Damson risks her perfect record Sunday at The Curragh against colts in the $360,000 Phoenix Stakes, the first Group 1 for juveniles in the European season.

Damson is coming off a three-length victory in Royal Ascot's five-furlong Group 3 Queen Mary Stakes. Previously the winner of a listed event at the Phoenix distance of six furlongs, she will have Kieren Fallon in the saddle.

Damson faces challenges from three colts trained by Aidan O'Brien, all of whom are by the late Danehill: Oratorio, Russian Blue, and Carnegie Hall.

NEW YORK - The premature retirement of Smarty Jones means many things to many people.

To his owners, Roy and Pat Chapman, it is an early opportunity to start cashing in on the lucrative stud fees Smarty Jones will attract. For Three Chimneys Farm, where he will stand, it is a feather in its cap. For trainer John Servis, it is a grave disappointment. For the nation's racing writers, it provided a rare opportunity to get some space in the local dailies not directly related to race-day activity.

Hard Buck is one of four American-trained horses nominated to the $3.24 million Melbourne Cup on Nov. 2 at Flemington Racecourse.

Hard Buck's trainer, Ken McPeek, recently returned from Ascot, where Hard Buck finished second in the 1 1/2-mile King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. McPeek also nominated Gorylla to the Cup, Australia's famous two-mile handicap. Meanwhile, Wally Dollase has nominated his Manhattan Handicap winner, Meteor Storm, and Jim Cassidy has added the name of his Sheepshead Bay Handicap winner, Moscow Burning.

Gary Stevens booted home the winners of both stakes races at Deauville on Tuesday, taking the Group 3 Prix de Psyche aboard the undefeated Quilanga and the listed Prix de Reux on the Andre Fabre-trained Martaline.

Quilanga is trained by Andreas Wohler and owned by Stiftung Gestut Fahrhof, the team responsible for Silvano's 2001 Arlington Million victory. A 3-year-old Lomitas filly, she prevailed by a length over British-invader Kinnaird at 11.70-1. Her time for the 1 1/4 miles was 2:08.00 on ground labeled good to soft. The 2-1 favorite, Asti, finished sixth.

Deauville had a Japanese flavor about it on Sunday as Marbye, owned by Teruya Yoshida, landed the Group 1 Prix d'Astarte while the Layman, a 2-year-old son of Japan's deceased premier sire, Sunday Silence, cruised to a five-length score in the Group 3 Prix de Cabourg.

Trained in Italy by Bruno Grizzetti, Marbye rallied to defeat British invader Majestic Desert by a half-length in the $240,000 Astarte. Marbye, an Irish-bred 4-year-old daughter of Marju, was sent off at 11.80-1. She covered the straight mile on good ground in 1:36.70.

Favourable Terms prevailed in a tight finish to the Group 1, $360,000 Vodafone Nassau Stakes at Goodwood in England.

A homebred 4-year-old daughter of Selkirk owned by Sheikh Maktoum al Maktoum, trained by Michael Stoute, and ridden by Kieren Fallon, Favourable Terms held off the late run of Silence is Golden by a short head. The favorite, Chorist, battled on gamely up the inside rail to take third, another neck back.

Favourable Terms, sent off at 5-1, had disappointed on her only start since winning at Royal Ascot.

Nebraska Tornado and Denebola will hook up in another highly competitive edition of the Prix d'Astarte at Deauville on Sunday. The straight mile for fillies and mares has been upgraded to Group 1 status this year and its purse raised to $240,000.

Cacique scored a front-running victory in the Group 3 Prix Daphnis at Chantilly on Thursday, an effort accomplished with such aplomb it suggests that he should not be too long in winning in more exalted company.

Jockey Gary Stevens was given an armchair ride throughout the 1 1/8 miles. A mere flick of his wrists and Cacique quickened clear at the quarter pole. The odds-on favorite, Cacique was a comfortable 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Ershaad at the line, with High Flash and Apeiron dead-heating for third, 1 1/2 lengths behind the runner-up. The final time was 1:54.90 on good ground.

Zosima, fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies last year when trained by Eoin Harty, has an upset chance in Saturday's Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood in her second start for Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor.

Zosima was switched to Suroor's Newmarket stable after having spent an idle winter in Dubai. Winner of the Arlington-Washington Lassie, she made her British debut June 16, when she was an unlucky third in the Sandringham Rated Handicap over Royal Ascot's straight mile.

Soviet Song bested 10 male rivals in the Group 1, $547,000 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday to establish herself as Europe's leading miler.

With nowhere to go at the quarter pole, Soviet Song looked in trouble, but jockey Johnny Murtagh waited patiently. When a gap appeared, Soviet Song took advantage, taking the lead from the eventual third-place finisher, Le Vie dei Colori, then holding Nayyir's late challenge safe by a neck. The 3-1 second choice, Soviet Song covered the mile on good ground in 1:36.98.