Three-year-old colts swept the top three placings in the featured race Saturday at Leopardstown, where Luxembourg gave trainer Aidan O’Brien a fourth straight victory in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes.
Two starts at Tamworth Racecourse in Australia in recent months have revived the career of the 7-year-old mare Kadashi.
Kadashi was second by a head in a one-mile handicap at Tamworth on June 24 and won a similar race there July 8.
Bidding for a sixth Hong Kong jockeys’ championship, Zac Purton has conservatively outlined expectations for the 2022/23 season as the Australian prepares for Sunday’s (11 September) opening meeting at Sha Tin.
With 1,431 Hong Kong victories to his credit, Purton sits second behind only Douglas Whyte (1,813) on the list of Hong Kong’s all-time jockey wins and, after finishing the 2021/22 term with a title-clinching four-timer, he is cautiously hopeful of making good early progress.
After a win and a second in lucrative handicaps at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, since early August, Casino Kid will start in the Dubbo Gold Cup at Dubbo Racecourse across American time zones on Saturday with the goal of getting back to Randwick in November.
Prep races for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France, four Group 1 races in Ireland, and the English St. Leger Stakes – moved back a day after the death of Queen Elizabeth II – make it a big Sunday of racing in Europe. And with all of the action, Tuesday may be the best-known horse in any of those important races.
I’m Thunderstruck ran out of ground when he finished a fast-closing second by a half-length in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, on Aug. 27.
That may not be an issue when the two-time stakes winner starts favored in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at a mile at Flemington Racecourse on Friday.
The one-mile distance is a much better fit.
Vadeni, as talented as any 3-year-old in Europe, headlines the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes on Saturday at Leopardstown Racecourse. And Homeless Songs, as talented as any 3-year-old filly in Europe, is the early favorite in the Group 1 Matron Stakes, also part of a blockbuster afternoon of racing at Leopardstown.
Fengarada was a useful runner for trainer David Brideoake from his debut in July 2020 until June of this year, winning twice and finishing second four times in 11 starts.
For trainer John Leek, Jr., Fengarada has been unbeatable in three starts since July, more than recouping his purchase price of approximately $13,800 from an online auction in June.
The winning streak will be at risk when Fengarada races against a tougher level of handicap runners at 1 1/2 miles at Swan Hill Racecourse on Thursday.