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.

Delegator escaped from a trap along the rail to land the Group 2, $162,000 Celebration Mile at Goodwood on Saturday, defeating Zacinto by 1 1/2 lengths in a performance that has him firmly on course for the Breeders' Cup Mile.

The Aga Khan is breaking relations with bad-boy jockey Christophe Soumillon. An official statement from the Aga Khan's camp on Tuesday stated that "human relations have become difficult" with the Belgian-born Soumillon, so they will part company at the end of this season, ending a lucrative eight-year partnership that included Arc victories with Dalakhani and Zarkava.

Soumillon made some disparaging comments about the height of Andre Fabre at a gala dinner in Deauville this week, incurring the wrath of the French racing establishment.

September is upon us, and trainers around the world are beginning to think of where best to send their horses to achieve champion laurels.

The Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita is but one of many possibilities for European trainers, although it should be a port of first call for many this year, given the success they had at Santa Anita last year. Expect a higher than usual number of European invaders on Nov. 6 and 7, with a marked increase in the races on the Pro-Ride all-weather surface.

Long Lashes can take advantage of heavy ground at the Curragh on Sunday to win the Group 1, $359,000 Moyglare Stud Stakes. The winner gets an automatic spot in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Zacinto gets his acid test at Goodwood on Saturday when he meets Delegator in the Group 2, $163,000 Celebration Mile. A highly regarded 3-year-old son of Dansili trained by Michael Stoute for Juddmonte, Zacinto returned from an injury-induced 10 1/2-month absence on Aug. 1 with a narrow course-and-distance win in the listed Thoroughbred Stakes, a race that should advance him considerably.

Arcano retained his unblemished record as he got up in the final strides to win a hot renewal of the Group 1, $499,000 Prix Morny at Deauville on Sunday to assume command of the European 2-year-old division.