Sparkling Plenty rallied from last, or close to it, and won the Group 1 Prix de Diane by a head on Sunday at Chantilly Racecourse.
The 14-1 shot was racing just two weeks after a three-length victory in the Group 2 Prix Sandringham compelled connections to try France’s Oaks. Sparkling Plenty made her sixth start of the year Sunday, a campaign that began in February and has seen the filly improved markedly since a sixth-place showing May 12 in the French 1000 Guineas.
Get out the top hats and tails: Royal Ascot 2024 is upon us.
The five-day Royal meeting at venerable Ascot Racecourse launches, as usual, on a Tuesday, a daily morning treat for American racing fans through Saturday’s closing card.
The meeting begins with a bang, opening with the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes run over a straight mile. The Tuesday card, the week’s best, features two other Group 1s, the King Charles III (formerly the King’s Stand), a five-furlong sprint; and the St. James’s Palace Stakes, a one-turn mile for 3-year-olds.
One might easily come away with the idea that while Tamfana finished fourth in the 1000 Guineas last month at Newmarket, she was the best horse in the race. Her overall form combined with her last-start performance has Tamfana near the head of early betting markets for the Group 1 Prix de Diane, also known as the French Oaks, on Sunday at Chantilly Racecourse.
First or second in her last three starts in Group 1 races, the 6-year-old Australian mare Bella Nipotina has earned the role of 123-pound topweight in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at seven furlongs at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane on Friday night.
Despite the favorable recent record, Bella Nipotina has not gained the respect of bettors. As of Thursday morning, Bella Nipotina was a 10-1 outsider in a full field of 18 in the $1.98 million Stradbroke Handicap at seven furlongs.
Paul Lally:
R1: 6-10-2-1
R2: 2-4-8-11
R3: 3-8-5-2
R4: 6-5-9-4
R5: 6-3-7-9
R6: 7-1-9-3
R7: 5-1-9-2
R8: 5-2-9-4
R9: 1-10-12-4
Best Bet: R2 N2 Comet Splendido
Longshot: R7 N5 Astrologer
Play: R5 QQP 3-6-7
Tom Wood:
R1: 6-4-2-1
R2: 2-4-8-7
R3: 7-3-8-9
R4: 7-9-8-4
R5: 6-7-3-9
R6: 9-1-7-2
R7: 1-9-6-7
R8: 2-5-9-4
R9: 1-5-11-3
In less than three months, Scarlet Oak has gone from a debut win in New Zealand to a Group 2 winner in Australia.
On Friday evening at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane, Scarlet Oak will be favored to win her Group 1 debut in the $466,600 Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm Racecourse in her fifth start.
R1 6-9-3-5
R2 2-6-10-1
R3 4-5-7-1
R4 9-10-7-2
R5 8-9-3-12
R6 3-9-5-4
R7 11-10-1-6
R8 3-6-5-1
R9 3-11-6-4
Best Bet R7 N11 Chain Of Gold
Longshot R5 N8 Sight Supreme
Play R4 QQP 7-9-10
Mark McNamara:
R1 6.1.8.2
R2 5.6.4.3
R3 6.4.5.1
R4 7.10.9.3
R5 3.4.1.5
R6 3.4.2.11
R7 10.11.3.4
R8 3.9.12.1
R9 3.4.1.11
Best Bet R4 N7 So Treasure
Longshot R3 N6 Divine Shining
Play R3 Q/QP 4.5.6
Tom Wood:
