The British turf flat racing season got serious at Newmarket on Tuesday as Speciosa scored a 9-1 upset in the Group 3, $88,800 Nell Gwyn Stakes, a key prep for the 1000 Guineas.

Speciosa led throughout to win the Nell Gwyn by a length from Spinning Queen, with Salut d'Amour third and the 3-1 favorite, Sweet Travel, fourth, two lengths behind the winner. Speciosa covered the seven furlongs in 1:23.45 on good ground despite drifting sharply left through the last quarter.

Gentlewave came from last to first to win the Group 2, $157,000 Prix Noailles at Longchamp on Monday, outdueling his Andre Fabre-trained stablemate Bremen by a short head in the 1 5/16-mile French Derby prep.

Meisho Samson came late to win the $1.97 million, 1 1/4-mile Satsuki Sho, or Japanese 2000 Guineas, at Nakayama on Sunday, giving rider Mamoru Ishibashi his first Grade 1 victory after 22 years in the saddle.

A surprisingly long 13.50-1 despite his March 19 victory in the 1 1/8-mile, Grade 2 Spring Cup, Meisho Samson held off Dream Passport by a half-length. Fusaichi Junk finished third, with the 6-5 favorite, Admire Moon, a late-running fourth. The time for the 1 1/4 miles on a rain-soaked but firm turf course was 1:59.90.

Andre Fabre appears to have all bases covered at Longchamp on Monday when he will saddle three of the six runners in the Group 2, $157,000 Prix Noailles, the season's first major prep for the French Derby.

Fusaichi Richard will attempt to get back on the winning track Sunday at Nakayama in the $1.96 million Satsuki Sho, or Japanese 2000 Guineas.

A son of Japan Cup Dirt winner Kurofune, Fusaichi Richard is 0 for 2 since having landed the one-mile Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes on Dec. 11.

It may be, however, that narrow losses to Admire Moon in the Grade 3 Kyodo News Service Hai and to Meisho Samson in the Grade 2 Spring Stakes, both at 1 1/8 miles, may have set him up perfectly for Sunday's 1 1/4-mile Guineas.

NEW YORK - Within the next few weeks, George Washington and Horatio Nelson will embark on 3-year-old campaigns that could propel them into the hallowed halls of racing history, thus ensuring that John Magnier's Coolmore operation was not being overly optimistic in naming them after two of the world's most revered heroic figures.

At $1.43 million, Saturday's Nakayama Grand Jump in Japan is the world's most valuable jumps race, exceeding last week's Grand National Steeplechase in purse value by $210,000. In terms of racing value, however, it rates no better than a mid-level handicap chase in England or Ireland.

Trainer Ian Jory said he suspects foul play as the reason for the dull efforts of Simpatico Bribon and Gold for Sale in last month's UAE Derby at Nad Al Sheba, the British daily the Racing Post reported Monday.

Simpatico Bribon, the 3-2 UAE Derby favorite with British bookies finished sixth, 12 1/4 lengths behind the victorious Discreet Cat, and Gold for Sale, the 9-2 third choice, was 10th, another 10 1/4 lengths back. Jory had the horses tested privately at his stable and found that they showed the presence of carbamazepine, a drug closely related to Valium.

Manduro made his French debut a successful one when he landed Longchamp's Group 2, $159,000 Prix d'Harcourt.

The 3-1 favorite, Manduro defeated Corre Caminos by a half-length in his first start for trainer Andre Fabre. Archange d'Or, also trained by Fabre, finished another three-quarters of a length back in third.

Ridden by Stephane Pasquier, Manduro covered the 1 1/4 miles on good to soft ground in 2:01.40.

Kiss to Heaven outrallied Admire Kiss to take the $1.76 million Oka Sho, or Japanese 1000 Guineas, at Hanshin.

Kiss to Heaven, off at 12-1 for trainer Hirofumi Toda, prevailed by three-quarters of a length under Katsumi Ando. Admire Kiss, the 7-5 favorite, finished a nose in front of Koiuta for second. The time for the mile on firm ground was 1:34.60.