Breeders’ Cup Ltd. said it has reached a multi-year deal giving Henry Birtles Associates the television distribution rights to its signal in most foreign jurisdictions.
Designs on Rome, the newest Hong Kong star, stepped outside age-restricted competition for the first time Sunday and beat defending champion Military Attack by a neck in the Group 1 Audmars Piguet QEII Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong.
Cirrus des Aigles won a ferocious stretch-long duel with Treve, sending the filly to her first defeat Sunday at Longchamp in a tremendous renewal of the Group 1 Prix Ganay.
Tullius won his first Group 2 race, and fourth career stakes, in Friday’s $159,600 bet365 Mile at Sandown Park in England, a victory expected to lead to a Group 1 start later this spring.
There is no soft opening to the Group 1 portion of the European flat-racing season, with super-filly Treve set to take on the wonderful 8-year-old gelding Cirrus des Aigles in the Prix Ganay on Sunday at Longchamp.
Top Notch Tonto, second in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot last October, makes his 2014 debut in Friday’s $159,600 bet365 Mile at Sandown Park, outside of London.
Isla Bonita won his third consecutive graded stakes in Sunday’s $1,973,447 Japanese 2000 Guineas at Nakayama Racecourse, a victory likely to lead to a start in the Japanese Derby at Tokyo Racecourse on June 1.
It’s a Dundeel earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita in November with a victory in Saturday’s $3.67 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick in Sydney, Australia.
Harp Star closed from last in the final half-mile to win Sunday’s $1,820,078 Japanese 1000 Guineas for 3-year-old fillies at Hanshin Racecourse.
The Australian stakes winners Lankan Rupee and Sacred Falls earned fees-paid berths to Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita this fall with wins in Group 1 races at Royal Randwick in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday.
