Winless in his first seven starts, Top Fred returned from a three-month break to record a breakthrough performance in a maiden race at six furlongs at tiny Swan Hill Racecourse in Australia in April. That was followed by another win at the same venue in a six-furlong handicap on May 11.

The distances may have been the key. In December and January, Top Fred was racing at 1 1/4 miles. The shorter trip seems to be a better fit, which makes Top Fred well-suited to a handicap at 6 3/4 furlongs at Donald Racecourse on Friday.

Group 1 racing returns to England on Friday for the first time since last autumn, while Ghaiyyath races in England for the first time since autumn 2017.

Ghaiyyath is solidly favored in antepost wagering for the Group 1 Coronation Cup, the Friday feature at Newmarket. The 1 1/2-mile fixture usually is held at Epsom Downs, but nothing is usual right now in this post-COVID-19 racing-shutdown world, with the British Horseracing Authority rearranging major races to best fit a new calendar. Racing resumed in England on Monday, with an all-weather card at Newcastle.

Through his Southern Hemisphere 2-year-old season, Rothfire has thrived at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane, Australia.

Rothfire is trained by Robert Heathcote, who is based at Eagle Farm. A gelding, Rothfire is unbeaten in four starts at the course, including the Group 2 Champagne Classic at six furlongs on May 23.

Front Page, the 3-year-old Southern Hemisphere gelding, has been the subject of good news for his backers in the last few months.

A winner of 2 of 4 starts, Front Page is unlucky not to have three wins, having lost a handicap by a nose in early March.

The success has its ramifications. Front Page will carry joint top weight of 134.4 pounds when he starts in a handicap at about six furlongs Thursday at Wangaratta Racecourse.

Andrew Le Jeune
R1: 8-2-1-6
R2: 10-6-12-8
R3: 2-1-4-11
R4: 1-3-8-4
R5: 9-8-4-10
R6: 12-2-6-1
R7: 5-4-10-9
R8: 9-1-5-2
R9: 7-5-9-1

Best: R7 N5 Columbus County
Each/way: R5 N9 Incanto Prepared
Play: R7 Q/QP 4-5-10

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Victor Ludorum’s first defeat paved the way for his most important victory as Godolphin’s Andre Fabre-trained colt outclassed the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains on Monday at Deauville.

Proletariat, a winner of 4 of 10 starts in New Zealand, will have his debut in Australia in a seven-furlong handicap Wednesday on the Kensington course at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.

Proletariat will need a sharp effort to win his first start since January at a distance shorter than his recent successes. Proletariat won three consecutive handicaps in New Zealand last November and December at 1 5/16 miles and 1 3/8 miles.

Righteous Doctrine lost his first 15 Hong Kong starts after being imported from France following a 2018 campaign, but midway through this Hong Kong racing season, something clicked for this 5-year-old gelding.

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(Wednesday, June 3, 2020)

Felix Bay, who won 7 of 80 starts, began his career in December 2012 in Australia.

The 10-year-old Southern Hemisphere gelding was useful on the flat, winning four times from 2013-15, but has developed a greater stature in jump races, particularly in the last year.

A two-time winner over hurdles, Felix Bay is unbeaten in two starts over the tougher fences in steeplechases, including a seven-length win in a chase at 2 3/16 miles on April 19 at Pakenham Racecourse.