Top European 3-year-old St Mark's Basilica retired to Coolmore
St Mark’s Basilica has been retired to stud, cutting short a career that already had made him one of the three highest-rated horses in the world.
Marcus HershSep 27, 2021
St Mark’s Basilica has been retired to stud, cutting short a career that already had made him one of the three highest-rated horses in the world.
In two recent wins, Daysan closed from off the pace to take the lead late, suggesting a start in a handicap at 1 1/2 miles on turf on the Kensington course at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Wednesday will be a suitable trip.
Hong Kong Selections for Sunday, September 26, 2021 at Sha Tin.
The most important 1 1/2-mile race in Europe, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, comes next Sunday, Oct. 3, but this Sunday, Cologne Racecourse hosts one of the most important 1 1/2-mile races in Germany, the Group 1 Preis von Europa.
Sky Darci, winner of the 2021 Hong Kong Derby, makes his 2021-22 season’s debut Sunday at Sha Tin in the Group 3, $480,000 Celebration Cup Handicap.
Emissary was a 40-1 outsider when he beat one rival in a field of 16 in the Group 1 English Derby at Epsom Racecourse in July 2020. More than a year later, Emissary is on the other side of the world, with a different status in racing. Sunday, Emissary will be favored to win his second start in Australia, and third race of his career, in the Benalla Cup at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Benalla Racecourse.
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 5 gained a potential international starter when Hello You recorded a mild upset in Friday’s Group 2 Rockfel Stakes at seven furlongs at Newmarket in England.
Short-priced favorites are expected to dominate Group 1 Australian races in Melbourne and Sydney on Saturday.
After finishing second by a head in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket in July, Masekela won the Denford Stakes at seven furlongs at Newbury on Aug. 14. Those results will leave Masekela a slight favorite in Saturday's Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes at a mile at Newmarket. The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 5.
Michael Wrona previews the Golden Rose at Rosehill.