There are seven Group 1 races on Sunday’s nine-race program at Longchamp Racecourse, annually the highlight of racing on the French calendar. Three races on the undercard are part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program, and may produce runners for Breeders’ Cup races at Keeneland on Oct. 30 and 31.
In 2014, Treve looked a dim shadow of her best self, yet she stormed to a two-length victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, winning the biggest prize in European racing for the second year in a row. This fall, Treve, well, is very much Treve again. No talk of sore feet or misaligned back, no worries about her never being the same again. She won her Arc prep, the Prix Vermeille, by six lengths while absolutely cruising under the wire, and all subsequent reports from the camp of trainer Criquette Head-Maarek point to a horse loving life, itching to race.
The 5-year-old mare Integral will make her third consecutive appearance in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at a mile on turf for fillies and mares at Newmarket Racecourse in England on Saturday, a race she won last year.
No horse has won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe three times, and in fact, no horse even has tried – not until Sunday, when Treve can etch even more deeply her place in racing history if she wins her third Arc.
The Singapore Turf Club announced this week that two Group 1, seven-figure international turf races that were fixtures on the May calendar have been discontinued.
Port Douglas, a 14-1 outsider, gave trainer Aidan O’Brien his 15th career win in the $132,732 Beresford Stakes for 2-year-olds at The Curragh in Ireland on Sunday.
The brilliant 2-year-old Shalaa captured his fifth straight race by holding off Buratino to win the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes by a half-length on Saturday at Newmarket in England.
Promising Run, a Kentucky-bred filly by Hard Spun, won her stakes debut Friday in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Newmarket Racecourse in England.
Saturday is 2-year-old day at Newmarket in England, with three group stakes – two Group 1’s and a Groups 2 – carded for the juvenile set. It’s the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes that’s a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Win and You’re In race, offering an automatic fees-paid berth in the BC Juvenile Turf as well as travel expenses to the race at Keeneland.
Aidan O’Brien and Coolmore won both Group 1 races for 2-year-olds Sunday at The Curragh, including a sweep of the first three places in the Moyglare Stud Stakes for fillies.
