That Soviet Song has won Group 1 miles in her last three starts and is an Ascot course-and-distance winner at that level makes her the solid 5-2 choice in Saturday's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

But Soviet Song, a 4-year-old daughter of Marju, faces the sternest test of her career in the $450,000 contest, the final major European prep for the Breeders' Cup Mile.

The QE II is the feature race of the last meeting to be held at historic Ascot Racecourse until a new grandstand is completed in time for the Royal Meeting in June 2006.

Dubawi thrust himself to the top of the European 2-year-old picture with an impressive three-length victory in the Group 1 National Stakes at The Curragh on Sunday.

The Godolphin-owned Dubawi, the 3-5 favorite, remained undefeated after three races as he easily beat the improving maiden winner Berenson in the seven-furlong, $365,000 National.

Previously the winner of the Group 3 Superlative Stakes, Dubawi was immediately installed as the 10-1 favorite for next year's Epsom Derby.

Vinnie Roe earned an unprecedented fourth straight win in the Group 1 Irish St. Leger at The Curragh on Saturday. He scored by an impressive 2 1/2 lengths over Brian Boru.

A gray and rainy afternoon gave the 6-year-old Vinnie Roe his ideal track conditions, and he waltzed through the yielding ground, taking over the running from Orange Touch two furlongs out.

Sent off at 7-2 as the co-favorite with Brian Boru, Vinnie Roe could be pointed to the Melbourne Cup in Australia, according to trainer Dermot Weld.

Dubawi will start a short-priced favorite at The Curragh on Sunday when he meets three Aidan O'Brien-trained foes in the Group 1 National Stakes for 2-year-olds.

Dubawi comes off a victory in Newmarket's Group 3 Superlative Stakes over the same seven-furlong distance as the $366,000 National.

O'Brien's colt Russian Blue has been third in a pair of Group 1's, but the other two O'Brien runners, In Exclesis and Rowan Tree, appear overmatched.

NEW YORK - With a Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe that was turned upside down with the defection of longtime favorite Doyen last weekend, can the lords of French racing be feeling a bit skittish these days?

Wednesday, Baron Edouard de Rothschild, the president of France-Galop, French racing's ruling body, announced a radical series of proposals that would change the face of racing in France and have a major impact on breeding throughout the world.

Vinnie Roe goes for an unprecedented fourth consecutive triumph in the Irish St. Leger at The Curragh on Saturday.

The 6-year-old Vinnie Roe is as honest as the day is long and is perfectly suited to the conditions of the 1 3/4-mile Group 1 race, worth $343,000. Trainer Dermot Weld has prepped Vinnie Roe with second-place finishes in a pair of listed races and will give Pat Smullen a leg up. Weld will also saddle Media Puzzle, in just his second start off a 21-month absence since winning the Melbourne Cup in November 2002.

Friday's Group 3 Arc Trial at Newbury provides the last chance for British horses to prep for the the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 3.

The 1 3/8-mile Arc Trial has drawn a competitive field of nine, but its two principals, Day Flight and Percussionist, will run only if rain softens up the ground.

A listed winner, Day Flight has not run since finishing fourth in the French Derby on June 6. Percussionist, fourth in the Epsom Derby, was last in the Irish Derby.

The Arc is in the dark.

At Longchamp on Sunday, three inconclusive trials for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe further muddled an Arc picture that was thrown into confusion by Doyen's dull effort in Saturday's Irish Champion Stakes.

Sweet Stream, an Italian-bred filly owned by Team Valor, won the Group 1 Prix Vermeille for 3- and 4-year-old fillies but is not nominated to the Arc, and is due to arrive in America before too long.

Azamour came out on top in a surprising renewal of the $1.25 million Group 1 Baileys Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday, which saw the odds-on favorite, Doyen, trail home seventh of the eight runners.

Rule of Law scored a gutsy wire-to-wire victory in the last classic of the British season, the $716,000 Group 1 St Leger Stakes, at Doncaster on Saturday.

Given a brilliant ride by Kerrin McEvoy, Rule of Law held off the determined late challenge of his 3-1 co-favorite, Quiff, to win by a head. Tycoon was 1 1/2 lengths back in third as the winner stopped the clock at 3:06.29 for the near 15-furlong trip on good to firm turf.

An American-bred son of Kingmambo, Rule of Law gave his owners, Godolphin, their fourth St Leger victory in the last 10 years.