Successful in both a 2-year-old newcomer heat locally Nov. 24 and in a Dec. 15 1400-metre Chukyo contest, Oval Ace stepped up to take the Listed Hyacinth S. back at Tokyo and earn 30 points toward the Japanese Road to the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May. Racing in midpack well off the [...]

The ultra-consistent Inti (Jpn) (Came Home), favoured at 8-5 in Tokyo's 1600-metre G1 February S. on Sunday, did not let his backers down and took the field pillar to post, holding off the surging Gold Dream (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}) by a neck to take the spoils. Yuranoto (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) was another four [...]

Shadwell representative Muntazah (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) atoned for a runner-up performance to Heavy Metal (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) in last year's G2 Godolphin Mile with a dominant 4 1/2-length win in the 1600-metre G3 Firebreak S. at Meydan on Thursday. Jan. 25 G3 Jebel Ali Mile hero Secret Ambition (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) [...]

Danon Kingly became the latest black-type winner for his Shadai-based sire with a stalking win in the G3 Kyodo News Service Hai on Sunday. Several lengths off the pace in third from the bell as G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. hero Admire Mars led the vanguard, the 3-1 shot relaxed into fourth after five panels [...]

After missing by a neck to future G1 Dubai World Cup hero Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) in this race in 2018, North America (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) scored a convincing 2 1/4-length win in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2 on Thursday. Recent handicap winner New Trails (Medaglia d'Oro) filled the place spot in the [...]

Estihdaaf (Arch) upset the heavily favoured Walking Thunder (Violence) with an open-length tally in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas at Meydan on Thursday. It was the second win of four on the card for Godolphin after Dubhe (GB) (Dubawi {Ire) won the second race for Charlie Appleby. 2019 marks the third time in the last [...]

Last Draft maintained his perfect record with a first group score in the G3 Keiei Hai at Nakayama on Monday. Tracking leader Catedral (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) to his inside from the bell, the 5-1 shot kept tabs on that foe for most of the backstretch run. He challenged 650 metres from the line and [...]

Bred by Orpendale & Chelston in Kentucky, Goddess (Camelot {GB}) was one of just five 2-year-old filly 'TDN Rising Stars' for the Coolmore brain trust and various partners in Europe this year, and the second which traces directly to G3 Blue Wind S. runner-up Cherry Hinton (GB) (Green Desert) after MGSW Just Wonderful (Dansili {GB}). [...]

Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) pounced inside the final 50 metres and earned her first Group 1 tally in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto on Sunday. The Carrot Farm runner was sent off as the 9-2 third choice after being placed at the top level four times earlier in her career. The [...]

Breeders' Cup regular Obviously (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) is a perfect example of the maxim, “If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.” The front-running miler possessed the class and consistency to compete in five consecutive Breeders' Cups (2012-2016) resulting in a third, two fifths, a ninth and a first divided between four consecutive GI [...]

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Insights features a full-brother to GSW Bow Creek (Ire). 4.55 Newmarket, Novice, £10,000, [...]

Silk Racing's Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) raced into the history books and became the fifth Japanese Fillies' Triple Crown winner with a 1 1/2-length score in the 2000-metre G1 Shuka Sho at Kyoto on Sunday. The heavy 1-5 crowd's pick follows in the hoofsteps of Mejiro Ramonu (Jpn) (1986), Still in Love (Jpn) [...]