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As autumn tightens its grip on racing nations in the Northern Hemisphere, one of the year's final Classics takes place, Kyoto's G1 Shuka Sho (Japanese Fillies' St Leger) over 2000 metres. Handed ante-post favouritism is Sunday Racing's G1 Yushun Himba heroine Cervinia (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}). The 2023 G3 Artemis Stakes heroine finished well back in the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) field to rival Stellenbosch (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) in April, and the last time she was seen on a racecourse was in the May 19 Oaks, defeating that aforementioned...

Japanese Group 1 racing resumes on Sunday with the 1200-metre Sprinters Stakes, and last year's winner, Mama Cocha (Jpn) (Kurofune), is ready to defend her title. Receiving four pounds versus the majority of the field, the mare finished her season with a fifth to Win Marvel (Jpn) () in the G2 Hanshin Cup upped to 1400 metres in December. Unable to land a telling blow when eighth to Mad Cool (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the 1200-metre G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen in soft going at Chukyo in her 5-year-old bow, Mama...

Held in the highest regard by Richard Fahey, Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's latest hot property Powerful Glory (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) puts his reputation on the line in Saturday's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury. Impressive enough to earn instant TDN Rising Star status on debut at Pontefract last month, the relative of the top-class sprinter Maarek (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) meets more experienced peers in the six-furlong feature, but possibly none with more upside at this juncture. Fahey is hopeful the bubble won't burst. "We have...

In the history of the G1 St Leger, it is hard to imagine a trainer going into a single renewal with a stronger hand than Aidan O'Brien enjoys on Saturday with his three sons of Galileo (Ire) all perfect candidates for the job. So perfect are the profiles of the trio for Doncaster that it is a shame for the operation that they have all come along at the same time, but in view of the long-term health of the "oldest Classic" it is fortunate for all that they have...

Friday's action at Doncaster sees a brace of group 2 races of wildly contrasting type, with the hardened stayers battling out the G2 Doncaster Cup over two and a quarter miles preceded by the five-furlong G2 Flying Childers Stakes for the fast juveniles. In the former, the Gosdens have a strong hand with the Normandie Stud-bred pair Sweet William (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) looking to benefit from the absence of Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and enjoy their day in the sun away from...

Having made a habit of dismissing her peers by wide margins, Godolphin's TDN Rising Star Desert Flower (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) has to do it on a higher plane as she encounters some similarly promising opposition in Doncaster's G2 Betfred May Hill Stakes on Thursday. Having beaten the re-opposing Flight (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) convincingly on debut on Newmarket's July Course, she returned to defy a penalty in style last month and trainer Charlie Appleby has no concerns about the hike from seven furlongs. "We feel that the step up...

He has been out of action since his powerful display in the G2 Dante Stakes in May, but Isa Salman Al Khalifa's Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) has never been too far from the news given his obvious potential and so it is with more than a small sense of anticipation that the purists await his comeback in Thursday's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville. Some of racing's kingpins have won this 10-furlong staging post in recent years, namely Almanzor (Fr), Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), Dubai Honour (Ire)...

Having extended the Australian legacy at Royal Ascot, Noor Elaine Farm's Asfoora (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) heads to Goodwood on Friday to bid to add the G2 King George Qatar Stakes to last month's G1 King Charles III Stakes victory. Burdened with a five-pound penalty in this rapid affair, the Henry Dwyer-trained veteran who has continued to acclimatise in Newmarket was the subject of a positive bulletin from her handler this week. "I obviously hadn't seen her since the day she won at Ascot, but I couldn't be happier with...

After the withdrawal of leading 3-year-old miler Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Wednesday's G1 Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood has suddenly and drastically changed shape with the race's two main protagonists now fairly equally-rated sons of Dubawi (Ire). If the 3-year-olds hold sway over their three older rivals as the betting suggests in this GI Breeders' Cup Mile qualifier, this will come down to a good old-fashioned Coolmore-Godolphin face-off between Aidan O'Brien's Henry Longfellow (Ire) and Charlie Appleby's Notable Speech (GB). Both TDN Rising Stars with contrasting profiles, they have...

There can be few six-time Group 1 winners that have as weird a profile as Ballydoyle's enigmatic Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), but as Ascot's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes approaches of course all eyes are on him once again. It was in this summer jewel 12 months ago that one of the best Derby winners of recent times was seen floundering even before the home turn before disappearing from view, a scene that would normally represent a fall from grace. But where we are...

Thursday's stakes action centres on a trio of juvenile heats at Leopardstown and Sandown, with runaway Listed Chesham Stakes victrix and 'TDN Rising Star' Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) the star attraction in the G3 Jockey Club of Turkey Silver Flash Stakes over an extended seven furlongs at the Foxrock track. The five-runner field also features her Aidan O'Brien stablemate Exactly (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and last month's G2 Airlie Stud Stakes fourth Barnavara (Ire) (Calyx {GB}), from the Jessica Harrington yard. Ballydoyle is also represented by another 'TDN Rising Star'...

In the absence of Ezeliya (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks already had an open feel before Ryan Moore decided to give up the ride on the winner of one of this Classic's key pointers in Port Fairy (Ire) (Australia {GB}). Two of the last five Irish Oaks heroines had captured the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes en route, so the rejection of such a promising and unexposed winner of that Royal Ascot feature can only point to the strong claims of his pick from the Ballydoyle trio. Much more...