The day after a tremendous Irish Champions card at Leopardstown, there is more high-class racing in Ireland on Sunday at The Curragh, which hosts a pair of important 2-year-old races as well as the Irish St. Leger.
Almost nothing went right in 2014 for the super-mare Treve until she won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for the second time last fall, but so far this year, as Treve bids to become the first three-time Arc winner, everything has gone right. The season-long plan laid out by her connections makes a stop Sunday at Longchamp, where Treve has her final start before the Arc de Triomphe in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille, one of three Arc de Triomphe preps on an outstanding card that also includes the Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp over one mile.
On Saturday, Leopardstown Racecourse will host possibly the deepest race of the European flat season – the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes – provided the race stays together.
Prince Gibraltar, who struggled in Group 2 races in France and England in May and July, won Sunday’s $278,000 Grosser Preis Von Baden at Baden-Baden Racecourse in Germany. The Group 1 Grosser Preis Von Baden was part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program, offering a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland on Oct. 31.
Goldstream, fourth in the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park on Aug. 15, is part of a modest field in Sunday’s $278,000 Grosser Preis von Baden at Baden-Baden Racecourse in Germany, a race that will award the winner a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland on Oct. 31.
Saturday, Gordon Lord Byron makes his fourth appearance in the big sprint race at Haydock, the Group 1 Betfred Sprint Cup, and if he runs like he did the first three times, Gordon Lord Byron will be a factor
Gleneagles, one of the best horses in Europe, is being pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, trainer Aidan O’Brien announced Tuesday. The 3-year-old colt, winner of the English 2000 Guineas in May, has been a miler during his excellent overseas career, but will try to stretch his stamina over the Classic’s 1 1/4 miles at Keeneland this fall if his connections’ plan holds.
Acapulco, the 2-year-old filly who was second against older horses in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York Racecourse in England on Aug. 21, will be rested for the remainder of the year.
The 5-year-old mare Odeliz found herself in an unfamiliar spot leading Sunday in the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville, and then she found herself in a place she’d never been before at all – the winner’s enclosure following a Group 1 race.
Course experience worked in favor of Ajaya on Saturday, when the colt won the $339,445 Gimcrack Stakes for 2-year-olds at York Racecourse in England.
