Silver Birch surprised 39 rivals in the $1.38 million Grand National Steeplechase at Aintree on Saturday, as the 33-1 shot held off the late challenge of Mckelvey in the 4-1/2-mile marathon.

Jean-Claude Rouget, successful with US Ranger in Wednesday's Prix Djebel, sends out another classic candidate, Battle Paint, in Sunday's Group 3, $108,000 Prix de Fontainebleau, The race is a one-mile course-and-distance Longchamp prep for the French 2000 Guineas.

Dream Journey's title as Japan's 2-year-old champion may not do him much good in Sunday's $1.97 million Satsuki Sho, or Japanese 2000 Guineas, at Nakayama, where he will be challenged by the fast-improving Admire Aura.

The last two winners of the the Grand National Steeplechase, Numbersixvalverde and Hedgehunter, meet again in Saturday's $1.38 million renewal at Aintree, but the 4 1/2-mile test over 30 of the world's most demanding fences is a wide-open, 40-runner affair in which the favorite, Joe's Edge, could go off as high as 9-1.

It was "Made in America Day" at Maisons-Laffitte on Wednesday, as Kentucky-breds US Ranger and Magic America stormed to victory in their Guineas preps.

Daiwa Scarlet held off the late challenge of the 2-5 favorite, Vodka, at Hanshin on Sunday to win the $1.75 million Oka Sho, or Japanese 1000 Guineas.

An Agnes Tachyon half-sister to three-time Grade 1 winner Daiwa Major, the 4.90-1 Daiwa Scarlet prevailed by 1 1/2 lengths. She traveled the mile under Katsumi Ando on firm ground in 1:33.70, just .20 of a second off the stakes record of Rhein Kraft in 2005 when Cesario was a head second, and just .10 of a second off the time of Dance in the Mood, who won the race in 2004.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien experienced mixed fortunes over the weekend as his Soldier of Fortune landed the Group 2, $173,000 Prix Noailles at Longchamp on Sunday, a day after O'Brien was shut out of both the 1000 and 2000 Guineas Trials at Leopardstown.

Japanese juvenile filly champion Vodka faces a stern test in Sunday's Grade 1 Oka Sho, the $1.4 million turf mile at Hanshin Racecourse near Osaka that is better known around the world as the Japanese 1000 Guineas.

Boris de Deauville turned the tables on Pearl Sky at Longchamp on Sunday when he avenged his Prix Exbury defeat with victory in the Group 2, $173,000 Group 2 Prix d'Harcourt at Longchamp.

Boris de Deauville came from eighth to first at 13-1 to defeat Pearl Sky by 1 1/2 lengths, getting the 1 1/4 miles on heavy ground in 2:13.40. It was just a nose farther back to the pacesetting Irish Wells in third. The winner was ridden by Yann Barberot for trainer Stephane Wattel.

Pearl Sky will once again have the quagmire she loves Sunday at Longchamp as she goes after her fourth consecutive victory on heavy ground in the Group 2, $173,000 Prix d'Harcourt.

A 4-year-old Kahyasi filly trained by Yves de Nicolay, Pearl Sky slammed four of her Harcourt rivals by more than five lengths over the same 1 1/4-mile distance in the Group 3 Prix Exbury at Saint-Cloud on March 10. Elasos, Runaway, Boris de Deauville, and Blushing King will all try her again, but should all be chasing her home again on Sunday.