Alexandria Henry
R1: 10-12-16-1

R2: 1-15-2-13

R3: 6-15-5-10

R4: 2-10-6-9

R5: 10-3-7-6

R6: 5-10-12-9

R7: 11-6-8-3

R8: 8-7-2-3

R9: 6-11-3-4

R10: 1-4-5-11

R11: 3-1-6-16-13

R12: 2-12-14-1

The first Group 1 race of the European flat-racing season came up a first-rate contest.  

Vadeni ended his 2022 campaign with a second-place finish in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and begins his 2023 season Sunday at Longchamp in the Prix Ganay. An Aga Khan homebred by Churchill out of the Monsun mare Vaderana, Vadeni finished second by a half-length to Alpinista in the Arc following a third in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes and wins in the Group 1 Eclipse in England and the Group 1 French Derby.

The lightly raced gelding Swift Charm has a career trending in the right direction in Australia.

A winner of 2 of 4 starts, Swift Charm will start as a solid favorite in a handicap at 6 1/4 furlongs at Taree Racecourse on Sunday evening in his second start since January.

Paul Lally:
R1 8-14-1-3

R2 5-3-8-1

R3 7-1-4-6

R4 6-1-9-10

R5 1-2-7-3

Maximum Vortex was a 12-1 surprise winner of a maiden race in his career debut at Grafton Racecourse in Australia on April 18. There will be little suspense if the Southern Hemisphere 3-year-old gelding wins again in a handicap at about six furlongs at Grafton on Saturday evening.

Maximum Vortex was the 2-1 co-favorite in early betting on Friday along with Bonjour Rupert, who has not raced since November.

There are but 24 entrants combined in the three Group 1 races Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong. Four Japan-based horses shipped for the card, called Champions Day, as well as two horses each from Europe and Australia – all in all, not an especially compelling turnout.

JAPAN ADVANCE By Steve Andersen In marathon races in Japan, Titleholder is sometimes impossible to catch. Titleholder won the Grade 1 Japanese St. Leger at 1 7/8 miles in 2021 from the front, and used

With the benefit of a recent prep race and a fine record of 4 for 6, Kovalica deserves the role of favorite in the one-mile Queensland Guineas at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane on Friday.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, April 30, 2023)

Denetta ran to expectations when she finished 12th of 15 at 100-1 in the restricted Provincial Championship Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on April 8.

An appearance in the $332,500 race was worth a try after Denetta qualified with a good second at 40-1 in a trial race at Hawkesbury on March 4.

Denetta’s time as a longshot ends, at least briefly, when she starts in a handicap for fillies and mares at 7 1/4 furlongs at Muswellbrook Racecourse on Thursday evening. She was the 7-2 second choice in a field of eight as of Wednesday.