On an afternoon when the sensational Black Caviar easily ran her lifetime record to 15 for 15, fellow mare Pinker Pinker stole the biggest headline when running down New Zealand star Jimmy Choux to take Moonee Valley's $3.05 million Group 1 Tattersalls Cox Plate.
A field of 14 came through Friday’s final declaration stage for the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak, France’s premier autumn race for marathoners. The Prix Royal-Oak is carded for 1 15/16 miles and will be contested Sunday at Longchamp over good-to-soft going.
The British Horseracing Authority on Friday eased strict new rules governing the manner in which jockeys wield their whip.
Orfevre can become the first horse in six years to sweep Japan’s Triple Crown when he starts in Sunday’s Group 1 Japanese St. Leger, the Kikuka Sho, at Kyoto, Racecourse.
Camelot, the sharp winner of a maiden race at Leopardstown Racecourse in Ireland in his career debut in July, will be a short-priced favorite in his second career start, Saturday’s Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster, England.
The Cox Plate, Australia's most important and richest weight-for-age event, will be conducted late Saturday afternoon at Melbourne's unique Moonee Valley Racecourse. In the buildup, the 2040-meter event (approximately 10 furlongs) and its expected field of 14 has been hyped as a showdown between longtime favorite Jimmy Choux and upstart sensation Helmet.
The $3 million Cox Plate, a key prep for the Melbourne Cup on Nov. 1, is the richest of nine races on Saturday’s program at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Australia. But the lucrative race must share attention with Black Caviar’s attempt to stretch her unbeaten streak to 15 races in the $300,000 Schweppes Stakes on the undercard.
Aventura, who missed the Japanese spring classics for fillies because of a leg injury, won her third consecutive race since her return to racing in Sunday’s Group 1 Shuka Sho at Kyoto Racecourse, the final leg of the Japanese Triple Crown for fillies.
Campanologist won the fourth Group 1 race of his career, and second in as many races, in Sunday’s Gran Premier Jockey Club Italiano at San Siro Racecourse in Italy.
Cirrus des Aigles caught So You Think in the final 50 yards of Saturday’s Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot Racecourse in England, but the race was marred by a suspension and massive fine given to winning jockey Christophe Soumillon for excessive use of the whip.
