Avenir Certain ran her perfect record to 5 for 5 and captured her second straight Group 1 race when charging down the outside to overpower her rivals in the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) on Sunday at Chantilly.
George Strawbridge’s unbeaten filly We Are was withdrawn Thursday from the Group 1 Prix de Diane on Sunday at Chantilly, but there are three other undefeated 3-year-old fillies among the 12 entered in a race also known as the French Oaks.
Just a Way, the winner of the $5 million Dubai Duty Free at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai in March, extended his winning streak to four races with a nose victory in Sunday’s $2,031,250 Yasuda Kinen for turf milers at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan.
Before Saturday, the reputation of the 3-year-old colt Australia rested on speculation. Aidan O’Brien said he was among the best horses he’d trained. His pedigree, by Galileo out of Ouija Board, was impeccable. But in the Epsom Derby, Australia demonstrated he was more than airy hype.
Taghrooda’s group stakes debut Friday produced a romping victory in the Group 1 Epsom Oaks, a first win in the race for trainer John Gosden and jockey Paul Hanagan, who rode his first Classic winner.
Just a Way, the winner of the $5 million Dubai Duty Free at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai in March, will be favored to win Sunday’s $2,031,250 Yasuda Kinen for turf milers at Tokyo Racecourse.
If one is betting on Australia to win the Epsom Derby on Saturday at Epsom Downs in England, and the colt is the heavy antepost favorite, one is betting as much on trainer Aidan O’Brien and the reputation of his operation as the animal himself.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien can win the Epsom Oaks for the fifth time Friday at Epsom Downs, but his leading chance, Marvellous, has no decided edge on several others in the 17-horse field.
John Hills, who trained a Group 1 winner in Europe, as well as Docksider, who was third in the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Mile, died of pancreatic cancer Sunday, according to press reports in England.
One and Only, fourth in the Japanese 2000 Guineas in April, outfinished favored Isla Bonita to win Sunday’s $4,137,707 Japanese Derby at Tokyo Racecourse.
