In front of a crowd of over 100,000 on a glorious day, many of Australian racing's biggest heroes were in action on the first day of Flemington's Spring Carnival. The four Group 1s contested at the Melbourne oval, resulted in mixed performances by the betting favorites.
The French stakes winners French Fifteen and Kendam make their first starts in a Group 1 in Sunday’s Criterium International for 2-year-olds colts and fillies at Saint-Cloud, France. They pose a home-country threat to Irish invader Learn.
Four Group 1 races, including the Mackinnon Cup, the last prep for the Melbourne Cup, are part of Saturday’s program at Flemington Racecourse in Australia, the first day of that track’s famous spring carnival.
Improving 4-year-old filly Be Fabulous won her group stakes debut Sunday, capturing the Group 1 Prix Royal Oak by 1 3/4 lengths at Longchamp.
Orfevre became the first horse in six years to sweep the Japanese Triple Crown with an impressive victory in Sunday’s Group 1 Japanese St. Leger, the Kikuka Sho, at Kyoto Racecourse.
Camelot, looking like the next stable star for trainer Aidan O’Brien, sparkled in his stakes debut Saturday at Doncaster in England, where he won the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths.
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.
