Elusive Pimpernel threw down the gauntlet to St Nicholas Abbey at Newmarket on Thursday with a stunning four-length rout of the Group 3, $100,000 Craven Stakes over the 2000 Guineas course and distance. Pushed along by Ryan Moore when still sixth after a half-mile, Elusive Pimpernel, a son of Elusive Quality trained by John Dunlop, cruised to the lead approaching the three-sixteenths marker and never looked back.

Greville Starkey, one of England's leading jockeys in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s and eighties, died of cancer at the age of 70 on Tuesday at his home near Newmarket. During his 33-year career, Starkey won five British, two Irish, and two French classics, but was unfortunately best known for finishing second on the hot favorite Dancing Brave in the 1986 Epsom Derby. Starkey was forever accused of waiting too long on Dancing Brave, who lost by a diminishing half-length to Shahrastani.

Music Show won the Group 3, $100,000 Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket on Wednesday, establishing herself as one of the favorites for the 1000 Guineas on May 2. Ridden by Kieren Fallon, the 6-1 Michael Channon-trained Noverre filly came wide from well behind to lead approaching the eighth pole and held off the persistent Blue Maiden by a half-length with Principal Role third. The time for the seven furlongs on good ground was 1:25.43.

The performance of Elusive Pimpernel in Wednesday's Group 3, $100,000 Craven Stakes should tell us a great deal about the quality of Europe's 3-year-old milers at this still very early stage. A son of Elusive Quality trained by John Dunlop, Elusive Pimpernel was second by 3 3/4 lengths to the European juvenile champion, St Nicholas Abbey, in the Racing Post Trophy in October. He is well suited to the straight Rowley Mile Course at Newmarket, over which he broke his maiden going seven furlongs in July.

The British flat racing season begins in earnest at Newmarket on Wednesday with four classic preps, headed by the Group 3, $100,000 Nell Gwyn Stakes. The 11-4 favorite Music Show will attempt to repeat her Oct. 17 victory in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes, which came on the same course and at the seven-furlong distance of the Nell Gwyn.

Cutlass Bay remained undefeated on Sunday as he made his 4-year-old debut a winning one at Longchamp in the Group 2, $176,000 Prix d Harcourt, holding on gamely to defeat Court Canibal by a neck. What makes his performance stand out, however, was that this was his first start since having won the Group 2 Prix Greffulhe on May 12.

Apapane rallied to win the $2.25 million Oka Sho, or Japanese 1000 Guineas, at Hanshin on Sunday, setting a stakes record of 1:33.30 for the Grade 1 mile.

Ridden by Masayoshi Ebina, Apapane, last year's Japanese juvenile filly champion, came from fourth at the top of the stretch to catch the pacesetting Oken Sakura near the line, prevailing by a half-length as the 9-5 favorite. It was another neck back to A Shin Returns in third with the 4.-1 second choice Apricot Fizz fifth, beaten just two lengths for all the money.

Don't Push It gave Britain's most highly decorated jumps jockey, Tony McCoy, his first victory in the Grand National Steeplechase on Saturday with a five-length victory over Black Apalachi in the 4 1/2-mile, $1.4 million spectacle that was filled with drama both before and during the race.

NEW YORK - All of the noise created in the last two years by dirt traditionalists and synthetic radicals concerning safety has tended to drown out a larger and equally important trend: Racing and breeding in America continues on a path toward isolationism even in this age of globalism.

The $2.25 million Oka Sho, or Japanese 1000 Guineas, at Hanshin on Sunday looks like a Triple-A race, with much of the attention in the fillies' classic focused on Apapane, Apricot Fizz, and Animate Bio. The one-mile contest is officially rated an international Grade 1 contest for the first time in its history this year, as are the other four Japanese classics as they are now open to all comers from around the world.