Irish racing followed the lead of the United Kingdom and resumed quicker than initially anticipated. They were back on course on June 8th.


We don't know the race conditions (I guess they were only talking about moving the Spring carnival around just last week) but presuming that there is little change to the qualifying standards from previous years (and that any foreign horses are going to come to the Cup at all) a few notable races have been run overseas:

Friday 5th June
The Coronation Cup (G1) 2400m - https://youtu.be/4j7kND0Y5_w
Ghaiyyath runs a BIG track record in the first Group 1 of British racing following the resumption. This is a serious racehorse, comfortably beating big guns Anthony Van Dyck, Stradivarius and Defoe. Given that it was within the first week of racing's return there was likely some fitness concerns over many starters but the race time cannot be argued with. Ghaiyyath has 7 wins from 10 starts is trained by Charlie Appleby and owned by Godolphin.


Saturday 6th June
Betway Sagaro Stakes (G3) 3200m - https://twitter.com/i/status/1269264515390111746
Nayef Road showed good fight to hold off Mildenberger and Prince Of Arran. The lead bunch put a bit of a break on the rest of the field, which included Withhold (which came out last year, bled in the Geelong Cup and was scratched) and Ispolini (also scratched from the Melbourne Cup - along with Marmelo - when Racing Victoria busted out their new bone scanning machine).


Wednesday 10th June
Prix de Royaumont (G3) 2400m - https://twitter.com/i/status/1270717610519216128
Doubt we'll see any of these but Ebaiyra comfortably finished ahead of American Apples and Mozzarella. French racing is now allowing foreign runners.


Friday 12th June
Derby du Languedoc (Listed) 2400m - https://twitter.com/i/status/1271408154698489856
As above. Small field with Step By Step finishing on top.


Sunday 14th June
Betway Grand Cup Stakes (Listed) 2900m
Unlikely to be back here again but Red Verdon won this race by 2L. He finished 8th in last year's Caulfield Cup and was then scratched from the Melbourne Cup when they found a bone issue. This was his second race back since then and in the first he was a 22L last; it's good he's now shown that he's returned to good order.

Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (G2) 3000m
San Huberto won ahead of Call The Wind, Get Shirty and Called To The Bar. Holdthasigreen was back there too.

Prix De L'Avre (Listed) 2400m
Unlikely to see any of these here.



In Australia there have been a couple of qualifying races since the Andrew Ramsden:

SA Fillies Classic (G3) 2500m - https://twitter.com/i/status/1261516419910365185
Realm Of Flowers and Silent Sovereign put a bit of a gap on the field in the final furlong. Regarding the winning So You Think filly her jockey in this race said: “To what level she can get to during the spring, I’m not sure, she’s probably going to be a lot better this time next year,” Thornton said. “She’s a big, raw, scopey filly that has to fill out a bit more yet but she’s on the up.”

Winter Cup (Listed) 3200m - https://youtu.be/Rvw_DLEuFk4
Small field and a heavy track. Heavy track specialist Wu Gok took it out narrowly ahead of Carzoff and Yulong Prince.

Tattersall's Cup (G3) 2400m - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhXam78Voqo
Brimham Rocks won this race 'cause I tipped it the one prior - I mean: now that he's up to his preferred race distance. Looks a decent show in this range on a Good surface but is more of a Country Cups contender than a shot in the big races.

...and that's it for qualifying races in Australia until the end of September!