New Century

Friday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 20:35, RAS AL KHOR SPONSORED BY EMAAR-G3, AED850,000, 3yo/up, 1400mT Field: Elnajmm (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Witness Stand (GB) (Expert Eye {GB}), Chicago Critic (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), New Century (GB) (Kameko), Andreas Vesalius (Ire) (Caravaggio), Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), Vafortino (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Khanjar (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), Two Tribes (GB) (Rajasinghe {Ire}), English Oak (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Fort Payne (Fr) (Rio De La Plata), Hawksbill (GB) (Kameko), Dubai Treasure (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus})....

Fully 10,000 miles from their birthplace at Tweenhills Farm and Stud, Qatar Racing homebreds Buckaroo, Middle Earth and Valiant King now face the most important two-mile test of their lives on Tuesday, with a place in history assured should one of them reach its end as a Melbourne Cup winner. From the lush paddocks of Tweenhills to the manicured turf of Flemington, it's been quite the journey, both literally and figuratively. Between them the trio amassed 27 starts in Europe - Buckaroo and Valiant King with Joseph O'Brien, Middle Earth...

Amerman homebred Test Score (c, 3, Lookin At Lucky--Joy of Learning, by Kitten's Joy), second to Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) in the GI American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs May 3, got his own Grade I day in the sun Friday, winning Saratoga's $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes in convincing style. For his part, Zulu Kingdom won the GIII Manila Stakes at the Spa one race prior to Test Score's Belmont Derby win. The Amermans won the Belmont Derby for the second consecutive year---they had Trikari (Oscar Performance)...

It is nearly 20 years since Speciosa (Ire) became the first Classic winner to emanate from the breeze-up sales. The man who sold her, Willie Browne, had been plying his trade in that sector since 1978, and, as the breeze-ups close in on their 50th anniversary, it is good to see that the Mocklershill maestro is still very much at the top of his game.  In fact, last week's Craven Sale at Tattersalls was a good one for the founding fathers of the breeze-up game. There was Browne turning €70,000...

Classic trials may be about as fashionable as corduroy these days but I still love both, so it has been a riveting few weeks considering which of the three-year-olds may be about to take a big step forwards or may already have shown their best. People love racing for different reasons but attempting to know the unknowable is a major draw, and those puzzles are there for all involved in different facets of the game, from breeders to owners, trainers or punters. Whether through formal trials, racecourse gallops, or stable...