Magic Legend, unbeaten in three starts this year, is rising in prominence on the Hong Kong circuit.
Strathmore, who was group stakes-placed in Hong Kong in 2016, and Racing Supernova, the winner of a rich handicap in December, seem headed in the opposite direction.
The three Australian-bred geldings meet for the first time in Monday’s $225,152 Nam Long Shan Handicap at six furlongs on turf at Sha Tin Racecourse, part of a 10-race post-Easter program.
The Oka Sho, Japan’s version of the 1000 Guineas for 3-year-old fillies, was contested last weekend at Hanshin, and Fan Dii Na wasn’t part of it. No, this is a filly of such promise that her connections will instead try her Sunday at Nakayama in the Group 1 Satsuki Sho, the Japanese 2000 Guineas.
Fan Dii Na faces males for the first time but has gained enough of a following that she’s the solid favorite to become the first female winner of the race since 1948.
SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Monday, April 17, 2017)
RACE 1: #3 Lucky Master, #1 Confucius Warrior, #6 Amusing City, #5 Riverside Bird
RACE 2: #1 Amazing Always, #6 Rewarding Flyer, #12 Yourthewonforme, #14 Telecom Boom
RACE 3: #1 Fancy Music, #4 King's Man, #7 Cool And Neat, #12 Gorgeous Again
RACE 4: #1 Endearing, #4 Mr Oriole, #5 Vital Spring, #7 Multigogo
Invader, winner of the Group 1 Inglis’ Sires Stakes on April 1, can win his second race at the highest level in Saturday’s Group 1 Champagne Stakes for 2-year-olds at a mile at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Australia.
Invader is expected to be an odds-on favorite in the $373,600 Champagne Stakes, which is run at 1,600 meters, or about a mile, on turf. Trained by the father-son team of Peter and Paul Snowden, Invader has won two of his last three starts, a span that includes second in his stakes debut – the Group 2 Todman Stakes on March 4.
Andrew Le Jeune
R1: 5-2-12-1
R2: 11-9-7-2
R3: 7-1-10-2
R4: 7-9-1-2
R5: 8-7-4-1
R6: 2-6-8-11
R7: 9-10-11-5
R8: 3-1-12-7
Best: R4 #7 Contribution
Long: R8 #12 Winnie’s Honey
Play: Q/QP 1-3-12
Brett Davis - Selections
R1 - 5-2-12-10-1
R2 - 11-2-9-8-1
R3 - 7-2-4-3-8
R4 - 2-4-1-7-9
R5 - 7-1-8-9-3
R6 - 10-8-2-4-7
R7 - 9-7-10-11-2
R8 - 3-1-4-12-6
Heavily favored Cloth of Stars won the Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt by a neck over fellow 4-year-old Mekthaal on Sunday at Chantilly Racecourse in France.
Trained by Andre Fabre for Godolphin, Cloth of Stars had a race-fitness edge on his rivals, having already won the Prix Exbury on March 19 at Saint-Cloud. He nevertheless ran like a fresh horse, going along keenly near the rear of the field under Mickael Barzalona before rallying to the lead in the final furlong. Mekhtaal was 1 1/2 lengths better than Maniaco, another 4-year-old, with Robin of Navan fourth.
One For Arthur closed from the back of a field of 40 to score a historic win in Saturday’s $1.25 million Grand National at Aintree Racecourse, north of Liverpool, England.
One For Arthur is the second Scottish-trained winner of the grueling race at 4 1/4 miles first run in 1839.
Winx, the world’s top-rated turf horse, completed her second consecutive season without a loss in Australia on Saturday with her 17th straight win in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse outside of Sydney.
A 6-year-old mare, Winx won the $3.02 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes at about 1 1/4 miles on turf by 5 1/4 lengths over Hartnell, who has finished behind Winx seven times in his career.
