Nathaniel, the winner of the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in England in July, will not start in Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in Paris because of expected firm ground, trainer John Gosden told the English press on Wednesday.

Instead, Gosden’s stable could start Masked Marvel, the winner of the Group 1 English St. Leger on Sept. 11, in the Arc, which is run over about 1 1/2 miles on turf. Masked Marvel would have to be supplemented for approximately $136,000 on Thursday.

The Emirates Racing Authority this week announced upgrades to group stakes races to be held during 2012 in Dubai, with three Group 2 races attaining Group 1 status next year.

The Al Quoz Sprint, part of the Dubai World Cup, was boosted from Group 2 to Group 1 by the local racing authority, giving World Cup Night five Group 1 races. Also moved from Group 2 to Group 1 classification were the the Al Maktoum Challenge Round III and the Jebel Hatta, both of which are part of Meydan’s Super Saturday program, the March 10 lead-in to the March 31 World Cup in 2012.

Campanologist won his first stakes of 2011 and his third Group 1 race in Germany in the last 15 months in Sunday’s Preis Von Europa at Cologne, Germany.

The 6-year-old Campanologist faced just five rivals and rallied from fifth under jockey Frankie Dettori to finish 1 1/4 lengths in front of the German 3-year-old Ibencio. Earl of Tinsdal, another Germany-based 3-year-old and the 9-10 favorite, finished third, three lengths behind Campanologist. The Preis Von Europa was run over 1 1/2 miles and was worth approximately $210,800.

French raider Sahpresa captured the Sun Chariot Stakes for the third year in a row, winning the Group 1 race by one length over Chachamaidee on Saturday at Newmarket in England.

A horse winning the same stakes three straight years is impressive, but Sahpresa’s task was made easier by the abject failure of three main rivals. Second choice Alanza finished a one-paced sixth, fourth choice Together checked in seventh, and third-favorite Timepiece, who had beaten Sahpresa at Newmarket in July, was last of eight.

The Godolphin-owned Campanologist will have jockey Frankie Dettori aboard in Sunday’s Group 1 Preis Von Europa at Cologne, Germany.

Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Campanologist, 6, will be after his third Group 1 win in Germany in the last 14 months, and his first win of 2011 after losses in his first six races this year. In his most recent start, Campanologist was second in the Group 2 Bosphorus Cup in Turkey on Sept. 4.

Lyric of Light earned an automatic berth for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4, and a low future-book price for the 2012 English 1000 Guineas, after winning Friday’s Group 1 Shadwell Fillies’ Mile for 2-year-olds at Newmarket, England.

BREEDERS' CUP CHALLENGE: Racing schedule, replays, and past winners »

From a local perspective, the big race on Saturday’s card at Newmarket in England is the prestigious Cambridgeshire Handicap, a nine-furlong cavalry charge with 35 horses entered. But from an international vantage point, the two Group 1’s on the Newmarket card, the Sun Chariot for fillies at one mile, and the Cheveley Park for 2-year-old fillies, take center stage.

Trainer Michael Stoute, a regular participant in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, might have another horse for the race’s 2011 edition in the 3-year-old Sea Moon. Sea Moon most recently finished third as the favorite in the Sept. 10 St. Leger Stakes over 1 3/4 miles at Doncaster, but in his previous start won the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes over 1 1/2 miles by eight lengths.

Sarafina won her third race in a row, bulling between horses deep in the stretch run to win the Prix Foy by a head over the Japanese horse Hiruno d’Amour and cement her position as one of the favorites for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in three weeks.