Mother Earth takes her second trip across the English Channel this season to start as the likely favorite in the Group 1 Prix Rothschild on Tuesday at Deauville. Mother Earth is one of eight 3-year-old fillies entered to face six older horses in this straight-course mile, and her opposition includes the horse, Coeursamba, who defeated Mother Earth in her first French start this season.
Major Artie, trained by Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse, gets some class relief with a start in a handicap at 1 1/8 miles on the Kensington course at Royal Randwick in Sydney on Wednesday.
Apologetic ended a four-race losing streak with a come-from-behind victory as the favorite in a six-furlong handicap at tiny Warracknabeal Racecourse on July 18. Apologetic’s closing style could lead to another win on Monday in a seven-furlong handicap at Echuca Racecourse.
Norway won the $73,900 Brendan Dreschler Hurdle at 2 3/16 miles at Pakenham on July 18 in his second appearance over obstacles, and will start in his richest race over hurdles in Sunday’s $183,475 Grand National Hurdle at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne.
Lady Bowthorpe, a vastly troubled fourth last out in the Falmouth Stakes last out, validated her connections’ confidence she’d stay a mile and a quarter by notching the first Group 1 victory of her career in the Nassau Stakes on Friday at Goodwood.
Beau Rossa went from a win in the Group 2 Tobin Bronze Stakes at Morphettville Racecourse in Australia on May 1 to a 10th-place finish in a field of 11 in the Group 1 Goodwood Stakes at six furlongs at the same venue on May 15. The Group 1 sprint was too tough for Beau Rossa, who is back against a reasonable level of competition in Saturday’s $73,940 Lightning Stakes at 5 1/4 furlongs at Morphettville.
Alcohol Free outfinished heavily favored Poetic Flare and won the Group 1 Sussex Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths on Wednesday at Goodwood Racecourse in England. Alcohol Free, a 3-year-old filly getting 11 pounds from older male rivals and three pounds from 3-year-old Poetic Flare, appears to relish testing course conditions and got them Wednesday.
There was less than a half-length between Great Diviner and Zoist in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs on the infield Parks course at Morphettville Racecourse in Australia on July 17. Another close finish is possible when the pair meet again in a seven-furlong handicap at the same venue on Friday.
Audarya’s shine might’ve lost a little bit of its gloss when Love finished a soundly beaten third Saturday in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but Audarya still looks strong Thursday at Goodwood in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes.
Co-highweight Agrum the one to beat in a 5 1/2-furlong handicap on Thursday at Wyong Racecourse.
