Titleholder led by five lengths midway through Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese St. Leger at Hanshin Racecourse.

While a bold move to take command of the race may have seemed dangerous, the tactic turned out to be a winning strategy.

Titleholder ($17.20) maintained the lead throughout to win the $2.38 million Japanese St. Leger by five lengths, showing that he had no difficulty with a new distance of 1 7/8 miles. The result was a turnaround from a troubled 13th-place finish in the Grade 2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Nakayama Racecourse on Sept. 20.

Little River was beaten a nose in her debut against winners at Sunshine Coast Racecourse in Australia last January, a result that looked much better in the ensuing months.

Little River lost to Simply Fly, who won his next two starts, including a $388,250 race for Queensland-bred horses at six furlongs in March.

Since mid-April, the 5-year-old mare Unwavering Faith has won 3 of 6 starts in Australia at distances ranging from 7 1/2 furlongs to a mile. In each win, she closed from off the pace to take a late lead.

The style suggests Unwavering Faith will handle a longer distance, such as Monday’s Cessnock Cup at 1 5/16 miles at Newcastle Racecourse, north of Sydney. This is a new distance for Unwavering Faith, who has won 3 of 9 starts in her career for owner and trainer Nathan Doyle.

Capping an unbeaten three-start campaign, Luxembourg made short work of eight rivals Saturday at Doncaster, winning the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths under Ryan Moore.

Paul Lally:

R1 7-1-4-9

R2 6-2-3-8

R3 5-6-12-7

R4 5-4-8-12

R5 8-1-3-11

R6 6-7-4-8

R7 7-11-2-4

R8 5-11-12-4

R9 3-11-9-4

R10 11-13-3-2

Best Bet R1 N7 Super Fortune

Longshot R10 N11 Sunshine Warrior

Play R1 QQP 1-4-7

Tom Wood:

R1:   1-7-4-14

R2:    8-6-5-3

R3:    5-13-12-3

R4:     8-6-13-12
R5:    8-1-3-11

R6:    6-9-1-8

R7:    3-8-7-11

R8:    5-4-6-12

R9:    3-11-4-9

State of Rest completed a unique double of stakes wins at Saratoga Racecourse in New York and Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, with a narrow victory in Saturday’s Group 1 Cox Plate in Australia.

State of Rest ($14.80 in American pools) held off a sustained threat from 2-1 Anamoe to prevail by a short head in the $3.74 million race at about 1 1/4 miles.

State of Rest won the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby at 1 3/16 miles at 21-1 on Aug. 7 in his second start of 2021.

Master Montaro comes into the featured 10th race Sunday at Sha Tin holding strong form – but not as strong as his jockey’s. 

Orthoclase, 3, was a good third in the Grade 2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Nakayama Racecourse on Sept. 20 in his first start since December.

The comeback race was the foundation of an autumn campaign that continues in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese St. Leger at Hanshin Racecourse, a $2.38 million race formally known as the Kikuka Sho. Run at 1 7/8 miles, the Japanese St. Leger does not have as strong of a field this year as in past seasons.

Prep race completed, Tavidance has an excellent chance to win the first stakes of his career in his fifth appearance in such a race in Sunday’s $149,100 Sale Cup at Sale Racecourse in Australia.

A 6-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, Tavidance finished fourth by a little more than 1 1/4 lengths in the Headquarters Stakes at seven furlongs at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on Oct. 2. The 5-1 co-favorite in that field, Tavidance closed from 11^th in a field of 12.

Fixed odds wagering on spring classic races starts early in England and the English Derby favorite sees action Saturday at Doncaster Racecourse in England.

Luxembourg has made Swiss cheese of 11 opponents in his two races, and he’s the odds-on favorite to give trainer Aidan O’Brien his 10^th win in the Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes, formerly known as the Racing Post Trophy.