Inspiral closed her 2-year-old season with her first Group 1 win, running her record to four wins from four starts with a 2 1/2-length victory Friday in the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket.
Frankie Dettori waited near the back of a nine-runner field and played his strong hand late, Inspiral taking the lead between the quarter-mile marker and the furlong grounds, drawing clear to a decisive victory in this straight-course mile.
There are some good colts, as one would expect from such an important race, in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes on Saturday at Newmarket in England. But for now, Native Trail might simply be better.
It’s not only his 3-for-3 record that points Native Trail out in the one-mile Dewhurst, part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, offering automatic fees-paid entry into the BC Juvenile Turf plus travel expenses to Del Mar.
A little more than a year ago, Zaaki finished last of seven in a minor stakes at Sandown Park outside of London. Weeks later, he was sold for approximately $195,000 at a horses-in-training sale in England.
Since then, Zaaki has had quite the career turnaround on the other side of the world.
Saturday, Zaaki will be a massive favorite to win his sixth consecutive Group 1 or Group 2 race in the Group 1 Might and Power Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia.
Validation of the English 2-year-old filly Inspiral’s apparent talent has traveled all the way to North America.
Three for three to start her career and the strong favorite in Friday’s Group 1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket, Inspiral won the listed Star Stakes at Sandown Park by 3 1/2 lengths over Wild Beauty for her second win. Wild Beauty, also entered in the Fillies' Mile, shipped to Canada last month and won the Group 1 Natalma at Woobine by more than two lengths.
At the age of 6, the New Zealand-bred mare Our Intrigue has been tried at 1 1/4 miles for the first time in her career this year. The distance seems a good fit, judging from recent results.
After an eighth-place finish in her first start at 1 1/4 miles on a heavy turf course at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in July, Our Intrigue won and finished second in races at that distance at Kembla Grange on Aug. 28 and Sept. 11.
Friday at Port Macquarie Racecourse, Our Intrigue will start in her richest race of the year in the $145,380 Port Macquarie Cup at 1 1/4 miles.
The Irish-bred filly Love Takes Time has the pedigree to be a star, and could develop into such a runner in Australia in the near future.
Love Takes Time, who starts in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Mornington Racecourse near Melbourne on Thursday, is by the world-renowned stallion Galileo and is a half-sister to the 2011 group stakes winner Precious Lorraine.
Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, Love Takes Time won her debut in a maiden race at a mile at Moe Racecourse on April 25, closing from last in a field of five to win by a about a neck.
The $20 million Saudi Cup will be a Group 1 race starting in 2022 after the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee, a wing of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, elevated Saudi Arabia to a Part II racing country this past weekend.
Part III racing countries aren’t eligible for internationally graded races, but Part II countries are, and the Saudi Cup, which was inaugurated as the world’s richest race in February 2020, is going straight to Group 1 status.
Paul Lally:
Race1 1-2-3-5
Race2 1-5-2-9
Race3 10-8-1-3
Race4 3-9-1-5
Race5 5-7-8-1
Race6 8-9-6-2
Race7 3-1-6-11
Race8 1-8-9-2
Race9 8-9-2-10
Best Bet R6 N8 Ernest Feeling
Longshot R3 N10 Packing Champion
Play Race3 QQP 1-8-10
Andrew Le Jeune:
R1: 1-2-8-3
R2: 2-1-9-8
R3: 3-5-8-7
R4: 1-7-4-3
R5: 1-7-5-3
R6: 2-8-6-12
R7: 7-3-4-6
R8: 4-1-9-3
R9: 10-3-1-5
Highland Fortune went winless during a 10-start 2020-21 Hong Kong racing season but has found a good spot in the featured ninth race Wednesday at Happy Valley to break a losing streak.
One of a dozen runners entered in a Class 2 handicap over 1,650 meters, Highland Fortune has a recency edge on most of his rivals, positional pace to work out a favorable trip from a good draw, and a very manageable impost of 116 pounds.
