Blue Rose Cen gained a rare place in French racing with a commanding four-length win in Sunday’s Group 1 French Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at Chantilly Racecourse north of Paris.

Blue Rose Cen joins Allez France (1973), Divine Proportions (2005) and Zarkava (2008) as the only fillies in the last 50 years to sweep France’s three leading Group 1 races for 2- and 3-year-olds – including the Prix Marcel Boussac for 2-year-olds last October, and the French 1000 Guineas last month. Those races are run at a mile.

The word was out before the 3-year-old filly Divine Vicky had a successful debut at Kembla Grange Racecourse in Australia on May 6.

Sent off favored, Divine Vicky was third early in a six-furlong maiden race and won by a head.

How that form translates against winners will be better known when Divine Vicky has her second start in a six-furlong handicap at Nowra Racecourse on Monday evening.

Divine Vicky starts from post 5 and will be ridden by Jean Van Overmeire, who was aboard for the maiden-race win.

Ollie’s Secret ended his 2022 campaign with a win in a maiden race at a mile at Tamworth Racecourse in Australia on Christmas Eve, his sixth career start.

Ollie’s Secret did not start again until June 10, finishing fifth in a six-furlong handicap at Newcastle. He closed with interest to lose by 3 1/2 lengths in a manner that suggested a longer distance would be a better fit.

Paul Lally:
R1 7-1-8-9

R2 2-4-5-12

R3 4-1-10-12

R4 6-7-4-9

R5 6-2-7-3

R6 5-14-4-11

R7 2-4-3-6

R8 7-5-9-4

R9 9-2-5-3

R10 2-10-11-8

R11 2-8-1-4

Best Bet R3 n4 Sunlight Power

A retreat to a countryside track may help Poseidon Ruler end a three-race losing streak in the minor Wauchope Cup at 7 1/2 furlongs at Port Macquarie Racecourse in Australia.

Since a win in a six-furlong handicap at Newcastle Racecourse on April 8, Poseidon Ruler has finished fifth twice and fourth once in lucrative handicaps at tracks in Sydney restricted to smaller stables from the state of New South Wales.

Four-race winning streak on opposite sides of the English Channel have pushed Blue Rose Cen and Running Lion to the roles of leading contenders for Sunday’s Group 1 French Oaks at Chantilly Racecourse north of Paris.

The races that comprise those winning streaks are remarkably different.

:: Bet Royal Ascot racing on DRF Bets

Alex Hammond's Four for Royal Ascot

Darrell William's Four for Royal Ascot

DJohn Hunt's Four for Royal Ascot

FRANCESCO CLEMENTE really should have won at Goodwood last month, but he can atone for that by landing the Wolferton Stakes on the opening day for the Gosden team. That was the only time the son of Dubawi has tasted defeat and the fact that he still holds an entry in the Eclipse suggests he will end up better than Listed class.

COOLANGATTA arrives having taken out the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes on her last start, a race won by four previous Australian sprinters before going on to win the King’s Stand at Ascot. Whilst she hasn’t reached the heights of Nature Strip, she is still a low-mileage, high-class, twice Group 1-winning sprinter, who had the subsequent winner of the T J Smith (a top-quality G1 sprint) in behind her when victorious last time.

Archie Watson got off to a winning start with AADDEEY at Ripon in April, with the six-year-old having been gelded ahead of that successful reappearance, and he has reportedly improved considerably for that run over 1m4f. Hollie Doyle could once again dictate the pace on this strong traveller, who promises to relish the extra quarter-mile on such a stiff track.