winner and last year's third-place finisher Soul Rush. By Rulership, the 2024 Mile Championship hero ran second in the G1 Hong Kong Mile in December and was third to the reopposing Sixpence in the G2 Nakayama Kinen in March. Sent overseas, he defeated Romantic Warrior in the G1 Dubai Turf over...

The G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) sees G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) heroine Embroidery (Admire Mars) face 17 rivals in her quest to nab the second jewel of the Japanese Fillies' Triple Tiara. A winner of the G3 Queen Cup over 1600 metres in February, the Silk Racing colourbearer will be testing the waters beyond 1800 metres for the first time in her young career. Tied in the lead-up betting markets with Oka Sho third Lynx Tip (Kitasan Black), Embroidery was only a neck in front of the re-opposing...

The ultra-consistent Ascoli Piceno and frequent rival Stellenbosch will once again lock horns, this time in the G1 Victoria Mile at Tokyo on Sunday. A qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, the race features an uphill battle to the finish. Trained by Yoichi Kuroiwa, the daughter of Daiwa Major secured the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies over Stellenbosch at two, and was second to that foe in the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) at three, so both have won at the top level over this distance....

A full field of 18 3-year-old milers line up for the G1 NHK Mile Cup at Tokyo on Sunday. Ante-post favouritism has been granted to G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes hero and Junko Kondo runner Admire Zoom. The son of four-time Group 1-winning miler Maurice warmed up for this with a stalking neck second in the G2 New Zealand Trophy at Nakayama in April behind Katsumi Yoshida's Immigrant Song (Makfi) and 1 1/4 lengths in front of the Saturnalia filly Caught Alliciant in third. Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi said, "He wasn't...

Saturday, Lingfield, post time: 15:35, WILLIAM HILL CHARTWELL FILLIES' STAKES-G3, £90,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 7fT Field: Great Generation (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Fair Angellica (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}), Jabaara (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), Spiritual (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Ziggy's Dream (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}), Cathedral (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}). TDN Verdict: Cathedral takes on her elders, getting a significant weight-for-age advantage which could give her the edge despite her inexperience. Second in the G3 Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket in October, she had two of this season's...

Wednesday, Chester, post time: 15:05, BOODLES CHESTER VASE STAKES-G3, £140,000, 3yo, 12f 63yT Field: Convergent (Ire) (Fascinating Rock {Ire}), Faire La Nouba (Ire) (River Boyne {Ire}), Further (Ire) (Waldgeist {GB}), Lambourn (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Lazy Griff (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger}), Pinhole (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Square D'Alboni (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), Thrice (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). TDN Verdict: There's something about this week every year that seems to coincide with the beginning of Ballydoyle's season proper and Chester's resurgent May Festival has been a very happy hunting ground for the stable for some...

Wednesday, Ascot, Britain, post time: 14:15, LONGINES SAGARO STAKES (GOLD CUP TRIAL)-G3, £80,000, 4yo/up, 15f 209y Field: Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Yashin (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), Feigning Madness (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), Divine Comedy (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}). TDN Verdict: Mick and Janice Mariscotti's star stayer Coltrane encounters a trio of unfamiliar foes standing in the way of a record-breaking third Olé in this two-mile stepping stone to the G1 Gold Cup. Second in the 2023 renewal of Royal Ascot's highlight, he will head postward as the odds-on favourite to collect a sixth...

Saturday, Navan, Ireland, post time: 15:55, IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF SALSABIL STAKES-G3, €39,000, 3yo, f, 10f 20y Field: Barnavara (Ire) (Calyx {GB}), Catalina Delcarpio (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Ecstatic (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), Island Hopping (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), J M's Joy (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}), Medici Venus (Tiz The Law), Spicy Margarita (Ire) (Earthlight {Ire}), Tarima (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Wemightakedlongway (Ire) (Australia {GB}). TDN Verdict: TDN Rising Star Catalina Delcarpio looked every inch an Oaks filly when impressing in the Leopardstown maiden which has become a pointer to...

Friday, Sandown, Britain, post time: 15:00, BET365 MILE-G2, £125,000, 4yo/up, 8f 0y Field: Tamfana (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}), Cash (Ire) (Shamardal), Cicero's Gift (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), Dancing Gemini (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}), Ice Max (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Lead Artist (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). TDN Verdict: Dancing Gemini takes the Charyn route, having impressed back at this trip in the Listed Doncaster Mile, and he will be tested with the likes of Tamfana and Haatem in here. Tamfana warmed up for...

Friday, Saint-Cloud, France, post time: 15:10, AUGUSTE RODIN COOLMORE PRIX CLEOPATRE-G3, €80,000, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT Field: Benamira (GB) (Waldgeist {GB}), Tajlina (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Danara (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Indalimos (Fr) (Cloth Of Stars {Ire}), Marinaleda (Fr) (Recoletos {Fr}), Zia Agnese (Fr) (Romanised {Ire}). TDN Verdict: Further G1 Prix de Diane clues are available here, with little known about four of the protagonists but probably much expected from connections. Tajlina has vital course-and-distance form, having won the G3 Prix Penelope last month, so it is interesting that Francis-Henri Graffard...

Despite a massive contingent of Japanese horses set to contest the $30.5 million Dubai World Cup night card in the UAE on Saturday, a strong field of 15 is still set to line up at the recently renovated Hanshin Racecourse back home in Japan. With a berth in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes on the line, Sixpence (Jpn) is hoping to follow in the hoofsteps of his sire 11 years after Kizuna (Jpn) won the Hanshin showpiece. Leaving from stall 10, the four-year-old has won his last two starts, and...