Sea the Stars produced yet another brilliant performance at Leopardstown on Saturday with an imperious triumph in the $1.4 million Irish Champion Stakes. In recording his fifth Group 1 victory of the season in five tries, the John Oxx-trained son of Cape Cross and Urban Sea defeated the accomplished Fame and Glory by 2 1/2 lengths, three-quarters of a length further than he had beaten the same horse when winning the Epsom Derby.

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe will begin to sort itself out at Baden-Baden on Sunday in the $356,000 Grosser Preis von Baden. The most prestigious of four weight-for-age, Group 1 races run at 1 1/2 miles in Germany, the Grosser Preis von Baden features the return of two-time Arc runner-up Youmzain, who will be ridden by Kieren Fallon, who returned to race riding on Friday after 23 months on the sidelines with a suspension.

Kieren Fallon's return to the races on Friday after a 23-month absence was unsuccessful as he failed to win a single race in seven tries on the Lingfield and Kempton Polytracks. Finally free of a series of suspensions, the 44-year-old Irishman came closest to victory on his first mount, Rare Malt, in a five-furlong auction maiden at Lingfield. He finished 2 1/4 lengths second on the 13-8 favorite, his comeback spoiled by the 20-1 Mr Mahoganeigh, who was ridden by Britain's leading female rider, Hayley Turner.

Famous Name returns to the Group 1 wars after three straight victories in lesser company when he travels to France on Sunday for the $570,000 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, from which Aidan O'Brien has withdrawn Mastercraftsman for an apparent go at Saturday's Irish Champion Stakes.

Hopes that Sea the Stars will be able to run in the $1.4 million Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday were gaining strength Thursday as Wednesday's rain was being absorbed by the track under sunny and breezy skies. Doubts still linger, however, about the dual classic winner's participation in the 1 1/4-mile, Group 1 contest, which brings an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf to the winner.

The beleaguered Kieren Fallon returns to action at Lingfield Park on Friday after 23 months on the sidelines. The 44-year-old Irishman has not ridden since partnering with Dylan Thomas to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 7, 2007, banned first by the British Horseracing Board as his trial for race fixing began. Exonerated from those charges when the case against him fell apart, he was immdeiately handed an 18-month suspension by the French racing authorities for a second cocaine positive.

William Hill, one of Britain's premier bookmakers, is offering European-trained horses as antepost favorites in three of the most important Breeders' Cup races. Goldikova, as might be expected, is 4-5 to successfully defend her Mile title. Fame and Glory is 11-4 to upend defending champ Conduit in the Turf. And Sea the Stars is Hill's 7-2 choice in the Classic, although he is no more than a possible for the race at this stage.

Sea the Stars is the most prominent name on the five-day entry list for the $1.42 million Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday, but the highest-rated horse in the world, already the winner of four Group 1 races this year, will not run unless the ground is good or better, according to his trainer, John Oxx.

The going at Leopardstown on Monday was good, good to firm in places, so hopes remained high that Sea the Stars, a dual classic winner, will be able to take his place in the lineup, although rain is predicted to fall periodically between then and raceday.

Silver Frost, winner of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) in May, has been retired after suffering a hairline fracture to his left hind leg. An Irish-bred son of Verglas trained by Yves de Nicolay, Silver Frost follows Le Havre, winner of the Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby) as the second French classic winner of 2009 to be retired prematurely.

Termagant sprung a 16-1 surprise in the $357,000, Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday as she slogged her way to a 2 1/2-length victory over the 66-1 Famous, who was in the race solely as a pacesetter for Coolmore's odds-on favorite Lillie Langtry.