The Kentucky-bred Qabala rolled past stablemate Mot Juste in the final furlong of Tuesday’s Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket and directly to the top of the future-book for the Group 1 English 1000 Guineas next month.
The 1-2 finish by Qabala and Mot Juste gave trainer Roger Varian a sweep of the exacta in the $78,400 Nell Gwyn Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs. The race was the first start of the year for both fillies and the second career start for Qabala.
It was all Godolphin blue in the 3-year-old Classic trials Sunday at Longchamp, where the colt Persian King won the Prix de Fontainebleau and the filly Castle Lady the Prix de la Grotte. Persian King is a possible runner in the English 2000 Guineas, but his status for that race depends to some extent on how two more Godolphin colts perform Wednesday at Newmarket in the Group 3 Craven Stakes.
HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, April 17, 2019)
Race 1: #4 The Sylph, #8 Wonderful Tiger, #10 Bonito, #6 Kwaichung Brothers
Race 2: #1 Look Eras, #6 Gunnar, #5 Bandy, #8 General Iron
Race 3: #2 Waldorf, #8 Noble Delight, #7 Fantastic Fabio, #5 Nordic Warrior
Race 4: #7 Curling Luxury, #2 Naboo Star, #6 Polymer Luck, #3 Mister Monte
Race 5: #1 Blitzing, #2 Ballistic King, #5 Endearing, #3 Harrier Jet
The Hong Kong Triple Crown at Sha Tin Racecourse did not work out as planned for Ka Ying Star earlier this year.
After third-place finishes in the first two races – the Hong Kong Classic Mile on Jan. 27 and the Hong Kong Classic Cup on Feb. 17 - Ka Ying Star was 10th in the Hong Kong Derby on March 17.
Mot Juste, the Kentucky-bred Distorted Humor filly, is climbing her way toward the top of the British 3-year-old filly division.
Last fall, Mot Juste won her final two starts on courses with uphill finishes, including the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes at seven furlongs at Newmarket last October. On Tuesday, Mot Juste will be favored to win her 2019 debut in the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs at Newmarket.
The course has a distinct uphill finish that can test the stamina of runners of any class.
Saturnalia remained unbeaten in four starts with a hard-fought win by a head over Velox in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas at Nakayama Racecourse.
Saturnalia, the 7-10 favorite, had his 2019 debut in the $2.16 million Japanese 2000 Guineas and has taken the role of leading 3-year-old male with the win. Admire Mars, the champion 2-year-old male in Japan in 2018, finished fourth of 18 in the Japanese 2000 Guineas, his second loss in as many starts this year.
Persian King ended his 2-year-old campaign winning the Group 3 Autumn Stakes in England and began his 3-year-old season with an easy front-running tally Sunday in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau in France.
SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, April 14)
:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis
Brett Davis
R1: 7-5-4-6
R2: 8-3-10-11
R3: 4-9-10-12
R4: 3-10-1-2
R5: 2-9-10-1
R6: 7-9-2-4
R7: 7-6-3-8
R8: 3-6-10-2
R9: 12-4-5-3
R10: 2-10-7-4
R11: 4-7-8-5
Best Bet – R8: #3 Lucky Hero
Longshot – R7: #7 Simple Elegant
Best Play – R10: Q/Qp 2,7,10
Paul Lally
Magical needed no tricks to win the first start of her 4-year-old season.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained filly, who made two-time Arc winner Enable work to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf by a half-length in her 3-year-old finale, easily won the Group 3 Alleged Stakes on Saturday at Naas in Ireland. Magical stalked the pace of stablemate Flag of Honour under Ryan Moore, was tipped wide 1 1/2 furlongs from the finish and made short work of a decent field while under only mild pressure. Her margin of victory over a yielding course was four lengths.
Spring buds are bursting open in Paris – literally and figuratively. The figurative types, 3-year-olds gearing up for the European classics, will have a chance to flower in three Group 3 stakes on Sunday at Longchamp.
The program, expected to be conducted over ground rated good-to-soft, has a pair of mile races – the Prix de Fontainebleau for sophomore males and the Prix de la Grotte for fillies – along with the 1 3/16-mile Prix Noailles, an early marker on the path to the Prix du Jockey Club, the French Derby.
