After winning the Grade 2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Nakayama on Sept. 16, Urban Chic won the most prestigious race of his career in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese St. Leger at 1 7/8 miles at Kyoto Racecourse.
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Anmaat did not run like the 38-1 shot he was on Saturday at Ascot, bursting between horses in deep stretch to take the measure of favored Calandagan in the Group 1 Champion Stakes. Hopelessly buried behind a wall of horses with not much more than a furlong of this 1 ¼-mile contest remaining, Anmaat bravely squeezed between rivals under Jim Crowley to outkick Calandagan by a half-length.
In her 55th start, the 7-year-old mare Bella Nipotina overcame a wide trip to win the world’s richest sprint in Saturday’s Group 1 Everest Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia.
Picks and analysis for the most important races on the Friday’s Everest Day card at Royal Randwick
Unbeaten in two starts this year, Danon Decile has struggled to gain respect in Japan’s 3-year-old division. The winner of the Grade 1 Japanese Derby in a major upset in May, Danon Decile did not race over the summer and will have his comeback in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese St. Leger at 1 7/8 miles on turf at Kyoto Racecourse.
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The world’s richest race on turf, The Everest, will be run for the 8th time – and first as a Group 1 – at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse this Friday night. A record number of females and 3-year-olds ensures diversity as well as brilliance among the 12-strong field, sprinting six furlongs for a share of the AU$20 million purse. First post is 9:30 p.m. Eastern / 6:30 p.m. Pacific.
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Bracing for a busy weekend with prize rides in Hong Kong and Sydney, Brenton Avdulla is wary and excited ahead of a raceday reunion with California Spangle in the HK$5.35 million G2 Premier Bowl Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (20 October).
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Hong Kong Selections for Sunday, October 20, 2024, at Sha Tin.
One of the races that has generated great expectations on the Everest card at Royal Randwick in Australia is the Group 1, $3.3 million King Charles III Stakes, a one-mile race for 3-year-olds and up that goes as the ninth race of 10. The field of 12 is topped by Pride of Jenni, Australia’s Horse of the Year for 2023-24.
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A pair of lightly raced 3-year-olds face the prospect of heavy going in the Champion Stakes on Saturday at Ascot Racecourse, one of four Group 1 races on the program.
