Big Buck’s can break a 60-year record for most consecutive wins by a National Hunt horse in England when he starts as a heavy favorite in Thursday’s Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool.
The Liverpool Hurdle is one of the top races on the first day of a three-day meeting highlighted by Saturday’s world-famous Grand National, run over four miles and four furlongs over fences.
The Liverpool Hurdle is run over three miles over smaller, easier obstacles.
The 4-year-old filly Giofra got the better of her stablemate Vadamar, winning the Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt on Sunday at Longchamp in France by three lengths, and giving trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre a sweep of the top two placings.
Gentildonna won her second stakes of the year, and first at the highest level, in Sunday’s $2.3 million Japanese 1000 Guineas, the Oka Sho, at Hanshin Racecourse.
Gentildonna was ridden by Yasunari Iwata, who guided the filly from midpack in a field of 18 to win the Group 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas by a half-length over Verxina. The first two fillies are by Deep Impact.
I’m Yours finished third, beaten a length, with Joie de Vivre, the 13-10 favorite and the champion 2-year-old filly of 2011, only sixth.
[bc_video_id:248355:]Pierro, an Australian-bred colt by Lonhro, caught longshot pacesetter Snitzerland in the final sixteenth to win Saturday’s $3.57 million Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill Gardens in Australia.
The Group 1 Golden Slipper, run over six furlongs on turf, is the world’s richest 2-year-old race.
Joie de Vivre, Japan’s champion 2-year-old filly of 2011 and a half-sister to the super mare Buena Vista, is the expected favorite in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas at Hanshin Racecourse.
Known as the Oka Sho, the Japanese 1000 Guineas is worth approximately $2.3 million and is run over about a mile on a right-handed track.
Joie de Vivre has won 2 of 3 starts. Unbeaten in two starts at 2, including a win in the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, Joie de Vivre finished third in the Grade 3 Tulip Sho over about a mile at Hanshin on March 3.
Samaready, a 2-year-old filly by More than Ready, has inherited the role of favorite for Saturday’s $3.57 million Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill Gardens racecourse in Australia, following the defection of leading rival All Too Hard.
All Too Hard is expected to start in a stakes later this month. Without him, Samaready, the winner of three group stakes this year, will be the choice in the world’s richest race for 2-year-olds. The Group 1 Golden Slipper is run over about six furlongs on turf, and has drawn a field of 16.
Frankel, the undefeated European Horse of the Year in 2011, is expected to make his 2012 debut in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes over a straightaway mile on turf at Newbury Racecourse on May 19.
A winner of nine races, including seven stakes, and approximately $2.2 million, Frankel, is expected to have a campaign based in England in 2012, and may not start in a Breeders’ Cup race at Santa Anita in November, trainer Henry Cecil said at a press conference earlier this week.
After a fruitless overseas journey to Dubai, the six American-based Thoroughbreds who competed on Dubai World Cup day at Meydan were expected to arrive in New York on Wednesday. Following a brief quarantine period at Belmont Park, those horses will return to their different bases as their connections plot out their next moves.
