Cacique, runner-up to the outstanding Bago at the Group 1 level in his last two starts, has found a likely spot for victory in the Group 3 Prix Daphnis at Chantilly on Thursday.

Out of the superb broodmare Hasili, Cacique is a full brother to Banks Hill, Dansili, and Intercontinental, as well as a half-brother to Heat Haze. The winner of his first two starts, he finished three lengths behind Bago in the 1 1/8-mile Prix Jean Prat on June 6 and was just a half-length behind the undefeated Bago in the 1 1/4-mile Grand Prix de Paris on June 27.

The European road to the Breeders' Cup Mile gets under way in earnest at Goodwood on Wednesday with the 145th running of the Group 1, $550,000 Sussex Stakes.

The Sussex has drawn a field of 11, led by Godolphin's razor-sharp Refuse to Bend. Returning to form when he won the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes over Ascot's straight mile on June 15, Refuse to Bend stepped up to 1 1/4 miles to take the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes last time out on July 3.

Doyen confirmed his class and justified his 11-10 favoritism with a devastating three-length victory over the gallant Hard Buck in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

A 4-year-old son of Sadler's Wells owned by Godolphin, Doyen cruised to the lead at the quarter pole and was hand ridden to the line by Frankie Dettori, who was riding his fourth King George winner. Doyen gave trainer Saeed bin Suroor his fifth triumph in Ascot's midsummer Group 1 event.

Divine Proportions appears to be supremely well placed to extend her undefeated streak to three in the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin at Maisons-Laffitte on Sunday.

NEW YORK - The myriad pleasures of Deauville in August should provide Frenchmen with a perfect antidote for the embarrassments they have suffered yet again this July during the Tour de Lance . . . er, that is, the Tour de France. The gently rolling waves of Deauville's broad, sandy beaches should prove beneficial in assuaging the French nation's hurt feelings over Lance Armstrong's likely sixth consecutive victory in the world's most important bicycle race.

Doyen, the early favorite at 5-4 (1.25-1), looms large at Ascot on Saturday in the $1.4 million King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, in which American invader Hard Buck faces the toughest test of his career.

Ouija Board, winner of the English Oaks and Irish Oaks this season at 1 1/2 miles, could revert to 1 1/4 miles for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Lone Star on Oct. 30.

NEW YORK - Hard Buck is resting comfortably in his temporary home at Newmarket as he prepares for the most difficult assignment of his life at Ascot on Saturday.

Ouija Board confirmed the faith of her owner, Lord Derby, as well as that of her backers at The Curragh on Sunday, winning the $497,000 Irish Oaks.

Supplemented to the 1 1/2-mile Group 1 classic for $49,700, the odds-on Ouija Board set a stakes record of 2:28.25, defeating Punctilious by a length. Winning trainer Ed Dunlop said that Ouija Board would go next in the 1 1/2-mile Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks at York on Aug. 18.

Ouija Board, winner of the English Oaks on June 4, travels to The Curragh on Sunday in search of double classic glory in the $465,000 Irish Oaks.

Trained by Ed Dunlop, Ouija Board cruised to an impressive seven-length victory over All Too Beautiful at Epsom in the English Oaks, with Punctilious another 3 1/2 lengths behind in third. Those two will reoppose Ouija Board in Sunday's 1 1/2-mile Group 1 contest.