YORK, England - Falbrav established himself as the best 1 1/4-mile horse in Europe on Tuesday with a two-length victory over Magistretti in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

After Nayef, winner of the Prince of Wales's Stakes, had taken over from his pacesetter Izdiham approaching the quarter pole, the 5-2 Falbrav looked like he had a lot to do under Darryll Holland. But Falbrav, a 5-year-old Irish-bred son of Fairy King, responded when asked and stormed ahead at the three-sixteenths pole. His time for the 1 1/4 miles and 85 yards on good to firm ground was 2:06.84.

Eight fillies will start in the 1 1/2-mile Group 1 Aston Upthorpe Yorkshire Oaks at York on Wednesday, and Islington has a great chance to repeat her success in last year's race.

Trained by Michael Stoute, Islington has run two solid races in open Group 1 company this season, and in truth this looks a far from vintage field for a top-level event. The Epsom Oaks winner, Casual Look, and L'Ancresse, who beat Casual Look as the runner-up in the Irish Oaks, look the pick of the opposition.

DEAUVILLE, France - Six Perfections, mildly imperfect when second in her last three starts at the Group 1 level, achieved perfection of a sort at Deauville on Sunday when she narrowly defeated stablemate Domedriver in a thrilling renewal of the Prix Jacques le Marois.

English Group 1 winner Hawk Wing has been retired to Coolmore Stud in Ireland after injuring a knee ligament. Coolmore said the 4-year-old Woodman colt sustained the injury while finishing seventh in Royal Ascot's Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes on June 17.

Aidan O'Brien, who has had by his standards a modest season, bounced back to form Sunday at The Curragh by saddling the top two finishers in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes and winning the Group 2 Royal Whip Stakes with the comebacking High Chaparral, last year's Breeders' Cup Turf winner.

Following High Chaparral's (9-10) three-quarter-length defeat of Imperial Dancer, O'Brien said High Chaparral would race next in either the Irish Champion Stakes or the Prix Foy.

High Chaparral, winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Turf, will make his first start of the year Sunday in the Group 2 Royal Whip Stakes, over 1 1/4 miles at The Curragh. High Chaparral, who won the Epsom and Irish derbies last year, missed the first half of this season because of a bruised shoulder muscle.

Milan, the Aidan O'Brien-trained son of Sadler's Wells who followed his victory in the classic St. Leger Stakes with a thrilling second-place finish to Fantastic Light in the 2001 Breeders' Cup Turf, has been retired.

In his only race since the Breeders' Cup, Milan fractured a cannon bone when he finished last in the listed Mooresbridge Stakes at The Curragh in May 2002. All efforts to get him back to the races came to naught.

The winner of three races from 10 starts for earnings of $1,064,846, Milan will stand next year at Coolmore-Ireland.

The British Horseracing Board is planning a big promotion behind "Seabiscuit," which opens in Britain for a three-month release on Nov. 14.

The racing board's marketing department will be latching on to the film in an effort to attract more fans to racing throughout the British Isles. Seabiscuit exhibitions will be on display at selected racecourses, where racegoers will receive a special two-for-one offer to see the movie at their local theaters.

Bright Sky handed Six Perfections her third straight heartbreaking defeat Sunday as she came late to take the Group 2 Prix d'Astarte at Deauville.

Six Perfections had run into trouble over similar straight miles as runner-up in both the 1000 Guineas and the Irish 1000 Guineas. This time she had a clear run to lead at the furlong pole, only to have Bright Sky reel her in near the line under a well-judged ride from Dominique Boeuf. Bright Sky got the mile in 1:37.40 on good to soft ground as the 5-1 second choice.

Russian Rhythm landed her third consecutive Group 1 race in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on Saturday, but was made to pull out all the stops by a French challenger, Ana Marie

Ridden by Kieren Fallon for trainer Michael Stoute, Russian Rhythm was sent off the 4-5 favorite despite doubts about her staying power as she stepped up beyond a mile for the first time.