Gran Alegria, a filly with an American pedigree who ran well against males in the Grade 1 Futurity Stakes last December, won her 2019 debut in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas at Hanshin Racecourse.

Gran Alegria ran a mile on turf in 1:32.70, lowering the track record of 1:33.10 set by Almond Eye last year. Ridden by Christophe Lemaire, Gran Alegria closed from fourth in a field of 18 to take the lead with three furlongs remaining.

Beauty Generation scored a measured 1 1/4-length win Sunday at Sha Tin in the Group 2, $541,000 Chairman’s Trophy keeping his perfect season alive while winning his eighth straight start.

Tiger Roll became the first horse to win consecutive runnings of the Grand National Steeplechase in 45 years on Saturday at Aintree Racecourse in England and at 4-1 was one of the shortest-priced favorites in the history of the race.

Ridden by Davy Russell, Tiger Roll closed from a stalking position in the final half-mile to take the lead at the 29^th and final fence of the race at 4 9/16 miles. The field was scheduled to jump 30 fences, but the first fence was omitted on the second circuit because of a fallen horse – Up for Review, who suffered a fatal injury.

R1 – 4-3-8-10
R2 – 7-10-4-6
R3 – 2-1-5-3
R4 – 11-6-10-8
R5 – 1-2-4-10
R6 – 3-9-11-4
R7 – 1-3-9-8
R8 – 5-10-4-7
R9 – 9-2-4-6
R10 – 11-1-13-8

Best – R4 N11 Looking Good
Longshot – R6 N11 Super Red Dragon
Best Play – R6 Q/Qp 3 / 4,9,11

Paul Lally:

R1 8-3-10-4
R2 7-4-6-9
R3 1-2-3-4
R4 11-4-6-8
R5 12-2-4-1
R6 3-4-9-12
R7 1-2-3-9
R8 7-5-3-10
R9 2-4-6-14
R10 3-5-11-7

John Moore trains the Hong Kong superstar Beauty Generation, and Moore hoped he and his horse would be out on the road last weekend racing in the $6 million Dubai Turf. Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen owns Beauty Generation, and the Kwok family had other ideas.

One of the first notable race cards of the European flat season comes Sunday at Longchamp, and Godolphin, at least, is ready for it.

Four of the seven entrants in the Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt over about 1 1/4 miles are Godolphin-owned: Charlie Appleby trains Ghaiyyath and Lucius Tiberius, while Nocturnal Fox and Soleil Marin start for trainer Andre Fabre.

Success at Hanshin Racecourse in one-mile turf races has made Danon Fantasy the leading 3-year-old filly in Japan.

Last December, Danon Fantasy won the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies. A month later, she was named champion 2-year-old filly of 2018. Danon Fantasy won her 2019 debut in the Grade 2 Tulip Sho at a mile on turf at Hanshin on March 2, a prep for Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas at Hanshin.

Tiger Roll can become the first horse to win consecutive runnings of the historic Grand National steeplechase at Aintree Racecourse in England in 45 years on Saturday.

Success would make Tiger Roll one of the shortest-priced favorites in the history of the race at 4 9/16 miles.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, April 7, 2019)

SHA TIN SELECTIONS

(Wednesday, April 3)

:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis

Brett Davis

R1: 10-8-1-7

R2: 11-6-9-8

R3: 7-3-1-6

R4: 2-11-5-7

R5: 10-2-1-3

R6: 4-8-7-2

R7: 7-9-3-4

R8: 13-6-7-14

Best Bet – R5: #10 Deal Maker  

Longshot – R4: #2 Viva Council

Best Play – R4 Q/Qp 2,5,7,11

Paul Lally

R1: 6-12-1-4

R2: 7-6-9-5

R3: 7-9-1-3

R4: 4-6-1-11