No rival could get close to City of Troy in his three starts as a 2-year-old in Ireland and England last year.
A winter of hype has led to the impeccably bred colt’s much-anticipated 3-year-old debut in Saturday’s Group 1 English 2000 Guineas at a mile at Newmarket Racecourse.
Paul Lally:
R1 1-4-5-6
R2 3-1-5-10
R3 11-5-1-6
R4 3-5-11-12
R5 3-11-9-1
R6 7-6-10-9
R7 6-11-3-8
R8 4-3-7-5
R9 11-4-1-10
Best Bet R2 N3 Volcanic Spark
Longshot R6 N7 Packing Wisher
Play Race4 QQP 3-5-11
Nick Child:
R1 | 4-3-1-6
R2 | 12-6-3-9
R3 | 5-11-1-10
R4 | 3-5-7-1
R5 | 3-4-1-6
R6 | 4-6-9-10
R7 | 11-6-3-1
R8 | 4-6-1-7
R9 | 11-1-2-6
A yielding turf course helped Beauty Eternal record an upset win in Sunday’s Group 1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong, a race in which the three-time local Horse of the Year Golden Sixty could finish only fourth.
Ridden by Zac Purton for John Size, Beauty Eternal ($25.30) took the lead quickly and maintained an advantage on the inside throughout to win by 1 1/2 lengths over 29-1 Red Lion.
Voyage Bubble (5-1) finished third, 1 3/4 lengths in front of 1-2 favorite Golden Sixty, who was beaten 3 1/4 lengths.
T O Royal continues to display an affinity for turf distance races in Japan.
In Sunday’s Group 1 spring running of the $2.68 million Tenno Sho at two miles at Kyoto Racecourse, T O Royal ($5.60) closed from fourth on the turn to take the lead in early stretch, pulling clear to win by two lengths over 12-1 Blow the Horn. Deep Bond (25-1) finished third, a half-length behind Blow the Horn.
Since his debut in a maiden race at 1 1/4 miles in September 2022, the Japanese colt Durezza has had a career strictly in distance races.
Durezza was unbeaten in four starts as a 3-year-old, a season that ended with a win in the Grade 1 Japanese St. Leger at 1 7/8 miles at Kyoto last October.
Fantastic Moon was unable to win France’s most important Group 1 of the season Oct. 1 at Longchamp, but he’ll have a much better chance to land France’s first Group 1 of the 2024 flat season Sunday at Longchamp.
A disappointing 11th in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, a race in which he did not appear to be overmatched, Fantastic Moon was one of nine older horses whose names passed the entry box for the Prix Ganay. The 1 3/16-mile contest not only is France’s first Group 1, it annually opens Group 1 flat-racing competition across Europe.
Jimmysstar had a bad day when he finished seventh of 11 in the Group 3 Newcastle Stakes at Newcastle Racecourse in Australia on March 8.
Starting from the rail, Jimmysstar was stuck behind rivals on the inside through the final half-mile, never able to gain a clear path. He was beaten 4 1/4 lengths.
Jimmysstar has a better draw in post 7 for the $195,300 Brisbane Mile, a handicap at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Friday evening. A winner of 5 of 8 starts, Jimmysstar will be a strong favorite to rebound and win his first stakes.
