There very well could be a European representative in this year's Kentucky Derby. Master of Hounds is being strongly considered for the race, according Monday to an Irish-based spokesman for Coolmore Stud's John Magnier, who owns Master of Hounds. Master of Hounds, a son of Kingmambo, is trained by Aidan O'Brien and was second in the UAE Derby in his lone start this year.
Frankel, the joint champion 2-year-old male in Europe last year, stretched his unbeaten streak to five in Saturday’s Group 3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury Racecourse in England, confirming his status as a heavy favorite for the English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on April 30.
Frankel, considered one of the finest 2-year-olds to race in England in recent years and the favorite for the 2000 Guineas on April 30, will make his 3-year-old debut as a prohibitive favorite in Saturday’s Group 3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury, England.
Barefoot Lady, a 14-1 outsider making her first start of 2011, caught 9-4 favorite Sing Softly in the final strides to win Wednesday’s Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket, a prep race for the English 1000 Guineas on the same course on May 1.
Black Caviar, the top-rated horse in the world according to the World Thoroughbred Rankings, earned an automatic berth in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint by virtue of her 2 3/4-length win Saturday in the Group 1 Darley T.J. Smith Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Australia.
Ballabriggs, racing near the front of a race that began with 40 horses and concluded, as usual, with far fewer, scored a 2 1/4-length victory Saturday in the $1,482,000 John Smith’s Grand National Chase at Aintree Racecourse in England.
The ever-consistent Ballabriggs has been almost perfectly prepared for Saturday’s $1.5 million Grand National Handicap Chase at Aintree.
George Strawbridge will have himself a runner in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket after his Invincible Spirit filly Moonlight Cloud ran off to a handy two-length score in the Group 3, $114,000 Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Laffitte on Thursday.
Six international Group 1 winners have been selected by the Hong Kong Jockey Club to join two local Hong Kong Group 1 winners in the $1.5 million Champions Mile at Sha Tin on April 25. They are headed by recent Dubai Duty Free winner Presvis, who has been supplemented by owner Leonidas Marinopoulos. The 7-year-old Luca Cumani-trained son of Sakhee won the 1 1/4-mile Queen Elizabeth II Cup two years ago at Sha Tin but will cut back from the Duty Free’s nine furlongs to run in the Champions Mile.
Criquette Head-Maarek will test the English 1000 Guineas waters at Maisons-Laffitte on Thursday with Helleborine in the Group 3, $113,000 Prix Imprudence over a straight seven furlongs.
