Novellist won his third consecutive Group 1 race in Sunday’s $330,000 Grosser Preis Von Baden but had to work a little harder than expected to win Germany’s top race for older horses.

Novellist, winner of consecutive Group 1 races in June and July, can solidify his claims as a leading contender for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France in October when he starts favored in Sunday’s Group 1 Grosser Preis Von Baden at Baden-Baden in Germany.

Astaire won his first group stakes in Saturday’s $306,127 Gimcrack Stakes for 2-year-olds at York, England, leading throughout the six-furlong turf race.

Ridden by Ryan Moore, Astarie held off a late run from Wilshire Boulevard (4-1) to win the Group 2 race by a neck. Parbold, the 11-4 favorite, in the field of seven, finished third, a half-length behind the winner.

Jwala scored a huge upset in the $444,000 Nunthorpe Stakes on Friday at York in England, beating favored Shea Shea by a half-length in the Group 1 sprint race.

A 4-year-old filly, Jwala had only made her group stakes debut in her most recent start, finishing last of 17 in the Group 2 King George Stakes on Aug. 2 at Goodwood. Few knew that Jwala, according to trainer Robert Cowell, had fractured an eye socket in that race, and whatever the case, Jwala turned in by far the best performance of her career, hitting as a 40-1 shot overseas, and at more than 80-1 in U.S. betting markets.

The Fugue won her first stakes of 2013 in Thursday’s $506,000 Yorkshire Oaks at York Racecourse in England, a win that could lead to a start in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France in October.

Trained by John Gosden for Andrew Lloyd-Webber, The Fugue, a 4-year-old filly by Dansili, earned an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita in early November through the Breeders’ Cup’s Win and You’re In program.

Topping the Friday card at York is the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes, a five-furlong sprint that, through the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program, offers a fees-paid berth in the BC Turf Sprint plus travel expenses to the race.

The Group 1 Juddmonte International on Wednesday at York looked like a showdown between a top older horse and a good 3-year-old. It was, but not in the way most expected.

With Al Kazeem, the 5-year-old race favorite, unable to produce his best form, and hot 3-year-old Toronado a total no-show, 4-year-old Declaration of War won the Juddmonte by 1 1/4 lengths over the Irish 3-year-old Trading Leather.

The Fugue starts against fillies and mares for the first time since a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf last fall when she runs in Thursday’s $500,500 Yorkshire Oaks at York Racecourse in England.

Trained by John Gosden, The Fugue has started twice this year, losing to top British older male Al Kazeem in both races. The Fugue was third in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 19 and last of seven in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park on July 6.

Toronado, who might be the best 3-year-old in Europe, and Al Kazeem, who might be the best older middle-distance horse there this year, face off Wednesday at York in the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes.

The Juddmonte, contested over a little less than 1 5/16 miles on ground expected to be good to firm and worth about $666,500, drew six entrants. Declaration of War is a solid performer in decent form, and Trading Leather captured the Irish Derby this year, but the Juddmonte figures to come down to Toronado and Al Kazeem.

Trainer Wesley Ward has done it again, capturing a major European stakes for 2-year-olds with a horse shipped from the United States, as No Nay Never won the Group 1 Prix Morny on Sunday at Deauville.

No Nay Never, unbeaten in three starts, won his second race overseas, having taken the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting. The Norfolk was run on a firm turf course, and No Nay Never’s debut came on Polytrack at Keeneland.