Poet’s Voice, a 9-2 shot ridden by Frankie Dettori, won the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday, denying the Aidan O’Brien-trained Rip Van Winkle by a nose in the mile contest.
Canford Cliffs, the favorite for Saturday's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, has been withdrawn from the Group 1 mile, leaving Makfi and defending champion Rip Van Winikle as the two leading contenders.
Ireland’s leading juvenile, Pathfork is headed to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. The winner of the seven-furlong, Group 1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh on Sept. 11, the unbeaten son of Distorted Humor will make his first start on dirt at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6 for his trainer, Jessica Harrington
Ascot will be the scene of three Breeders’ Cup Challenge races on Saturday when the winners of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (BC Mile), Fillies Mile (Juvenile Fillies Turf) and Royal Lodge Stakes (Juvenile Turf) will all earn automatic berths at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5 and 6.
Half-siblings to Goldikova and Bago were both successful in their maiden debuts at Longchamp on Saturday, on a day when Godolphin landed both Group 3 races on the card with French Navy and Prince Bishop.
Dangerous Midge cruised clear under Martin Dwyer for a four-length victory over the 8-11 favorite, Rainbow Peak, in the Group 3, $88,000 Arc Trial at Newbury on Friday.
The Japanese Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf hopeful Red Desire arrived at Aqueduct on Thursday to prepare for the Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont Park on Oct. 2. Trained by Mikio Matsunaga, the 4-year-old daughter of the Sunday Silence stallion Manhattan Cafe will spend two days in quarantine at the Big A before transferring to Belmont on Saturday.
The Group 3, $88,000 Arc Trial, the Arc prep that rarely produces a runner in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, will have its 14th running at Newbury on Friday.
Midday won the Group 1, $445,000 Prix Vermeille at Longchamp on Sunday as her arch-rival Sariska refused to race for the second time in a row and was retired immediately after the race.
French rider olivier Peslier guided the 13-8 favorite Sans Frontieres to victory in the Group 1, $305,000 Irish St. Leger on Saturday.
