Sovereignty roars back to form in the Whitney & Aidan O'Brien notches up another milestone in Ireland
After a year without a win, Sovereignty silenced his doubters with a superb victory in the Whitney at Saratoga – a race that featured five other G1 winners.
We also look back at action in Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan and the UK, and look ahead to a fascinating G1 Prix Jacques le Marois clash between unbeaten Sussex Stakes winner Bow Echo and Japanese star Sixpence.
This week's WHR Weekly has the full story.
What’s Happened
๐ฆ๐บ Australia ๐ฆ๐บ
Australia is ramping back up towards Spring and Randwick staged the G2 Missile Stakes, won by Ninja, on Saturday. The Michael Freedman trainee beat Napoleonic by a length and a quarter in the hands of Tommy Berry.
At Morphettville, Sir Now justified favouritism in the G3 Behemoth Stakes, coming home by just under a length for Connor Murtagh and trainer Darryl Hewitt.
๐ซ๐ท France ๐ซ๐ท
Francis Graffard and Mickael Barzalona combined for more G1 success when Samangan won the Prix Maurice du Gheest on Sunday at Deauville. The three-year-old had been winless in four starts this year but showed plenty of tenacity to hold off the William Haggas-trained Division by a short neck.
The main supporting race, the G3 Prix Daphnis, went to Charlie Appleby’s Distant Storm who justified favouritism by a length under Billy Loughnane.
๐ฉ๐ช Germany ๐ฉ๐ช
After finishing second in three German G1s and with recent form figures reading 22222, Tiffany finally got her big day, winning the G1 Grosser Preis Von Berlin at Hoppengarten on Sunday. Sir Mark Prescott’s filly, ridden by Luke Morris, just lasted out in a dash for the line, beating Bright Light and the Godolphin pair of Tornado Alert and Dubai Future.
๐ฎ๐ช Ireland ๐ฎ๐ช
Aidan O’Brien’s tally in the G1 Phoenix Stakes now stands at 18 after his Sun Goddess beat the colts in The Curragh juvenile contest on Sunday. Ridden by Ryan Moore, she beat Folsom Blues by a length and a quarter and could now head to the G1 Moyglare on Irish Champions weekend in September.
Earlier, British trainer Mick Appleby celebrated his first winner in Ireland when Big Mojo took the G2 Phoenix Sprint Stakes. The reigning G1 Haydock Sprint Cup winner is now likely to head back there to defend his title on September 5th.
On Thursday at Leopardstown, G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Ethical Diamond got back to winning ways, taking the G3 Ballyroan Stakes. Ridden by Moore for Willie Mullins, the six-year-old beat Green Impact by a short-head. Mullins said afterwards that the gelding will likely head next to Kentucky Downs, before a defence of his Breeders’ Cup title at Keeneland.
Moore also won the evening’s other Pattern contest, the G3 Desmond Stakes, on Isaac Newton for Aidan O’Brien.
๐ฏ๐ต Japan ๐ฏ๐ต
Luxor Café bounced back to winning ways at Sapporo on Saturday, taking the G3 Elm Stakes. Ridden by Mirai Iwata, he beat Perriere by a length and a half.
๐ฌ๐ง UK ๐ฌ๐ง
Led by Saffie Osborne, joined by Ryan Moore and Dylan Browne McMonagale, the Great Britain and Ireland team won the Shergar Cup at Ascot on Saturday. They beat the all-new Hong Kong team, made up of Jerry Chau, Luke Ferraris and Vincent Ho.
Moore, who rode a double, also claimed the Silver Saddle Award for top jockey.
At Newmarket, Sugar Yes Please took out the featured G3 Sweet Solera Stakes, taking her career record to two from three. The Eve Johnston Houghton-trained filly beat Nuit d’Eclair by half a length under jockey Charlie Bishop.
At Haydock, Sallaal continued his rise up the ranks with a third win in a row and first Group success in the G3 Rose of Lancaster Stakes. Ridden by Ray Dawson for Roger Varian, the four-year-old beat Sea Scout by a length and three-quarters.
๐บ๐ธ USA ๐บ๐ธ
2025 Horse of the Year Sovereignty roared back to form on Saturday, beating five other G1 winners in a superb edition of the G1 Whitney at Saratoga. Ridden by Junior Alvarado, the Bill Mott-trained colt beat the filly Nitrogen by four and three-quarter lengths. The victory came after two defeats for Sovereignty which put his future career in doubt, but on this evidence he is a leading contender for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, for which this race was a Win and You’re In.
Also bound for Keeneland in November is Deterministic who won the G1 Fourstardave for the second year in a row. Ridden by Kendrick Carmouche for Miguel Clement, he beat pacesetter Mi Bago by a length and a half.
The G1 Saratoga Derby went to an overseas raider, Hugo Palmer sending out Glacius for an all the way win under jockey Luis Saez, while Bob Baffert shipped Explora across from California for an ultra-impressive win in the G1 Test Stakes for three-year-old fillies. She now looks a major player in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint in October.
There were two Grade 2s on Friday, starting with the Hall Of Fame Stakes which went to the Miguel Clement-trained Bottas, while Brad Cox took the G2 Saratoga Oaks with Kentucky Belle.
At Del Mar, Graham Motion’s good run of form continued when he sent out Warming to win the G2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes. Ridden by Juan J. Hernandez, she came from last to first to beat Princesa Moche and Take A Breath by a neck and a neck.
Hernandez also took the G3 Best Pal, this time combining with Bob Baffert on favourite Hughes who won by seven and three-quarter lengths. It was a twelfth win in the race for the trainer, and fifth in succession.
What’s Happening
๐ซ๐ท France ๐ซ๐ท
The G1 Prix Jacques le Marois is Sunday’s highlight at Deauville. It looks set to be a fascinating clash between the unbeaten G1 Sussex Stakes winner Bow Echo and Japanese star Sixpence, winner of the G1 Yasuda Kinen.
๐ฎ๐ช Ireland ๐ฎ๐ช
Cork hosts the G3 Give Thanks Stakes, for fillies and mares, on Friday, while the G3 Royal Whip is the main attraction at The Curragh on Sunday.
๐ฏ๐ต Japan ๐ฏ๐ต
The G2 Sapporo Kinen, a trial for the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) takes place at the track of the same name on Sunday, while Chukyo stages the G3 Chukyo Kinen.
๐ฌ๐ง UK ๐ฌ๐ง
It’s a quiet weekend in the UK, ahead of the York Ebor Festival beginning on August 19th, but Newbury stages the G2 Hungerford Stakes on Saturday. G2 Lennox Stakes winner Lake Forest is a possible runner for trainer William Haggas.
๐บ๐ธ USA ๐บ๐ธ
๏ปฟ
The G1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga has a new name, having been renamed the Christophe Clement Turf in honour of the much-missed New York-based trainer, who won this race five times. Ancient Egypt, trained in the UK by Charlie Johnston, is among the potential line-up, along with Ed Walker’s Fort George.
