Mastercraftsman maintained his position as Europe's leading 2-year-old at the Curragh on Sunday, but only barely, as he outgamed Shaweel by a short head in taking the $425,000 National Stakes. Victory for the Danehill Dancer colt gave trainer Aidan O'Brien his seventh victory in Ireland's premier juvenile event as well as his 20th Group 1 triumph of the year.

Well, he finally got there. After 25 runners and more than three decades of trying, Sir Michael Stoute won his first St Leger as Conduit scored by three lengths under Frankie Dettori to take the final classic of the British season at Doncaster on Saturday.

An 8-1 chance, Conduit was the second choice of three runners for the stable, with stable jockey Ryan Moore choosing to ride Doctor Fremantle.

Frozen Fire, Aidan O'Brien's Irish Derby winner, was sent off the 9-4 favorite, but never threatened to land a blow from the rear of the field.

Zarkava, undefeated and largely untested in five career starts, will put her classy credentials as favorite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on the line at Longchamp on Sunday when she returns from a 14-week summer vacation in the Prix Vermeille.

Rainbow View stamped herself as potentially something special at Doncaster on Thursday as she barely came off the bridle in winning big for the third time without a loss in the Group 2 May Hill Stakes.

Rainbow View, current favorite for next year's 1000 Guineas, will step up to Group 2 company at Doncaster on Thursday when she faces seven rivals in the $140,000 May Hill Stakes.

By Dynaformer out of a Del Mar Oaks winner, No Matter What, Rainbow View has won both of her starts by six lengths, the most recent on Aug. 9 in Newmarket's Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes over the May Hill distance of seven furlongs.

Japan's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hopeful, Meisho Samson, will bypass this Sunday's Arc prep for older horses, the Prix Foy, and instead head straight to the Oct. 5 Arc off an improbable 14-week layoff.

New Approach took advantage of the withdrawal of Duke of Marmalade to win the $1.42 million Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Sunday with a deceptively handy half-length score over what was decidedly a subpar field in one of Europe's premier 10-furlong events.

Trained by Jim Bolger and ridden by Kevin Manning, New Approach defeated the 50-1 Traffic Guard while notching his first win since taking the Epsom Derby on June 7. His time for the 1 1/4 miles on ground rated yielding to soft in places, was 2:07.57.

Henrythenavigator was unable to cope with a phalanx of French fillies on Sunday as Goldikova beat him into fifth place in the $569,000 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.

It was the first defeat this year for Henrythenavigator, the 11-10 favorite who had won four Group 1 miles since May.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien blamed the good to soft ground and the wide post 11 for the loss.

Saturday's card at Leopardstown, which was to have featured a clash between Duke of Marmalade and New Approach in the Irish Champion Stakes, was abandoned due to a waterlogged course. The entire program, including the Group 1 Matron Stakes, has been rescheduled for Sunday afternoon, weather permitting.

Henrythenavigator must beware of the siren songs of three of France’s best female milers on Sunday when he sails into uncharted waters in the $573,000 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.