Australia: Fawkner favored in Cox Plate
Fawkner, a Group 1 winner on Oct. 11, can solidify his claims for the Melbourne Cup on Nov. 4 in Saturday’s $2,638,500 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Australia.
Steve AndersenOct 22, 2014
Fawkner, a Group 1 winner on Oct. 11, can solidify his claims for the Melbourne Cup on Nov. 4 in Saturday’s $2,638,500 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Australia.
Noble Mission ensured that Ascot's flat-season finale had a truly emotional finish as he beat Al Kazeem by a neck in a thrilling edition of the QIPCO Champion Stakes on Saturday.
Charm Spirit completed a wonderful spell for the Head family with a brave victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
Admire Rakti won the biggest race of his career in Saturday’s $2,634,000 Caulfield Cup in Australia and immediately vaulted to the top of future-book lists for the Melbourne Cup on Nov. 4.
Madame Chiang, who struggled against top-class company in the English Oaks and Prix Vermeille in France in recent starts, had no difficulty with the heavy ground at Ascot Racecourse in England on Saturday, scoring an upset win in the $880,000 QIPCO British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes.
Second or third in his last four starts, and previously a winner only once this year, the 7-year-old Gordon Lord Byron broke through with a powerful, brave victory in the Group 2 QIPCO British Champions Sprint on Saturday at Ascot in England.
All the Grade 1 favorites fizzled on Future Champions Day at Newmarket, with Ivawood’s second-place finish in the Middle Park Stakes the top showing from any of the best-fancied 2-year-olds in action Friday.
Night of Thunder handed Kingman a neck loss in the English 2000 Guineas this past spring, and he can follow in the footsteps of his stablemate Olympic Glory by winning the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, the last major one-mile race of the European season Saturday at Ascot.
The damage is done. Days of rain have left Ascot Racecourse with soft to heavy conditions in advance of Saturday’s QIPCO British Champions Day.
Since Richard Hannon Jr. operates the leading 2-year-old outfit in England, it should come as no surprise that his stable is well represented Friday at Newmarket on Future Champions Day, the juvenile appetizer to Saturday’s Qipco Champions Day at Ascot.