Shock winner Bayside Boy outkicked pacesetting Jadoomi and Modern Games to land the Group 1, $1.23 million Queen Elizabeth II Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths Saturday at Ascot.
Three-year-old filly Inspiral was the odds-on favorite in the QE II but badly blew the start, raced from last, and failed to muster a real rally under Frankie Dettori, checking in sixth.
Breaking from post 12 on Sunday in the Group 3 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap should not prevent California Spangle from going 2 for 2 this Hong Kong racing season.
The talented 4-year-old was an easy winner of the Group 3 Celebration Cup over 1,600 meters on Sept. 25 and figures to continue his emergence as one of Hong Kong’s top sprinter-milers in the Sunday feature at Sha Tin.
Stars on Earth will be favored to win the Grade 1 Shuka Sho Stakes at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan on Sunday and sweep the country’s Triple Crown for 3-year-old fillies.
If successful, Stars on Earth will be the seventh filly to sweep the series, and first since Daring Tact in 2020. The sequence of races includes the Japanese 1000 Guineas at a mile in April and the Japanese Oaks at 1 1/2 miles in May.
The $1.45 million Shuka Sho is run at 1 1/4 miles and drew a field of 16.
It would make perfect sense to back the mare Lunatic Fringe in the Horsham Cup at 1 5/16 miles at Horsham Racecourse in Australia on Saturday evening across American time zones.
The 6-year-old Lunatic Fringe has won 5 of 19 starts and is well-suited to this longer distance.
Trained by Tom Dabernig, Lunatic Fringe won a handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Swan Hill Racecourse on June 12 and did not race again until she finished second in the Murtoa Cup at about 1 1/4 miles at Murtoa Racecourse on Oct. 1.
A lot of really good horses are racing Saturday at Ascot on British Champions Day, but all eyes will be on one horse, Baaeed, who bids for an undefeated career in the Group 1, $1.46 million Champion Stakes.
Baaeed has won all 10 of his starts and is heavily favored to go to stud this winter 11 for 11. He’s an odds-on favorite to beat 2021 Derby winner Adayar and seven others in this 1 1/4-mile fixture, run around one turn over a course that on Thursday was rated good to soft.
At distances around 1 1/4 miles, Not Usual Glorious thrives. He has won 11 of 26 starts, with six of those wins in races ranging from 1 1/4 miles to 1 5/16 miles.
He has his niche, and has the role of favorite in the Moe Cup at about 1 1/4 miles at Moe Racecourse in Australia on Thursday evening across American time zones.
Nature Strip’s three-race winning streak in Australia and England has made the Australian sprinter into a worldwide star.
Nature Strip was already a 16-time stakes winner when he was shipped to England earlier this year for his first start outside of Australia. Nature Strip won the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at five furlongs by a smashing 4 1/2 lengths at Royal Ascot. Sandwiched around that victory were a Group 1 win in Australia in April and a Group 2 win there in September.
Paul Lally:
R1 3-6-10-5
R2 2-7-12-11
R3 5-2-3-7
R4 6-5-8-7
R5 7-1-3-2
R6 4-8-5-1
R7 4-2-6-8
R8 5-9-2-7
R9 3-2-11-1
Best Bet R6 N4 Our Class Act
Longshot R3 N5 Jazz Club
Play R4 QQP 5-6-8
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Mark McNamara:
