StableTalk

Waller was certainly talking up Japan earlier this week and it's a decent pot (more than the Melbourne Cup). I agree about the 2400m but the ground is always fast in Tokyo so if she is going to get it anywhere it will be there.

I don't know how the Hong Kong races in mid December compare with the Sydney events - the Hong Kong Cup (the 2000m race) went for £1.25 million last year as did the 1600m race but it's possible the Sydney races are worth that bit more. I think the angle was the travelling time to Hong Kong and Japan versus the travelling time to Europe which I get.

I agree money talks - IF Ascot or Longchamp or wherever want the very top international horses they will have to dangle a more serious carrot. Dubai do it with the World Cup meeting of course and if the Prince of Wales went to £10 million to the winner, it might be more of a lure but that's where events like the Everest and the Pegasus (which are not quite races and more like invitational events whereby you buy your way into the race) are taking us.

Plenty to update today with news of forthcoming races both here and further afield.

Saturday sees the final Group 1 of the British season, the Racing Post Trophy over 1600m at Doncaster. 12 stood their ground at final declarations this morning and no surprises with all the principals due to run. The ground is good and I think that will help SAXON WARRIOR, a colt I've always liked and who made a huge impression on debut at The Curragh before following up at Naas on slower ground. He's by Deep Impact out of Maybe who won the 2011 Moyglare and was third in the 2012 1000 Guineas. This is her second colt by Deep Impact - the first, PAVLENKO, was moderate but this one looks to have a huge feature and I think quicker ground will always help.

VERBAL DEXTERITY is from the Bolger yard and was due to contest the Dewhurst a fortnight ago before being taken out late on. He won the National Stakes impressively but on breeding I think 1600m will be as far as he wants and I'm not sure about him at this distance at this time.

I rate THE PENTAGON as a huge threat. After a fair debut, he hacked up in a warm maiden on Irish Oaks day before winning the Tyros Stakes. He'll stay this and a good deal further and was well punted for next year's Derby after his maiden win. The quicker the ground the better for him as well.

ROARING LION is the top British challenger and unbeaten in three starts. Last time he beat yet another Ballydoyle runner in NELSON in the Royal Lodge at Newmarket so Aidan O'Brien ought to have some clue as to where he compares with his own team.

I hope SAXON WARRIOR wins and wins well but if THE PENTAGON beat him I wouldn't be surprised - at 5/1 he's just about an each way bet to nothing.

Sunday sees the last two French Group 1 races of the season with the Criterium International and Criterium de Saint Cloud. The ground in Paris is soft and the International over 1400m has eight runners. HAPPILY beat the colts over 200m further in the Largardere on Arc day and would have every chance. The other British raiders are FIGHTING IRISH who won the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte last time and ELLITHEA who was fifth to LAURENS in the Fillies Mile a fortnight ago.

The French juveniles haven't looked much so far but SACRED FIRE was a six length winner of the Thomas Byron last time and that's about as good as there is from the home team.

The Criterium de Saint Cloud is dominated by Aidan O'Brien who has six of the nine entries. It's the only 2000m Group 1 for juveniles and KEW GARDENS won the Zetland Stakes over the trip at Newmarket and certainly wasn't stopping at the end while the likes of NELSON and DELANO ROOSEVELT have claims while FAMILY TREE is one of the few Ballydoyle youngsters to win on debut.

Freddy Head puts up the unbeaten LUMINATE who won the Prix de Conde last time in good style and could be anything. We'll have the final French declarations through tomorrow and I'll report on those.

Moving on to races further afield, the Breeders Cup entries were published yesterday. The races take place at Del Mar, the beautiful racecourse on the Californian coast north of San Diego, on Friday and Saturday November 3 and 4.

There are 12 races with Group 1 status on the Dirt and Turf and a record breaking European challenge (in terms of numbers). The big news is Aidan O'Brien has given a preferred entry for CHURCHILL in the Classic, the top Dirt race over 2000m. It's a race the stable has gone close in before (GIANT'S CAUSEWAY was second) and the thought of CHURCHILL taking on ARROGATE is one to savour.

There are strong entries in all the turf races starting with the Juvenile Fillies Turf and the Juvenile Turf on the Friday night while on the Saturday MARSHA takes on LADY AURELIA in the Turf Sprint over 1000m. Interestingly, LADY AURELIA's trainer Wesley Ward thinks MARSHA will be well suited by the turning 1000m in California.

The Filly & Mare Turf over 1800m has a significant European entry including NEZWAAH, RHODODENDRON, WUHEIDA, SMART CALL and ROLY POLY but they are taking on LADY ELI who is the top American turf filly.

The Mile on the turf has been won numerous times by European raiders and RIBCHESTER, for whom this will be his swansong, heads another strong challenge. The other race often won by Europe is the Turf over 2400m and last year's winner HIGHLAND REEL is attempting to follow up but ULYSSES, the Eclipse and Juddmonte winner, will be a serious opponent as will Irish Champion winner DECORATED KNIGHT.

The final declarations are through for Sunday's French Group 1 races.

The Criterium International has 7 runners and with HAPPILY not surprisingly withdrawn it looks an open and slightly sub standard race. SACRED LIFE should go very close but the French juveniles haven't looked that good this year and ELLITHEA's run behind LAURENS in the Fillies Mile looks decent form.

The Criterium de Saint Cloud over 2000m also has 7 runners but four are from the Ballydoyle yard of Aidan O'Brien. NELSON has arguably the best form of these but I thought KEW GARDENS looked very impressive when winning the Zetland over 2000m at Newmarket. LUMINATE is likely to provide a strong home challenge against the raiders, however, and may yet be good enough to salvage something from a poor season for the French 2-y-o.

In all the nonsense of the week, I forgot to mention my trip to Newmarket on Wednesday for what is known as "Juvenile Day". It's a meeting for the future with seven of the eight races dedicated to juveniles. There were five maiden races and I joined the knowledgeable crowds paddock side to have a look at some beautiful horses in the autumn sunshine.

The first two races were divisions of a fillies median auction which are for horses who go through the ring as yearlings for less than £30k. As you might imagine, this is nearer the bargain basement of the bloodstock world. The only one from both horses that I put in the notebook was GEMINI, a daughter of Makfi. She fluffed the start and finished midfield in the first division but one to note.

From the bargain basement to the high end with a 1400m novice stakes for colts and these were the best bunch I've seen all season and the first three home were all making their debuts and all look ones to follow next year. MASAARR is by Distorted Humor and is trained by Roger Varian. The dam won with a rating of 92 but the maternal grand dam is a half sister to BARATHEA so plenty of stamina.

QAYSAR finished second and is more typical of the juveniles now being trained by Richard Hannon. His father farmed early season juvenile races with small precocious types but the son is going for the longer game and this colt is by Choisir out of Coco Demure who is rated to a number of winners in France up to 2000m.

The winner however was my paddock pick, KEY VICTORY, a son of Teofilio and is the second foal of Patroness who is a sister to the Group 1 winner POET'S VOICE. He did it very nicely and I'm very keen on him next year.

The 1600m Novice maiden was for horses whose sires had won in excess of 2400m - an unusual but not unique stipulation. Another very nice bunch but later developers who will come into their own next season. Sea The Stars provided first and third and while the winner, KNIGHT TO BEHOLD. looks a nice prospect, I was taken with the third, AL MUFFRIH, on debut. He's the third foal of a French middle distance winner so 2400m as a minimum for him and I believe he holds a Derby entry which may be too early for him.

Finally, we had a maiden over 2000m and I backed a nice debut winner in BRUNDTLAND at 6/1. He's a son of Dubawi and is the first foal of Future Generation out of Hurricane Run. The dam won a Group 3 over a mile in Ireland but BRUNDTLAND is all stamina and could be a very nice staying prospect next year.

That's the end of my Flat racing for 2017 track side - I'll be starting my autumn jumping at Plumpton in a couple of weeks.

A dramatic if slightly truncated final Group 1 weekend here in Europe. Saturday saw the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster, run over the straight 1600m for juveniles. The ground was just on the slow side of good but there was a strong headwind so it was going to be hard work up the long straight.

As expected, the pacemakers did the early donkey work - COAT OF ARMS (for the Ballydoyle runners) and THEOBALD (for VERBAL DEXTERITY) set the early fractions and it was a decent pace. SAXON WARRIOR, the favourite, was held up just off the pace while the other fancied runners ROARING LION and VERBAL DEXTERITY, got cover further back in the field.

With 600m to go, the pacemakers wilted and Ryan Moore brought SAXON WARRIOR to lead on the far side but on the stands side Oisin Murphy asked ROARING LION to move forward which he did but he crossed to the left quite violently and bumped SAXON WARRIOR but in so doing took a clear lead with 300m to go. THE PENTAGON was done no favours when ROARING LION crossed and lost vital momentum.

SAXON WARRIOR and ROARING LION fought out the finish with neither jockey having the whip in the correct hand and both horses leaning in to each other. Perhaps the rail helped or perhaps ROARING LION didn't apply maximum effort but Moore was able to force SAXON WARRIOR back to the front and he won by a neck. THE PENTAGON was two and a half lengths further back in third followed by VERBAL DEXTERITY who weakened close home with GABR beaten a total of five and a half lengths in fifth.

THE PENTAGON didn't get the run of the race but I think he wants faster ground and it's too early to ignore the obvious promise he showed especially when winning at Leopardstown in mid summer. ROARING LION lost his unbeaten record but ran a fine race albeit there are plenty who question his resolution. That may be a tad harsh if you think the winner is very good and it may be with another winter on his back ROARING LION will mature and he remains an exciting prospect.

I've always liked SAXON WARRIOR and he did it the hard way showing he had stamina and determination in abundance. He's 4/1 favourite for the Derby and that's no surprise and I wonder if they'll even bother with the Guineas. As with so many others from his yard, they fight to the very end and I also think the winter could be the making of this one and he's one I'm certainly looking forward to seeing next year.

SAXON WARRIOR was Aidan O'Brien's 26th Group 1 success of the year breaking the record held by Bobby Frankel since 2003. It's a fantastic achievement and his stable dominates European racing at the moment. As always the trainer himself was enormously self-deprecating and pointed out this was a team success and rightly so but he does the media side of it so well and has, I think, to deal with some massive egos with "the lads" as he calls Coolmore and given the injury suffered by his daughter, Ana, earlier in the year and it was good to see her at Doncaster on Saturday, he is the standard to which all other trainers aspire and while I rate John Gosden as the better trainer of a variety of horses, O'Brien has a particular skill with juveniles.

O'Brien's hopes of building on the new record at Saint Cloud yesterday were thwarted in unlikely fashion when the meeting was abandoned after one race owing to a protest in the parade ring. Now, protests at French racecourses are nothing new - the stalls handlers and other ancillary staff have struck before and caused meetings to be lost but this protest was rather different as it included owners, trainers, breeders and other racing professionals.

Once clue might have been that the Criterium de Saint Cloud didn't have a single runner owned in France - yes there were horses trained in France but owned by people from Japan and the Gulf States. I don't profess to have a strong knowledge of how French racing works but France Galop is their equivalent of the NZTR or BHA and like the NZTR owns the product.

France Galop's administrative council meets Monday (UK time) and on the agenda is a proposal for 25 million euros in cuts. The cuts will mean reductions in payments covering transport and the owners and breeders premiums which will end for horses aged six or older as well as some cuts in prize money. The trainers, owners and breeders have got together and formed "Sauvons le gallop" (Save Racing) and it was this group which staged yesterday's protest.

The Group 1 races are lost as they can't be rescheduled at this late stage.

So with that slightly anti-climactic report the curtain falls on the Group 1 season in Europe. Attention shifts now to North America and the Breeders Cup starting on Friday evening (UK) and it'll be a busy time for Frankie Dettori as he rides ULYSSES on Satturday in Del Mar and presumably jumps on the plane at LA heading west because he is due to ride ALMANDIN in the Melbourne Cup tomorrow week.

The build up to the weekend's Breeders Cup continues to gather pace. The draw has been fairly kind to the Europeans.

Friday evening kicks off with the Juvenile Fillies Turf over 1600m. HAPPILY has won four of her six races and last time beat the French colts in the Lagardere on Arc day. The problem is she's yet to run on firm ground and the top American filly RUSHING FALL has a similar issue and she looked very good on soft ground at Keeneland last time. SEPTEMBER won the Chesham on quick ground at Ascot but was bogged down twice on slow ground behind MAGICAL after that.

Last time she was an unlucky second to LAURENS in the Fillies Mile and that form ought to be good enough. Of the other European challengers, JULIET CAPULET from the Gosden stable won the Rockfel last time but that was on slow ground and I just wonder. MADELEINE doesn't look good enough and neither does NOW YOU'RE TALKING.

The Juvenile Turf for the colts doesn't look a very strong race and again the Europeans have every chance. MASAR is joint favourite over here with MENDELSSOHN but neither have won a Group 1 and both have been well held. SANDS OF MALI looked good in the Gimcrack but flopped badly in the Middle Park and faster ground might bring a return to form. JAMES GARFIELD won the Mill Reef over 1200m on slow ground but this is a different trip on different ground. The problem is the American have next to no quality form either so this is a race worth avoiding from a punting viewpoint.

I'll have an opening look at Saturday with the Turf Sprint over 1000m. LADY AURELIA won the King's Stand impressively but was just beaten by MARSHA in the Nunthorpe at York. I think the American filly has a big advantage and should win. WASHINGTON DC and COTAI GLORY also run for Europe but it will take a good horse to go the speed with the Americans on their home turf.

Carrying on with the Breeders Cup review and it's a huge Saturday card with nine Group 1 races.

The next race with European interest is the Filly & Mare Turf over 1800m. This is another race the Europeans have regularly won in the past and there are four raiders this time but they'll all have to be at the top of their game to beat LADY ELI who has improved again since her narrow defeat to QUEEN'S TRUST in this race at Santa Anita last year. The latter must have a chance give her strong record on American tracks but Aidan O'Brien has thrown RHODODENDRON into the mix and this filly returned to form beating HYDRANGEA in the Opera last time. With HYDRANGEA picking up a Group 1 on Champions Day that looks strong form.

Indeed, that was a significant reversal of previous Matron Stakes form when RHODODENDRON was well down the field but let's not forget she was beaten only by WINTER in the Guineas and only by ENABLE in the Oaks and that's about as good as it gets. If she brings her best form to this race she ought to win.

WUHEIDA has also been mixing it with the very best and was second to ROLY POLY in the Falmouth and was fourth in both the Matron and the Opera and comes out very close to RHODODENDRON on that form. There's always been a thought she wants softer ground but I think she goes well on fast ground and has a big chance while NEZWAAH looked good winning the Pretty Polly but was well held by ENABLE in the Yorkshire oaks and disappointed in the EP Taylor last time.

Half the Breeders Cup Mile field come from Europe and it's another race the raiders have won on a number of occasions. RIBCHESTER, for whom this is his final race, comes here on the back of another fine run in defeat in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. It's entirely likely the quicker turf will be to his advantage and it would be wonderful for this horse to sign off with a big win.

RIBCHESTER went down to PERSUASIVE at Ascot but ROLY POLY beat PERSUASIVE in the Sun Chariot at Newmarket and the line of form clearly suggest there's very little between the older colt and the younger filly but this is the latter's first time against the boys so we'll see.

I suspect LANCASTER BOMBER and HOME OF THE BRAVE are there to help force the pace for ROLY POLY and RIBCHESTER respectively but SUEDOIS won the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland last time and on that has definite claims even though the balance of his European form leads him with a little to find.

The French have ZELZAL and KARAR and while both have a little to find on European form, it's worth noting how well the French have done historically with their Breeders Cup horses.

Finally for this part of the preview the Breeders Cup Juvenile over 1600m on the Dirt and Aidan O'Brien has set a right poser by running Middle Park and Dewhurst winner US NAVY FLAG. It's no secret Coolmore would love to win the Kentucky Derby and if US NAVY FLAG were to show the same or improved level of form on the dirt as on turf, he could be a big player and really set the cat among the pigeons. The top American looks to be BOLT D'ORO who won the Frontrunner Stakes, a Group 1 at Santa Anita, by eight lengths.

Rounding off the preview of the Breeders Cup meeting, the Turf over 2400m is another one of the races that the Europeans have dominated over the years and last year's winner HIGHLAND REEL seeks to follow up his emphatic 2016 success at Santa Anita. They obviously won't give him the rope he got last year but the fact remains even if this is (as seems likely) HIGHLAND REEL's final race he was a huge chance having run a fine third in the Champion Stakes over 400m less and on soft ground.

He faces a huge opponent in ULYSSES, who will love the ground and I think the trip on this sharp track. ULYSSES was second when HIGHLAND REEL was fourth in the King George and I see no reason why the places should be reversed.

DECORATED KNIGHT won the Irish Champion Stakes but this is new territory in terms of distance. Even so, I can't see him beating ULYSSES over this trip while SEVENTH HEAVEN has disappointed badly the last twice. TALISMANIC is consistent but the quick ground will need to bring some serious improvement while CLIFFS OF MOHER hasn't gone on since the Derby which might have bottomed him a little. The main American challenger is BEACH PATROL who has won the last two Arlington Million races and was a clear winner of the Turf Classic at Belmont at the end of September.

I fancy ULYSSES strongly and am on at 7/2.

The concluding race is the Classic over 2000m on the Dirt and Aidan O'Brien runs CHURCHILL who is a 25/1 outsider. It's a race O'Brien has contested before and gone close in before but is CHURCHILL likely to maintain that trend ? I suspect not - after a fine early season with two Guineas wins, his limitations have been exposed in races like the Juddmonte, the Irish Champion and latterly the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

The odds suggest it's a four horse race with Bob Baffert fielding three against ARROGATE who is on a retrieval mission. After his Dubai World Cup win, ARROGATE looked supreme but his comeback run was awful and in the Pacific Classic he was beaten by COLLECTED who re-opposes here.

Baffert also saddles WEST COAST who won the Travers and the Pennsylvania Derby on his last two and has emerged as arguably the pick of a pretty moderate bunch of American 3-y-o. However, he has a much stronger card in GUN RUNNER who has improved since running second in the Dirt Mile at Santa Anita last year. He chased home ARROGATE in the Dubai World Cup but has caught fire in his last two, winning the Whitney at Saratoga by five and a quarter lengths and then destroying the Woodward Stakes field by ten lengths.

On those two performances, ARROGATE will need to be right back to his very best to beat him and I fancy GUN RUNNER to cap off the season in style leading home perhaps a 1-2-3 for the Baffert stable.

A mixed first day for the Europeans at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar. Two of Friday's four races had European runners and both were for juveniles on the grass over 1600m.

The opening race was for the fillies and HAPPILY was well fancied but she didn't break well and frankly never featured. Her stable mate SEPTEMBER broke slowly and was brought to the inside by Seamie Heffernan where she sat last until improving just before the home turn where she ran wide into the straight before coming home strongly to run a close third to the American star RUSHING FALL, who just held off BEST PERFORMANCE close home. SEPTEMBER loved the fast ground and I'd be on her for a fast ground Oaks and if she and ENABLE were to meet in the King George next July, who knows ?

The other European fillies failed to get involved.

If Ryan Moore had a bad run on HAPPILY in the fillies, he got a good break on MENDELSSOHN in the colts and geldings event and was well placed behind fellow European SANDS OF MALI and UNTAMED DOMAIN. Sticking to the inside rail, Moore got a good run out of MENDELSSOHN on the turn and quickly poached what turned out to be an unassailable lead. MENDELSSOHN defeated UNTAMED DOMAIN and VOTING CONTROL. BECKFORD ran a fine race in fifth while the other European colts were never involved.

This was a huge win for MENDELSSOHN who second position in the Dewhurst was frankly considered a fluke but he's clearly a decent horse in his own right on quick ground and showed a decent turn of foot to nab this valuable pot.

Tonight's races should yield 2-3 winners for the Europeans in the turf races.