Byzantine Dream

An initial batch of 78 entries for the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe have been released by France Galop. One of the leading fancies is last year's runner-up, the Wertheimers' Aventure, by 2009 Arc hero Sea The Stars. The 4-year-old filly won the G3 Prix Allez France at ParisLongchamp in April. Other 2024 Arc runners are also back for more in 2025 G2 Mooresbridge Stakes hero and Arc third Los Angeles (Camelot) for the Coolmore partners, Arc fourth Sosie (Sea The Stars)--successful in the 2025 G1 Prix Ganay...

Last year's G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) runner-up Redentor made the breakthrough at the top level with a hard-fought victory in Sunday's Tenno Sho (Spring) at Kyoto, producing a gutsy performance to justify favouritism in the hands of Damian Lane. Trained by Tetsuya Kimura, of Equinox fame, Redentor raced in a share of sixth position as the 15 runners went by the winning post for the first time in this 3,200-metre contest, with longshot Jean Kazuma taking the field along at just a modest gallop. Angled to the outside...

Stop me if you've heard this one before. Japanese-trained runners dominated the Saudi Cup meeting, landing the big race itself and a clean sweep of the turf races, while peppering results elsewhere on the card with placed finishers.  A little sprinkling of European spice was added to the mix in the French breeding of the G2 Howden Neom Turf Cup winner Shin Emperor (Fr), whose heritage is shared by Christophe Lemaire, rider of the G2 1351 Turf Sprint winner Ascoli Piceno (Jpn) but now just as much a son of...