Sergeant Cecil to be tested

Sergeant Cecil heads a high-class renewal of the $315,000 Prix Royal-Oak, or French St. Leger, at Longchamp on Sunday, when 11 proven stayers will line up for the 1 15/16-mile Group 1 contest.

Sergeant Cecil has won his last three starts - the two-mile Group 2 Lonsdale Cup, the 2 1/4-mile Group 2 Doncaster Cup, and the 2 1/2-mile Group 1 Prix du Cadran. But the 7-year-old gelding could have his hands full with the Cadran runner-up, Shamdala, as well as her stablemate Daramsar, who has been supplemented for $19,000 after having won last Sunday's 1 1/2-mile Group 2 Prix du Conseil de Paris.

* The Group 1, $232,000 Premio Lydia Tesio over 1 1/4 miles for fillies and mares at San Siro in Milan on Sunday will be a competitive affair in which a slight edge is accorded Pictavia, who beat colts in the Group 3, 1o1/4-mile Select Stakes at Goodwood on Sept. 10.