Des Ailes

Having run with credit when fourth trying the 2000-metres for the first time in the G1 Osaka Hai last month, champion Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) returns to a much more manageable trip as the warm favourite for the G1 Victoria Mile at the Fuchu Racecourse in Tokyo. The race serves as a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar in November. After taking down the colours of 2020 Victoria Mile heroine and former Horse of the Year Almond...

Des Ailes (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the first foal out of 2014 G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches victress Avenir Certain (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), puts her unbeaten record on the line and jumps up into group-race company for the first time in Sunday's G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks). A debut winner at Hanshin on Mar. 15, she added the Listed Sweetpea S. at Tokyo on May 3 to her resume. Both those starts were over 1800 metres, and she adds another three furlongs on Sunday...

European racing authorities are doubtless looking on with interest as Germany prepares to stage its first post-lockdown race meeting. That should have been on Monday, but a late intervention owing to a delayed government decision regarding the resumption of sporting fixtures, meant that on Saturday Dortmund was forced to call off its first race meeting. All eyes are now on Hannover, which has a 12-race card scheduled on Thursday with 189 entries. The easing of lockdown restrictions began in Germany on Apr. 20 and, in common with the phased approach...