Nearly four months after she lost the 2023 title for Japanese champion 2-year-old filly with a neck loss in a Grade 1 race, Stellenbosch began her current season in ideal manner on Sunday, winning the Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas for 3-year-old fillies at Hanshin Racecourse.

Stellenbosch, who paid $10 in American pools as the second choice in a field of 18, edged Ascoli Piceno, who clinched the 2023 champion 2-year-old filly title by winning the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies over Stellenbosch in December at the same track.

Bracken’s Laugh won his 3-year-old debut in Saturday’s $126,300 Woodford Reserve Cardinal Condition Stakes at a mile on the synthetic track at Chelmsford City Racecourse in Britain, the final qualifying race in the European series for the Kentucky Derby.

Paul Lally: 
R1 3-2-7-12 
R2 9-11-10-3 
R3 4-2-6-9 
R4 2-7-8-3 
R5 6-3-2-1 
R6 4-7-11-12 
R7 1-3-5-2 
R8 2-7-10-5 
R9 7-2-4-8 
R10 1-9-3-10 
Best Bet R9 N7 Californiatotality 
Longshot R2 N9 Me Time 
Play R4 QQP 2-7-8 

The $126,600 Woodford Reserve Cardinal Condition Stakes at a mile on the synthetic track at Chelmsford City Racecourse in Britain on Saturday is the final qualifying race in the European series for the Kentucky Derby.

This year, it is doubtful the Cardinal Stakes will affect the field for the Kentucky Derby on May 4.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, April 07, 2024)
 
Race 1: #11 Star Of Glory, #2 Yee Cheong Warrior, #6 More Rice, #8 Dragon Delight
Race 2: #2 Solar Gogo, #3 Darci Joy, #10 Winning Steps, #5 Sharpen Bright
Race 3: #2 Eighty Light Years, #7 Parterre, #1 Golden Empire, #4 Gracious Express
Race 4: #1 Big Red, #5 Circuit Fiery, #9 Super Bonus, #3 Ariel
Race 5: #6 Champion In stinct, #2 Northern Beaches, #3 Lady’s Choice, #1 Hasten Delight

Golden Sixty took a crucial step towards his planned return in the HK$22 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) with a routine barrier trial this morning (Tuesday, 2 April).

Vincent Ho is also planning a return to competition following injuries and was in the plate at Sha Tin as Hong Kong’s champion readies for his second appearance this season in a race he has already won three times (2021, 2022 & 2023) on FWD Champions Day (Sunday, 28 April).

Paul Lally:

R1 | 12-1-3-8
R2 | 10-6-8-11
R3 | 10-3-11-5
R4 | 10-7-12-2
R5 | 5-3-8-4
R6 | 5-2-3-10
R7 | 1-6-8-3
R8 | 10-4-2-13

Best Bet R6 5 Sing Dragon
Longshot R8 10 Majestic Colour
Play R7 QQP 1-6-8

Mark McNamara:

R1 | 3.1.4.12
R2 | 6.10.8.3
R3 | 10.11.1.3
R4 | 10.2.9.4
R5 | 5.7.8.4
R6 | 3.2.5.1
R7 | 1.6.9.5
R8 | 4.6.8.12

Best Bet R4 10 High Rise Power
Longshot R7 1 Hakka Radiance
Play R4 Q/QP 2.9.10

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, April 03, 2024)

Rebel’s Romance had an all but lost 2023 season after winning the Breeders’ Cup Turf in his 2022 finale, but trainer Charlie Appleby said the gelding had regained his confidence winning races this winter at Kempton Park in England and in Qatar – and he was right.