Highest Ground

G1 Coronation S. winner Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), last seen finishing a short-neck second to Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Prix de Diane on July 5, could resurface in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Aug. 16 if ground conditions play to her liking. "If all goes according to plan she could go to Deauville, but we just need to keep an eye on the ground," said Alan Cooper, racing manager to owner/breeder The Niarchos Family. "There's very hot weather...

After weeks of manic re-jigging of the European Pattern, Thursday's abundance of group-race action will see more pieces of the jigsaw fitted as the main racing nations come close to completing a catch-up with the established order. Alongside the opener of Newmarket's July Festival, racing finally comes back to York with the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. and G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. taking some of the focus away from Suffolk. For the first and probably the last time, the two extended 10-furlong 3-year-old tests follow Saturday's Epsom Classics...

'TDN Rising Star' Highest Ground (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was eye-catching while keeping his unbeaten record intact when winning a Haydock novice race on Wednesday, generating Derby whispers, but the Niarchos Family's homebred will bypass the July 4 G1 Investec Derby. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained son of Celestial Lagoon (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) is likely to target the G2 Dante S. at York on July 9 next. "The Derby comes too soon in his career," said Racing Manager Alan Cooper. "He's a nice horse in the making. He only ran two days...

The Niarchos Family sophomore's Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) returned from their winter break in good order and connections begin to look ahead toward Classic campaigns in 2020. Both fillies are trained by Jessica Harrington. Winner of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and the G3 Airlie Stud S. last fall, Albigna finished fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita. The daughter of Freedonia (GB) (Selkirk), who is the early favorite at 14-1 for the G1 1,000 Guineas at...