They are lining up in droves to face City of Troy in the International Stakes on Wednesday at York Racecourse in England. A dozen entered to oppose the Epsom Derby-winning 3-year-old trained in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien.
City of Troy as of Monday was priced at just over even-money by British bookmakers, a heavy favorite considering 12 others were declared for this Group 1, about 1 5/16-mile fixture.
Whistlejacket won the Group 1 Prix Morny on Sunday at Deauville Racecourse in France, and trainer Aidan O’Brien’s comments after the race suggested that connections are keen to capitalize on the benefits that accrue from winning a race in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.
Few modern Thoroughbreds reach international popularity the way the Australian sprinter Black Caviar did in 2012.
An 11-time Group 1 winner in Australia from November 2010 to May 2012, Black Caviar won her only career start in Britain with a dramatic victory in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at six furlongs at Royal Ascot in June of 2012.
Little stands between Mqse de Sevigne and a remarkable repeat on Sunday at Deauville Racecourse in France.
Mqse de Sevigne last summer won the Group 1 Prix Rothschild over one mile at Deauville before returning three weeks later to land the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet at 1 1/4 miles. The mare won the Rothschild on July 28 with much more ease than a year ago, and anything close to a standard performance Sunday will land her a second Romanet.
Gatsby’s tipped his ability when he won his debut and finished a decent fourth as the even-money favorite in the Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds in Australia in February and March.
After the loss, trainer Chris Waller opted to rest Gatsby’s and pass on starting the colt in the country’s lucrative races for the division in March and April.
Gatsby’s was rested through the Australian winter and has his third start in the $132,300 Rosebud Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds at Rosehill Gardens on Friday evening.
Charyn’s rise in Europe’s mile division is complete. There is even a chance the brilliant colt is on his way to the United States this year.
After winning the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in Britain in June for his first win at the highest level, Charyn was the easy winner of Sunday’s Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville Racecourse in northern France.
Charyn, trained by Roger Varian for owner and breeder Nurlan Bizakov, earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 2 with the win.
A one-two finish by Inspiral and Big Rock in the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville, France, last August led to milestone achievements for the pair later in the year.
Inspiral won the richest race of her career last November by a neck in a thrilling running of the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita. A few weeks earlier, Big Rock had won his first Group 1 on Champions Day in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot Racecourse in Britain.
Unraced at 2, Schwarz compensated by winning three of seven starts, including two stakes, during his 3-year-old season in Australia from last October to June.
Southern Hemisphere runners turned 4 on Aug. 1. Schwarz will be favored to continue the success of his 3-year-old season in Friday’s Group 2 Missile Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.
A new distance of 1 1/4 miles was no problem for the 3-year-old filly Opera Singer in her debut against older fillies and mares in Thursday’s Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse in Britain.
The race was part of summer campaign designed to have Opera Singer ready for the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at 1 1/2 miles against older males at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris on Oct. 6, trainer Aidan O’Brien said.
“There is every chance she will get a mile and a half,” O’Brien told the press. “She’s very classy.”
Notable Speech rebounded from a disappointing performance at Royal Ascot in June, and the absence of a leading rival, to win his second Group 1 race of 2024 in Wednesday’s $1.28 million Sussex Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse in Britain.
Benefiting from a stalking trip, Notable Speech, who paid $7.20 in American pools, rallied from third in a field of five to win by 1 1/2 lengths over 6-1 Maljoom.
The win gave Notable Speed a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 2.
