A fine race record and an outstanding pedigree suggest Stellenbosch can handle racing at 1 1/2 miles when she starts at the distance for the first time in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese Oaks at Tokyo Racecourse.

Stellenbosch was a neck away from the champion 2-year-old filly title last year, losing by that margin in the season-ending championship race, the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at a mile.

In her 2024 debut, Stellenbosch closed from off the pace to win the Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas at a mile at Hanshin on April 7.

Tom Wood: 
R1: 9-4-3-1 
R2: 5-11-6-7 
R3: 3-4-2-6 
R4: 4-1-5-8 
R5: 1-4-6-3 
R6: 10-4-6-11 
R7: 3-8-10-1 
R8: 7-8-1-11 
R9: 4-5-6-3 
R10: 8-4-3-7 
BEST: R8 N7 LUCKY TOUCH (WIN) 
VALUE: R5 N1 YOUNG BRILLIANT (EW) 
PLAY: R8 QQP 1,7,8 
  
Nick Child: 
R1:  3-5-9-10 
R2: 5-7-6-11 
R3: 3-2-6-5 
R4: 5-1-8-7 
R5: 6-2-4-7 
R6: 10-6-3-5 
R7: 14-8-3-10 
R8: 1-2-12-4 
R9: 5-4-3-1 
R10: 4-3-8-1 

Racing luck has recently abandoned the Australian sprinter I Wish I Win, who will be heavily favored to win his second Group 1 race in the $1 million Doomben 10,000 Stakes at six furlongs at Doomben Racecourse near Brisbane on Friday evening.

Last fall, in his final start of 2023, I Wish I Win overcame traffic in the final furlong to finish second by slightly less than a half-length in the $12.8 million Everest Stakes at six furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, the world’s richest sprint.

It took Inspiral three starts to find herself when she returned to the races from a winter break in 2023. Inspiral, however, won her first start of 2021 and 2022, and on Saturday we will see whether the 5-year-old version of the mare comes out firing.

Inspiral was one of 11 final declarations for the J.T. Lockinge Stakes, the first older-horse Group 1 of the year in England. The straight mile at Newbury is a key fixture on the calendar on its own but also serves as a stepping-stone toward the Group 1 Queen Anne, the first race of the Royal Ascot meeting.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, May 19, 2024) 

By Declan Schuster

Massive Sovereign is one of Hong Kong’s brightest talents and the Irish-bred is aiming to become the sixth galloper to win the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) and HK$13 million G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) in the same season.

Since Hong Kong racing turned professional in 1971/72, only five horses have completed the Hong Kong Derby-Champions & Chater Cup double: Co Tack (1983), River Verdon (1991), Makarpura Star (1995), Vengeance Of Rain (2005) and Viva Pataca (2006).

Paul Lally:

R1 1-8-10-7
R2 2-8-5-1
R3 3-2-7-6
R4 1-6-7-3
R5 4-5-11-6
R6 6-10-2-5
R7 4-3-9-10
R8 6-2-3-4
R9 2-10-9-7

Best Bet R1 N1 Cheer For South
Longshot R8 N6 Fairy Horse
Plays R9 QQP 2-9-10

Tom Wood:

R1: 1-4-10-7
R2: 2-4-10-1
R3: 3-7-6-2
R4: 3-4-7-2
R5: 4-11-5-2
R6: 6-10-2-8
R7: 2-4-3-5
R8: 3-4-1-6-
R9: 2-1-3-6

BEST: R3 N3 NOBLE PURSUIT (WIN)
VALUE: R7 N2 GALLANT HERO (EW)
PLAY: R3 QQP 3,6,7

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday May 15, 2024)

Nobody knew anything on Sunday at Longchamp, where heavy rain delayed the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and unlikely longshots poured down in both the Poulains and its sister race, the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches.

Rouhiya, 30-1 on the North American tote, won the Pouliches, the 1000 Guineas, by a head over Kathmandu, who set the pace and was nipped on the line at odds of 45-1. Just a neck farther back came Vespertilio, who loomed a winner a furlong out but settled for third at 17-1.

There are wacky results and then there is the outcome of Sunday’s Grade 1 Victoria Mile for fillies and mares at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan.

The turf race was won by Ten Happy Rose, who paid $233.80, and was one of four runners in a field of 15 at 100-1 or higher in American pools. In Japan, she was 207-1, the second-longest shot in the field.

With the win, Ten Happy Rose earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 2.