Saturday preview

On the eve of Saturday's G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes, we are in familiar territory anticipating a show of force from Ballydoyle's latest golden prospect in what seems to be a permanent autumnal ritual. Newmarket's cherished jewel is still the ultimate juvenile contest in the European calendar and its appeal to the Rosegreen establishment is as potent as ever. Where Dr Vincent O'Brien supplied seven winners, Aidan's haul of eight is set to grow exponentially starting possibly (and probably) with TDN Rising Star The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars...

Usually brilliant, sometimes a reluctant star but never dull, Cheveley Park Stud's Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is back on familiar soil as she looks to end her illustrious career in style in Saturday's G1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket. Dominant over the high-class yardstick Mqse De Sevigne (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) under Frankie 12 months ago, the homebred who has garnered six at this level including a GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf has failed to make a mark so far this term for varying reasons and will need to...

Held in the highest regard by Richard Fahey, Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's latest hot property Powerful Glory (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) puts his reputation on the line in Saturday's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury. Impressive enough to earn instant TDN Rising Star status on debut at Pontefract last month, the relative of the top-class sprinter Maarek (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) meets more experienced peers in the six-furlong feature, but possibly none with more upside at this juncture. Fahey is hopeful the bubble won't burst. "We have...

At once revered and maligned, Ballydoyle's Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) bids to put the critics in their place once again on Saturday as he heads back to Leopardstown for back-to-back renewals of the G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, a "Win And You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Not even favourite this time, with all the expectation centred around the British raider Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), he nevertheless has everything in his favour once more and could be set for another tour de force....

After his eclipse in the G1 July Cup, it is fair to say that Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal) has something to prove and he will have to with the opposition strong in Haydock's G1 Betfair Sprint Cup on Saturday. Successful against lesser lights on easy ground in the G2 Sandy Lane Stakes over this course and distance in May, the homebred thrived over Ascot's stiff six furlongs when capturing the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot before finding the Newmarket feature too sharp. Forced into consecutive...

Goodwood's Qatar Festival winds down on Saturday, with the feature G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes looking an open affair for the staying fillies and mares. George Strawbridge's Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was only fourth behind the re-opposing first and second Sumo Sam (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and River Of Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in this 12 months ago and Thady Gosden is hoping she can regain the winning thread that she lost after last year's G2 Middleton Stakes. "Last year in the Lilly Langtry, it was unfortunate there...

There can be few six-time Group 1 winners that have as weird a profile as Ballydoyle's enigmatic Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), but as Ascot's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes approaches of course all eyes are on him once again. It was in this summer jewel 12 months ago that one of the best Derby winners of recent times was seen floundering even before the home turn before disappearing from view, a scene that would normally represent a fall from grace. But where we are...

In the absence of Ezeliya (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks already had an open feel before Ryan Moore decided to give up the ride on the winner of one of this Classic's key pointers in Port Fairy (Ire) (Australia {GB}). Two of the last five Irish Oaks heroines had captured the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes en route, so the rejection of such a promising and unexposed winner of that Royal Ascot feature can only point to the strong claims of his pick from the Ballydoyle trio. Much more...

After Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal) had crossed the line in Royal Ascot's G1 Commonwealth Cup, all logic pointed to Newmarket and Saturday's G1 My Pension Expert July Cup. Imperious there, as he had been in Haydock's G2 Sandy Lane Stakes the previous month, Kevin Ryan's latest sprinting luminary is unbeaten over this six-furlong trip and open to abundant improvement from a family which breeds class acts at a ridiculous rate. Whatever his obvious merits, the fact is that with the ground drying out by the hour...

Logic dictates that the G1 2,000 Guineas is the standard when it comes to assessing the form of the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas, so in all likelihood the case for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Newmarket runner-up Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) is an open-and-shut one. The odds and all the noise from the Richard Hannon yard certainly suggest so, but this is The Curragh we are talking about and Saturday's Tattersalls-sponsored renewal will not be done and dusted until Sean Levey gets past seven peers and to the line....

Saturday sees the return of the sensational G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. winner Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) in Newbury's G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S., where it is a case of in at the deep end for the trainer if not for the colt in question. While Yeguada Centurion's 4-year-old has obviously been there and has the t-shirt, new handler Maurizio Guarnieri is in maiden territory with the powerhouse who so memorably destroyed the subsequent G1 Dubai Turf winner Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) by six lengths on...

   It would be brave to call the winner of Saturday's G1 Betfred St Leger and at this stage difficult to even decide what will start favourite for a wide-open renewal of the Doncaster Classic. There is very little separating the obvious trio of Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Arrest (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), while even Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) could yet threaten for pole position in the market given his Royal status. Each one has yet to prove themselves at this...