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.

Champions Way began his Hong Kong career Jan. 30 as a 52-rated Class 4 handicapper at Happy Valley. Four races and four wins later, he is the leading light in the featured 11th race Sunday at Sha Tin.

Admire Mars, the champion 2-year-old male in Japan in 2018, and the undefeated Saturnalia will meet for the first time in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas at Nakayama Racecourse, a showdown of the two leading 3-year-old prospects this year.

Admire Mars was beaten for the first time in his fifth start when second to Danon Kingly in the Grade 3 Kyodo News Hai at 1 1/8 miles at Tokyo Racecourse on Feb. 10. Danon Kingly is part of the Japanese 2000 Guineas field and also rated as a leading contender.

As the European 3-year-old season heats up, the name on everyone’s mind is Too Darn Hot, but things went south for Europe’s top 2-year-old of 2018 this week and the colt will miss his intended comeback start this weekend in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury.

Bye Bye Hong Kong won the $77,000 Cardinal Conditions Stakes on Thursday at Chelmsford in the final leg of the European Road to the Kentucky Derby.

His neck victory over Antilles all but assured the Euro Road to the Derby won’t yield a Kentucky Derby starter this year.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS

(Sunday, April 14, 2019)

Race 1: #5 Aethero, #6 Gala Night, #7 Winning Method, #4 Sparkling Knight

Race 2: #10 Lucky Storm, #4 Otouto, #2 District Express, #8 Starlot

Race 3: #4 Aquila, #10 Marvelous World, #3 Sunshine Universe, #8 Hong Kong Win

Race 4: #10 Shining Ace, #3 Voyage Star, #6 Beauty Energy, ##12 Diamond Legend

Race 5: #9 Best Effort, #10 Proud Sky, #3 Young Glory, #1 Virtus Star

The grandstands are sold out. The weather will be perfect. Expectations are sky high.

Everything is in place for Winx’s final caeer start in Saturday’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick outside of Sydney.

The immensely popular 8-year-old mare can win her 33rd straight race and 25th Group 1 in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at 1 1/4 miles. After Saturday’s race, Winx will be retired and bred later this year.

Betting will be conducted, but many win tickets on Winx will go home as souvenirs. She was 1-10 in future-book betting on Wednesday.

Seven Heavens is overdue for his first win in Hong Kong. With a little luck in recent starts, the elusive victory would have occurred.

Seven Heavens, trained by Caspar Fownes, will have his 15th start in Hong Kong in Wednesday’s $180,053 Dongcheng District Handicap at six furlongs at Happy Valley Racecourse. Seven Heavens will be ridden by leading rider Zac Purton, who is aboard the 5-year-old British-bred gelding for the first time since January.

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, April 10, 2019)