Curtain Call, the second favorite for the Epsom Derby, will have his final prep for the June 7 classic on Saturday in the 1 7/16-mile Lingfield Derby Trial, a Group 3 contest worth $117,000. A Sadler's Wells colt trained by Luca Cumani, Curtain Call won the one-mile Group 2 Beresford Stakes when trained by Jessica Harrington last fall. He started his 3-year-old campaign with a six-length score in a three-runner, 1 1/4-mile conditions race at Nottingham on April 23.

The Godolphin and Coolmore racing operations will square off in a key Epsom Derby trial at Chester on Friday when Alexandros and Achill Island meet in the Group 3, $128,000 Dee Stakes at 1 1/4 miles, 75 yards.

In Alexandros, Godolphin has a son of Kingmambo who looked potentially first-class last summer winning the Group 3 Prix de Cabourg at Deauville, but he has not run since finishing third behind Myboycharlie and Natagora in the Group 1 Prix Morny on Aug. 19, and this will be his first try beyond six furlongs.

Maraahel will go after his fourth consecutive victory in the Group 3 Huxley Stakes at Chester on Thursday. A 7-year-old trained by Michael Stoute, Maraahel will once again have Richard Hills on board in the 1 1/4-mile, 75-yard contest worth $118,000 in which Stotsfeld, winner of Goodwood's Group 3 Select Stakes, poses the biggest challenge.

A gritty front-running performance by the Natagora landed her the $739,000 1000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket on Sunday, as she held on gamely to defeat Spacious by a half-length. The victory was the first by a French invader in the fillies classic since the Criquette Head-trained Hatoof in 1992.

A filly who sold for about $1,880,000 took the spotlight this week in Australia when she topped the William Inglis & Son auction house's Easter select broodmare sale, which ended Monday in Sydney under a new format featuring two select days.

By ALAN SHUBACK

Henrythenavigator outdueled hot favorite New Approach in the $735,000 2000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday, giving Aidan O'Brien his third victory in the last four years in the one-mile colts' classic.

French invader Natagora will pit her speed against a fast-improving Infallible in the 195th running of the 1000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket on Sunday when 15 fillies contest the $696,000 classic mile.

New Approach will put his spotless record on the line at Newmarket on Saturday in the 200th running of the 2000 Guineas Stakes.

The European champion juvenile, New Approach will be making his first start of the season in the $696,000 mile classic, but trainer Jim Bolger should have his Galileo colt ready for the biggest race thus far in his career.

Owner William J. Preston appears to have himself a hot prospect for the French Oaks in Leo's Starlet. A homebred Galileo filly, bred in Ireland by Prestonwood Farm, Leo's Starlet extended her unbeaten record to 3 for 3 at Saint-Cloud on Thursday by winning the $125,000 Group 3 Cleopatre, a key 1 5/16-mile prep for the Oaks.

Nownownow will not run in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday, as he was withdrawn from the race at the five-day entry stage by trainer David Wachman, who offered no explanation.

Winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, Nownownow had missed his intended Guineas prep race because rain had set him back a bit. A son of Whywhywhy owned by Fab Oak Stables, Nownownow is stabled at Wachman's yard in County Tipperary in Ireland.