Broome

Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and a team of five from Ballydoyle headed by defending G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase hero Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) are among a list of 49 world-class gallopers that have been extended invitations to the 2021 Longines Hong Kong International Races to be staged Sunday, Dec. 12, at Sha Tin Racecourse. Some 22 of the invitees have already struck at Group 1/Grade I level. Following her history-making performance in the GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar Nov....

Customarily, when a Ballydoyle VIP attracts the kind of support that Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has in the lead-up to Saturday's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco S. at Ascot, it is more than a subtle pointer to the eventual outcome. Whether the filly who so readily dispatched of her peers in last year's G1 1000 Guineas, G1 Epsom Oaks and G1 Yorkshire Oaks has this inspiringly-crafted renewal "locked down" depends not only on the strength of the opposition but also on the volatile weather. A renowned "daisy-cutter"...

A fortnight to go, apparently, until England casts aside all restrictions following the 16-month weirdness of the pandemic era. 'Freedom day', as it has been dubbed by those of Boris Johnson's government who are not currently serving time on the naughty step, has unfortunately not come in time for the regular 'July week' festivities in Newmarket. There will be racing with a reduced crowd and a sale taking place pretty much as normal, but without any of the parties and stallion parades that have become the staple of the town's...

France and Germany share the limelight on Sunday, with the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and G1 Deutsches Derby over a mile and a half the twin focus. In the cast assembled for the former event, Gestut Schlenderhan's In Swoop (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) takes prominence a year on from his victory in the latter. After his success in the Hamburg Classic, the Francis-Henri Graffard trainee proved himself on the international stage by finishing runner-up in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Returning to...

Now that the abnormally dry Spring has given way to an ongoing wet spell, Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh looks poised for John Oxley's Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) to re-impose herself on a division she had largely mastered by the end of 2020. Labelled a 'TDN Rising Star' on her impressive debut at Bellewstown in July, she remained unbeaten on ground softer than good thereafter, adding this track's G2 Debutante S. and Newmarket's G1 Fillies' Mile to her tally. Second to Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})...

The Curragh is all action on Monday, with the G2 Coolmore Sottsass Irish EBF Mooresbridge S. the key component of a fascinating card. Aidan O'Brien has opted to wait longer to unleash Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and instead puts forward the reinvigorated Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who looks to be in a good place this year with wins on soft ground in the Listed Devoy S. at Naas Mar. 28 and on a much slicker surface in the Apr. 17 G3 Alleged S. over this 10-furlong trip. Beaten around half...

While he had to work to land odds of 1-2 in Saturday's G3 Holden Plant Rentals Alleged S. at The Curragh, Coolmore and Masaaki Matsushima's Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) managed to collect and maintain his perfect sequence in 2021. Authoritative when taking the Listed Devoy S. over this 10-furlong trip on contrasting soft ground at Naas Mar. 28, the 2019 G3 Ballysax S. and G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial S. winner who was also a close fourth in that year's G1 Epsom Derby is back on an even keel this...