Sajir (Ire)

Australia's big hope for Royal Ascot 2026, Joliestar (Zoustar), has been drawn in the middle for Saturday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes as 19 sprinters were confirmed on Thursday morning. James McDonald's mount will exit from stall nine in the six-furlong feature, with last year's runner-up Satono Reve (Lord Kanaloa) towards the stands' side in 18 under Ryan Moore. Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy's recently-gelded 2024 Golden Eagle winner Lake Forest (No Nay Never) retains regular rider Cieren Fallon in stall one on the far wing, while Tuesday's King Charles...

Deauville's G1 ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest was one of the very few French Pattern races to have evaded Andre Fabre until Sunday, but Prince Faisal's Sajir (Make Believe) duly put that right with a command performance. Anchored in last early by Oisin Murphy, the 26-1 shot was always travelling like the best horse and after making his move on the wing tanked to the front a furlong out en route to an authoritative 1 3/4-length success from the 1-2 favourite Lazzat (Territories). Last year's winner was a head in...

Wednesday, Newmarket, Britain, post time: 15:00, BLANDFORD BLOODSTOCK ABERNANT STAKES-G3, £85,000, 3yo/up, 6f 0y Field: Apollo One (GB) (Equiano {Fr}), Grand Grey (Ire) (Havana Grey {GB}), Lethal Levi (GB) (Lethal Force {Ire}), Royal Zabeel (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Run To Freedom (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), Sajir (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and Romantic Style (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). TDN Verdict: One of those Fabre specials is in evidence here at the track he so loves, with the burgeoning sprinting talent Sajir bidding to add to his G3 Prix Sigy success of last...

A new incentive programme for the G2 Prix du Gros-Chene was launched by France Galop this spring. In danger of being downgraded from Group 2 to Group 3 status next year, the race now has a quintet of lead-up sprint-race qualifiers where the winner will be automatically entered in the June 2 1000-metre sprint and the €1,200 entry fee will be waived. Two of the five qualifying races have already taken place, the Prix Cor de Chasse at Deauville on Apr. 9, won by Vicious Harry (Fr) (Harry Angel {Ire}),...

Recent winners of Chantilly's G3 Prix Sigy include subsequent Group 1 scorers Signs Of Blessing (Ire), Quiet Reflection (GB) and Sands Of Mali (Fr) and this year's renewal went the way of last term's Listed Prix Saraca victor and G3 Prix de Cabourg second Sajir (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}--Simple Magic {Ire}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who displayed elite-level potential defeating a solid cast of nine sophomore rivals in the 5 1/2-furlong dash. Last term's G1 Prix Morny sixth, who encountered a testing surface and dank conditions here, broke swiftly and...

Deauville's month-long racing fest is back upon us on Sunday, with the G1 Prix Rothschild the key event on a talent-packed card. British and Irish interests always excel at this meeting, so the first port of call must be the reinvented miler Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) who was able to transfer the scintillating speed she had shown over middle distances of late to this trip in Royal Ascot's G2 Duke of Cambridge S. The pride and joy of Tom Clover's stable may have found an ideal opportunity to garner...