Lizard's Desire, a heartbreaking nose second to Gloria de Campeao in the Dubai World Cup on March 27, returns to action at Sha Tin on Sunday for a tilt at the Group 1. $1.8 million Queen Elizabeth II Cup at 1 1/4 miles on turf. Christophe Soumillon, who rode Lizard's Desire to victory in a pair of handicaps on the Meydan Tapeta surface this winter, reclaims the ride from Kevin Shea, who rode him in the World Cup.

Paco Boy defends his Sandown Mile title at Sandown Park on Saturday in the Group 2, $154,000, contest, which was first won in 1985 by Steve Cauthen aboard Pebbles, subsequent winner of the Breeders' Cup Turf.

Dariole prevailed in a three-way photo to lift the Group 3, $107,000 Prix Penelope at Saint-Cloud on Thursday, holding on bravely near the line to win by a neck with A Media Luz and the British favorite Middle Club dead-heating for second.

Wesley Ward's victorious foray into the heady world of Royal Ascot last year has not gone unnoticed by American trainers. Ascot Racecourse announced on Wednesday that no fewer than five American-trained horses have been nominated to eight different races at the prestigious five-day meeting that will be held this year from Tuesday, June 15, to Saturday, June 19.

The Americans are led by Kinsale King in the Golden Jubilee Stakes. Carl O'Callaghan had a glowing report of his Dubai Golden Shaheen winner.

Waseet can give John Dunlop another classic contender at Sandown Park on Friday when he returns to action in the Group 3, $100,000, Sandown Classic Trial, at 1 1/4 miles the first key prep for the Epsom Derby on June 5.

British invader Middle Club holds the big stick at Saint-Cloud on Thursday as the only stakes winner in the Group 3, $108,000 Prix Penelope, a 1 5/16-mile prep for the French Oaks. A daughter of Fantastic Light trained by Richard Hannon, Middle Club is accustomed to making the trip to France from her home base in Marlborough, Wiltshire, as she won the one-mile, Group 3 Prix d'Aumale at Chantilly in September. She prepared for her latest journey with a win in a 1 1/4-mile conditions race on the Kempton Park Polytrack on March 24. Richard Hughes retains the ride.

Victoire Pisa took what jockey Yutaka Take believes could be the first step to the Japanese triple crown at Nakayama on Sunday, when he scored a resounding victory in the $2.5 million Satsuki Sho, or Japanese 2000 Guineas. Victoire Pisa rallied along the rail to lead inside the eighth pole, defeating Hiruno d'Amour by 1 1/2 lengths while clocking a 2:00.80 for the 1 1/4 miles on good ground as the 1.30-1 favorite.

Dick Turpin picked the pocket of his Richard Hannon-trained stablemate Canford Cliffs to win the Group 3, $100,000 Greenham Stakes at Newbury on Saturday, thrusting himself into the European Guineas picture in the process.

The $2.4 million Satsuki Sho, or Japanese 2000 Guineas, at Nakayama on Sunday is a wide-open affair at 1 1/4 miles, with last year's juvenile champ, Rose Kingdom, one of eight or nine horses with a proper chance of victory.

A King Kamehameha colt, Rose Kingdom was the winner of the one-mile Futurity Stakes here in December. He was only third last out in Nakayama's 1 1/8-mile, Grade 2 Spring Stakes on March 21 behind Aliseo, a son of Symboli Kris S who should relish the extra furlong on Sunday.

Jockey Kieren Fallon has severe bruising but no broken bones after a paddock accident Friday at England's Newbury Racecourse.

The 45-year-old Fallon was kicked in the right thigh by his mount, Ayam Zainah, who had been spooked by a loose horse running past her.

Following the incident, screens were set up around the still-conscious Fallon as he lay motionless on the ground at the Berkshire track, 60 miles west of London. After an examination in the track's medical center, he was sent by ambulance to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, where X-rays proved negative.