See The Fire (GB)

It's QIPCO British Champions Day, so it stands to reason that we are talking about autumn soft ground as the European flat season continues to turn on its axis. Where the summer specialists City Of Troy (Justify), Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) and Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) are missing for varying reasons, the way is open for those who relish the kind of test this surface provides. Every one of the five pattern races on Ascot's fixture boasts at...

Atoning for a luckless defeat in the G1 1,000 Guineas, Tamfana (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}--Tres Magnifique {Fr}, by Zoffany {Ire}) returned to Newmarket's Rowley Mile to conquer a strong renewal of the G1 Sun Chariot Stakes on Saturday. Tried over different trips by David Menuisier following that Classic effort, she had proven that this trip is what she needs when winning Sandown's G3 Atalanta Stakes in August and faced an easier task from the break as Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) again surrendered ground. Positioned close to the leader by Colin...

Jeff Smith's G1 Nassau Stakes runner-up See The Fire (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Arabian Queen {Ire}, by Dubawi {Ire}) had been winless in six starts since annexing her debut at Newmarket last year and rectified matters with a decisive success in Saturday's G3 Sky Bet Strensall Stakes at York. The 3-1 favourite was settled in rear, with just one behind, for most of this extended one-mile test. Coming under pressure to close approaching the quarter-mile marker, she threaded her way into contention passing the furlong pole and kept on strongly...

Aidan O'Brien knew he still had a top-class filly on his hands despite Opera Singer (Justify--Liscanna {re}, by Sadler's Wells) missing out on all the early-season mile monuments and the late Evie Stockwell's homebred who had wowed in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac duly delivered up in trip in Thursday's G1 Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood. Able to control the 10-furlong contest from the front throughout, the 9-4 second favourite really turned it on passing the three-furlong pole and had to be brave late as the 16-1 shot See The...

Ballydoyle's Derby-winning TDN Rising Star City Of Troy (Justify) will face seven rivals in Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown following Thursday morning's confirmation stage. While the self-titled "clash of the generations" is missing key representation among the older brigade after it was announced that White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) would be missing from the line-up, the four other 3-year-olds preparing to take on the long odds-on favourite include Jeff Smith's smart Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and trainer Clive Cox is hopeful of a bold show. "I think we are all realistic...

Following Monday's confirmation stage, City Of Troy could face up to 10 rivals as he attempts to become the first Derby winner since Golden Horn (GB) in 2015 to follow up in Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown. Disappointing on his first start of the campaign in the G1 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, City Of Troy bounced back to form with a sparkling performance at Epsom, fully confirming the promise he showed when unbeaten in three starts as a two-year-old. The son of Justify is as short as 8-15 with the...

Wednesday saw the draw made for Friday's two group 1 contests at Royal Ascot, with the 10 fillies set to contest the Coronation S. headed by Ballydoyle's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Opera Singer (Justify) and Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's 1,000 Guineas heroine Elmalka (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Opera Singer, who was returning from a setback when third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, has drawn an outside stall in nine for the mile feature while the Roger Varian-trained Newmarket Classic heroine is in seven. James Doyle takes over from Silvestre De...

Juvenile group 1 winners Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) head a field of 16 fillies for Sunday's G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. TDN Rising Star Ylang Ylang, winner of the course-and-distance G1 Fillies' Mile, will be the sole representative for Ballydoyle and is drawn 12 next to Godolphin's G3 Oh So Sharp S. winner and G3 Nell Gwyn S. runner-up Dance Sequence (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in 13, while Clipper Logistics' G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner Fallen Angel...

Unable to live with Carla's Way (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus) when outmanoeuvred and outspeeded in the G2 Rockfel S. at Newmarket last month, Shuwari (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) and Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}) face an entirely different test on Friday as they compete in the track's feature G1 Fillies' Mile. In all likelihood, fast ground over seven furlongs suited neither filly and now that the rain has come the kind of bias that proved ideal for Carla's Way's style will have disappeared. We know that Shuwari is made of the...