SAHorseracing.com
SAHorseracing.com
BIG INTERNATIONAL WEEKEND FOR SA STARS

A number of outstanding South African raced thoroughbreds will be in action in some of the world’s top races this coming weekend.

There will be plenty of South African interest at Newmarket on Saturday when this year’s Gr1 J&B Met winner Smart Call (Ideal World) takes on 12 top class fillies in the Gr1 Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes over 1600m.Smart Call, set to be ridden by Anthony Delpech for the first time, will be opposed by the Gr1 winners Arabian Queen (Dubawi), Ervedya (Siyouni) and Alice Springs (Galileo), with the latter, an impressive winner of the Gr1 Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes last time out, expected to start favourite.

The Sun Chariot will jump at 16:00 pm (British time).France hosts its greatest race meeting this weekend, with two days of top quality racing set to take place at Chantilly.

Former Equus Champion Yorker (Jet Master) will make his third European outing on Saturday when the strapping bay lines up in the Gr2 Qatar Prix Dollar over 1600m.

Now in the care of Epsom Derby winning trainer William Haggas, Yorker (who will be partnered by former South African jockey Piere Strydom) was a good second on his British debut in the Gr3 Betfred Mobile Strensall Stakes and was second again last time out when beaten a neck in the Listed Racehorse Sanctuary Fortune Stakes.Yorker will be opposed by a top class field, with his rivals likely to include former Gr1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Meandre (Slickly), Gr1 Prix du Jockey Club runner up Zarak (Dubawi), and recent Gr2 Prix Eugene Adam winner Hesham (Footstepsinthesand).

Sunday’s highlight is the G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, one of the world’s greatest sporting contests.There will be much South African interest in one of the Arc’s supporting features, however, with the Gr1 Prix de la Foret featuring the return of two former SA Gr1 winners.

Former Equus Champion Harry’s Son (Haradasun) will be making his first racetrack appearance since he finished 12th in the Gr1 Dubai Turf back in March. The five-year-old entire, who is trained by Paul Lafferty, is one of two former SA stars in the Prix de la Foret –with dual Gr1 winner Same Jurisdiction (Mambo In Seattle) being the other.

The pair’s main rivals could come from the likes of Gr1 Qatar Prix du Moulin runner up Spectre (Siyouni), Limato (Tagula) and Suedois (Le Havre) –the 1-2 finishers in this season’s Gr1 Darley July Cup, and group winners Adaay (Kodiac), Birchwood (Kodiac) and Trixia (Siyouni). 

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