Just a Way, a 14-1 outsider, scored an upset win in Sunday’s $2,824,157 Tenno Sho at Tokyo Racecourse, the first Grade 1 win of his career.
Ridden by Yuichi Fukunaga, Just a Way finished four lengths in front of Gentildonna, the even-money favorite who was making her first start since a third in the Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse on June 23. Gentildonna was the 2012 Japanese Horse of the Year.
Eishin Flash, who won the 2012 Tenno Sho, was third in the field of 17.
Somewhat is the most accomplished horse among 11 entrants in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy Stakes on Saturday at Doncaster in England, but that does not mean he has a discernible edge in the one-mile race for 2-year-olds.
Fiorente, second in the 2012 Melbourne Cup, can solidify his status as the favorite for this year’s Melbourne Cup on Nov. 5 with a win in Saturday’s $2,880,000 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Australia.
The Group 1 Cox Plate, run over 1 1/2 miles on turf, is a key prep for the two-mile Melbourne Cup. Fiorente won a Group 2 race over a mile at Moonee Valley in September, but was fourth in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington on Oct. 5. Jockey Blake Shinn rides Fiorente for Gai Waterhouse.
Farhh, making his first start since May, ended his career with a hard-fought neck win in Saturday’s $2,093,000 Champion Stakes at Ascot.
Ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, Farhh (11-4) led for the final furlong of the 1 1/4-mile race over soft turf and held off a late run from 6-4 favorite Cirrus des Aigles, the winner of the 2011 Champion Stakes. Ruler of The World, the winner of the English Derby in June, finished third in a strong field of 10.
Farhh was always near the lead, tracking Hunter’s Light, who was 10th in the Arlington Million in August.
The first Group 1 win of Olympic Glory’s career proved a memorable won, as the 3-year-old burst between horses and stormed home to a 3 1/4-length victory Saturday at soggy Ascot in the $1,614,700 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Autumn at Ascot seems to fit the veteran French gelding Cirrus des Aigles.
In 2011, Cirrus des Aigles won the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot, his first win at that level. Last year, he was second to the star Frankel.
Saturday, Cirrus des Aigles is back in the $2,093,000 Champion Stakes and will be a heavy favorite to win the race over 1 1/4 miles on turf. A 7-year-old gelding, Cirrus des Aigles will be after his third consecutive win, having won the Group 3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte on Sept. 20 and the Group 2 Prix Dollar at Longchamp on Oct. 5.
The idea motivating the creation of British Champions Day at Ascot was to bring together the best horses in Europe for one last late-season day of championship-level racing, and in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, that idea has largely come to fruition.
The QE II, a Group 1 mile with a purse of about $1,614,700, drew a final field of 12, among them several of the best milers in the world. The antepost betting favorite is Dawn Approach, but Maxios, Soft Falling Rain, Olympic Glory, and Gordon Lord Byron all are qualified to have an impact.
Hawkspur, a 7-1 shot to win the Melbourne Cup next month, will be favored to win Saturday’s $2,387,250 Caulfield Cup at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Caulfield Racecourse in Australia.
Trained by Chris Waller, Hawkspur won the Group 1 Queensland Derby in June, and a Group 2 race on Sept. 7, but has been fourth and fifth in two subsequent starts in Group 1 races.
A 4-year-old Australian-bred gelding by Purrealist, Hawkspur is part of a field of 18. He will be ridden by Jim Cassidy and will carry 120 pounds under the handicap conditions of the Caulfield Cup.
The Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes headlines a big day of racing on Saturday at Newmarket in England. The $559,055 Dewhurst is the richest of four group races for 2-year-olds on a program that also includes the $400,000 Cambridgeshire Handicap, which drew a mind-numbing field of 36.
The Dewhurst offers far fewer options, with a mere six juveniles entered to race seven furlongs down a straight course. The favorite is War Command, trained by Aidan O’Brien and owned by the Coolmore group as well as the American Joe Allen.
