Willie Mullins considers the Arkle Trophy as the logical long-term target for Facile Vega, who will be part of a formidable team of novice chasers for the champion trainer this season.

A son of the mighty racemare Quevega, the six-year-old carried all before him as a bumper horse, winning each of his four starts including Grade One wins at Cheltenham and Punchestown.

He made an excellent start to his hurdling career last season, winning on his debut at Fairyhouse before striking at the top level at Leopardstown over Christmas, but a disappointing run at the Dublin Racing Festival meant he returned to Cheltenham in March with something to prove.

Facile Vega had to make do with the runner-up spot behind Marine Nationale in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but did end his campaign on a high when winning another Grade One at Punchestown and Mullins believes we may still not have seen the best of a horse who is clearly held in the highest regard.

“He probably didn’t do everything I expected last year, some things just didn’t go right for him during the season,” said the Closutton handler.

“I’m very happy with him coming back this season, he looked in particular good shape on the gallops on Wednesday morning I thought.

“He will start off over fences, the way he gallops and jumps I imagine he will be over the shortest trip and he looks an Arkle horse, but there is plenty of stamina in his pedigree if he has to go out in trip.

“I’ll be looking to start him off maybe next month then head to Leopardstown at Christmas, hopefully back there for the Dublin Racing Festival and then March.”

Another novice chase prospect Mullins is particularly excited about is Mister Policeman, a French recruit who won a small-field conditions hurdle at Cork on his only start in Ireland to date.

Mullins added: “Mister Policeman does fantastic work at home. He won his race well at Cork but I thought on his homework he would do it a lot better.

“He’s a horse I think has huge ability and will go novice chasing. He can always go back hurdling if things don’t work out but he jumps well.

“I think he will improve a lot on what you saw that day at Cork.”

Klassical Dream, a seven-time Grade One winner over hurdles, is set to belatedly embark on a career over the larger obstacles this term.

Sharjah has won six Grade Ones, a Galway Hurdle and finished second in two Champion Hurdles. He is already two from two over fences this year.

“I’m very happy with Sharjah and the obvious target is the Drinmore at Fairyhouse, but he’s had a hard summer – I don’t think he’s had a break,” Mullins continued.

“I’m toying with the idea of maybe giving him a break and keeping him for Christmas and the spring. I’ve got to make up my mind, I imagine he’ll get an entry in the Drinmore.”

Last season’s Champion Bumper runner-up Fact To File is an interesting recruit to fences, having not yet even run over hurdles.

Mullins memorably sent the popular Florida Pearl straight over fences from the bumper sphere and is keen to do the same with this JP McManus-owned six-year-old.

He said: “We sort of had a choice last term whether to stay bumpering or go novice hurdling and I elected to go bumpering with him. We thought if we did stay bumpering, then we would go novice chasing this year and cut out the hurdles because he looks like a chaser.

“He’s a beautiful horse, he’s got a temperament and he’s got everything. He’s a horse I think we will see at the top end of the novice chasing scene.

“I felt it was worth going down the bumper route with him and he was just beat at Cheltenham by A Dream To Share, so that was good enough. I think with the size and scope of the horse I want to go off chasing with him.”

Gaelic Warrior, second to esteemed stablemate Impaire Et Passe at Cheltenham before going one better in a Grade One novice hurdle at Punchestown, will also be on the novice chasing team, with Mullins identifying the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham as a potential goal.

Willie Mullins considers the Arkle Trophy as the logical long-term target for Facile Vega, who will be part of a formidable team of novice chasers for the champion trainer this season.

A son of the mighty racemare Quevega, the six-year-old carried all before him as a bumper horse, winning each of his four starts including Grade One wins at Cheltenham and Punchestown.

He made an excellent start to his hurdling career last season, winning on his debut at Fairyhouse before striking at the top level at Leopardstown over Christmas, but a disappointing run at the Dublin Racing Festival meant he returned to Cheltenham in March with something to prove.

Facile Vega had to make do with the runner-up spot behind Marine Nationale in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but did end his campaign on a high when winning another Grade One at Punchestown and Mullins believes we may still not have seen the best of a horse who is clearly held in the highest regard.

“He probably didn’t do everything I expected last year, some things just didn’t go right for him during the season,” said the Closutton handler.

“I’m very happy with him coming back this season, he looked in particular good shape on the gallops on Wednesday morning I thought.

“He will start off over fences, the way he gallops and jumps I imagine he will be over the shortest trip and he looks an Arkle horse, but there is plenty of stamina in his pedigree if he has to go out in trip.

“I’ll be looking to start him off maybe next month then head to Leopardstown at Christmas, hopefully back there for the Dublin Racing Festival and then March.”

Another novice chase prospect Mullins is particularly excited about is Mister Policeman, a French recruit who won a small-field conditions hurdle at Cork on his only start in Ireland to date.

Mullins added: “Mister Policeman does fantastic work at home. He won his race well at Cork but I thought on his homework he would do it a lot better.

“He’s a horse I think has huge ability and will go novice chasing. He can always go back hurdling if things don’t work out but he jumps well.

“I think he will improve a lot on what you saw that day at Cork.”

Klassical Dream, a seven-time Grade One winner over hurdles, is set to belatedly embark on a career over the larger obstacles this term.

Sharjah has won six Grade Ones, a Galway Hurdle and finished second in two Champion Hurdles. He is already two from two over fences this year.

“I’m very happy with Sharjah and the obvious target is the Drinmore at Fairyhouse, but he’s had a hard summer – I don’t think he’s had a break,” Mullins continued.

“I’m toying with the idea of maybe giving him a break and keeping him for Christmas and the spring. I’ve got to make up my mind, I imagine he’ll get an entry in the Drinmore.”

Last season’s Champion Bumper runner-up Fact To File is an interesting recruit to fences, having not yet even run over hurdles.

Mullins memorably sent the popular Florida Pearl straight over fences from the bumper sphere and is keen to do the same with this JP McManus-owned six-year-old.

He said: “We sort of had a choice last term whether to stay bumpering or go novice hurdling and I elected to go bumpering with him. We thought if we did stay bumpering, then we would go novice chasing this year and cut out the hurdles because he looks like a chaser.

“He’s a beautiful horse, he’s got a temperament and he’s got everything. He’s a horse I think we will see at the top end of the novice chasing scene.

“I felt it was worth going down the bumper route with him and he was just beat at Cheltenham by A Dream To Share, so that was good enough. I think with the size and scope of the horse I want to go off chasing with him.”

Gaelic Warrior, second to esteemed stablemate Impaire Et Passe at Cheltenham before going one better in a Grade One novice hurdle at Punchestown, will also be on the novice chasing team, with Mullins identifying the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham as a potential goal.

Jamaica and Guatemala played to an exciting 2-2 draw on Sunday evening in Group B of League A of the Road to Women's Gold Cup at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.

Guatemala now have four points through three matches, while Jamaica have a point after two games.

The first half was an entertaining one and it was Guatemala who struck first, finding the back of the net in the 28th through Leslie Ramirez, who collected a corner kick and lofted a shot over Jamaica goalkeeper Aliyah Morgan and into net for a 1-0 Guatemala lead.

Jamaica responded almost immediately, and Guatemala could barely settle in with their lead when the scoreboard suddenly read 1-1 in the 32nd minute as Melissa Johnson ran onto a long ball from Malikae Dayes and tucked away a left-footed finish.

Jamaica brought that momentum into the second half and turned it into their first lead of the evening, 2-1, in the 52nd when Zoe Vidaurre fired home a loose ball deep in the area after the Guatemalan defense failed to clear a corner kick.

This time, though, it was Guatemala responding to a goal and Aisha Solorzano evened the score at 2-2 in the 56th with a strong finish after a surgical pass from Ana Martinez.

In the final quarter-hour, Jamaica had a golden opportunity to notch a third goal, but Guatemala goalkeeper Alexia Estrada pulled off an amazing save in the 80th to preserve the point for her side.

Just when you thought things could not get worse for the Jamaica Scorpions, they have. The 2022 CG United Insurance Super50 champions lost their fifth game on the trot going down by four wickets to the Windward Islands Volcanoes at Torouba on Sunday.

Batting first, the impotent Scorpions were bundled out for 158 in 42.2 overs. Chasing 159 for victory the Volcanoes made heavy weather of the chase but managed to achieve their target in 36.2 overs.

The woeful batting of the Jamaica Scorpions was again on full display against the Windwards as despite a welcome return to form of Nkrumah Bonner, the remainder of the batters barely put of a fight. Bonner stitched together a patient knock of 72 from 110 balls but alas no one else would follow his lead. Captain Rovman Powell disappointed once again making only 13 and was one of only three other batters in double figures - Shalome Parnell, who also made and Brad Barnes 10 – as Jamaica folded meekly against the Windwards’ attack.

This time it was the pace bowling of Shermon Lewis and Darel Cyrus that did the damage, the former taking 3-18 with the latter chipping in with 3-40. Andre Fletcher’s gentle medium also accounted for two wickets at a cost of only seven runs.

The Windwards’ chase was not as easy as they would have wished but they did enough to achieve the desired outcome. Jeremy Solozano held the middle order together to top-score with 40 with opener Alick Athanaze producing another decent knock of 36 but failed to carry on.

Shamar Springer scored an unbeaten 24 to get the Windwards over the line against a Jamaican bowling attack that has lacked a cutting edge all season. Jeavor Royal, Shalome Parnell, Brad Barnes and Shalome Parnell each took a wicket for the winless Scorpions.

The Cricket West Indies (CWI) tournament technical committee of the ongoing CG United Super 50 Cup has approved a player replacement for the Guyana Harpy Eagles.

Shamar Joseph has replaced Ronsford Beaton, who has picked up an injury, for the remainder of the tournament. It is a like for like replacement, with both players being fast bowlers.

Joseph becomes immediately available to play, having been added to the Harpy Eagles training squad in Trinidad prior to the opening of the tournament. In their fifth match of the competition, they are currently doing battle at UWI – Spec against the Barbados Pride, who are fifth in the table with 22 points after 3 matches.

The Guyana Harpy Eagles currently sit sixth in the points table, having amassed a total of 15 points in their 4 matches thus far, with 3 more matches to be played in the group stage.

The CG United Super 50 group stage concludes on Sunday November 5. The Harpy Eagles will be looking to win their remaining matches and push for one of four semifinal places.

The grand finale will be played at 1PM on Saturday, November 11 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

Fatima College got their first-ever hold on the Secondary School Football League title on Saturday after they edged Naparima College 2-1 on Saturday. With the win, Fatima College now have 37 points, five clear over dethroned champions St Benedict’s College.

The now former champions blanked Trinity College East 5-0 to hold a two-point lead over San Juan North Secondary who were held to a 2-2 draw by East Mucurapo Secondary.

San Juan North’s position is by no means set as they are only two points ahead of Presentation College, who have 28 points after they drubbed Pleasantville Secondary 4-0. That comprehensive victory has them a point ahead of Naparima heading into the final round.

Meanwhile, a point further adrift is Arima North Secondary who played to a 1-1 stalemate with St Anthony’s College.

During the final round, Malick Secondary and St Mary’s College will battle for positions as both are locked on 17 points with the former holding the edge on goal difference. That development came on the back of the latter’s 3-1 win over Chaguanas North Secondary.

Dual Group One winner Shaquille has been retired from racing and will stand at Dullingham Park Stud.

Trained by Julie Camacho, the three-year-old won seven of his nine career starts, highlighted by victories in both the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and the July Cup at Newmarket.

Shaquille then tried to bring up his Group One hat-trick in the Sprint Cup at Haydock, but having raced keenly, he dropped away to finish last of the 16 runners.

A planned run on Champions Day was abandoned after the Charm Spirit colt failed to satisfy the Camacho team in his final spin and he now bows out as the winner of over £782,000 in prize money.

Camacho, who is assisted by her husband Steve Brown, tweeted: “Shaquille was a gentleman at home and came alive on the racecourse. He gave us the best days of our racing lives managing to both outsprint and outstay his rivals to win two Group Ones this season.

“His outstanding looks and ability have been there for all to see and in our 50 years in the industry we have not seen a horse like him.

“We are grateful to his owner/breeder Martin Hughes for allowing us to raise and train him. We were so lucky to experience his ability and look forward to seeing his progeny.”

Shaquille will be the first stallion to stand at Steve Parkin’s Dullingham Park, which is near Newmarket.

A familiar name could prove the biggest threat to Inspiral in the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, as Fev Rover attempts to exert her recent dominance in North America at Santa Anita.

A winner of the Star Stakes and a Deauville Group Two when trained by Richard Fahey, the daughter of Gutaifan also placed in the 2021 edition of the 1000 Guineas during her time racing in Britain.

Sold to Tracy Farmer for 695,000 guineas at the end of that year, Fev Rover joined Mark Casse and the mare has improved with age, culminating in some stellar displays this season.

Having kicked off her five-year-old campaign with victory in Woodbine’s Nassau Stakes, she added Grade One triumphs in both the Beverly D Stakes and when accounting for Charlie Appleby’s With The Moonlight in the E.P Taylor Stakes and now finds herself as short as 7-1 with some British bookmakers for Breeders’ Cup glory.

Casse of course is no stranger to beating the Europeans on turf having saddled Tepin to strike at Royal Ascot in 2016 and the Hall Of Fame handler believes Fev Rover has all the right qualities to thrive around the tight turns of the famous California venue.

“I think Fev Rover has a big chance and she is training well,” said Casse.

“It looks like a real international race and obviously it is not going to be easy, but she is doing well and as far as things in North America go, she has kind of stamped herself as one of the better turf horses, that’s for sure.

“Her race at Saratoga was very good in the Diana (Stakes) and of course she won Beverley D. Both of those were around similar type turns and one thing about her, and I think it is one of the reasons why she is pretty good, is she is very versatile.

“If there is no speed she can go to the lead and if there is speed she can sit off them. She kind of makes her own race which is nice, she is not dependant on others.”

Fev Rover’s fine season could not only see her provide her decorated handler with a seventh victory at the Breeders’ Cup, but has also put the mare in prime position to be named Canadian Horse of the Year.

That is an accolade Casse feels would be fully justified having seen the mare mature into the full package this term.

“Looking at everyone’s accomplishments, as of today, she would be the favourite for horse of the year,” added the trainer.

“The only thing would be if one of the Canadian horses won at the Breeders’ Cup, that might hurt her chances.

“She has really grown up. Her physique and everything changed a lot from four to five and she’s a really stout filly now. She has just got really good and her behaviour is much better. She could misbehave some times but as she’s got older, she has got a little smarter about that.”

The Filly & Mare Turf last went to a North American-trained contender in 2018 and joining John and Thady Gosden’s Inspiral for the journey across the Atlantic is Aidan O’Brien’s Yorkshire Oaks and Prix Vermeille heroine Warm Heart along with the Joseph O’Brien-trained Lumiere Rock and State Occasion for Ralph Beckett.

Casse is predicting that fearsome contingent of raiders – as well as Japanese candidate Win Marilyn – to once again present a stern challenge, but the experienced handler prefers to concentrate solely on the prospects of Fev Rover and seeing her pony to post in the best possible shape.

“I’m worried about six or seven of them! I’m sure the Euros will be tough, they always are,” he said when asked about the opposition.

“But in all honesty though, I kind of just worry about my own horse. There is nothing I can do about the competition so I don’t fret about it. I figure it is what it is and we have to try to beat them.”

Inthewaterside could be set for a step up in class after emerging victorious in the Jewson Birkenhead, Price Street Maiden Hurdle at Aintree.

Sent off the 4-7 favourite for trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Harry Cobden, Inthewaterside was made to work hard for his prize, with Jagwar pushing him all the way to the line before being beaten just a head.

The Ditcheat handler could now raise his sights with the five-year-old, who also won each of his two bumper starts last term.

Nicholls said: “He was a bit keen and he did well to win pulling as hard as he did. There is plenty of improvement in him.

“That bit of experience will have done him the world of good, but you can see he is ultimately going to be a chaser.

“I’d half had in my mind to have a look at the Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown Park with him. He is not a horse you want to run too much. I would not be averse to dropping back to two miles as he is not short of speed.

“It was probably not a bad race, but he has done well winning it considering he did everything the wrong way round.”

Cobden later completed a double aboard the Joe Tizzard-trained Sunset Marquesa (12-1) in the Jewson Southport, Bispham Road EBF Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race.

Elizabeth Gale steered Celebre D’Allen (3-1 favourite) to a clear-cut victory in the Jewson Vieux Lion Rouge Veterans’ Handicap Chase.

The 10lb-claimer was enjoying the biggest success of her fledging career less than three years after recovering from breaking two vertebrae in a point-to-point fall.

Trained by Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, Celebre D’Allen made steady progress through the field to grab the lead before the penultimate fence and cost home by 16 lengths – his first win since February 2022.

Gale said: “It was easier than I thought it was going to be that’s for sure. He gave me a beautiful ride around. It was his first run of the season since running in the Topham, so the aim was to just get him jumping really. He is an 11-year-old and he has seen it out beautifully.

“I used to come here as a kid with pony club and I never thought I would be walking down those steps. It is a massive deal for me, especially to ride a winner here.

“I’ve had a long road to get here and anything I get is a bonus. A massive thanks to the governor and Johnson White. I’ve been there four seasons and I missed a good bit through injury, but I can’t complain as they look after me.”

Equinus (5-2 favourite) kicked off a double for Nigel Twiston-Davies in the opening Jewson Click And Collect Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, with jockey James Turner guiding him to a five-length win.

Twiston-Davies then teamed up with his son Sam to take the Jewson St Helens Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase with Master Chewy (2-1).

Following his 12-length win, Master Chewy could now head for the Grade Two SSS Super Alloys Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham on November 17.

The winning trainer said: “That was just excellent. He has always been superb over them (fences) at home. The future is bright. I think we will have to look at proper novice chase races.

“Very possibly we could go to Cheltenham for the two-mile novices’ chase there, why not.”

Crambo (11-8 favourite) made the most of a drop in class when claiming a cosy two-and-a-quarter-length verdict in the Jewson Handicap Hurdle.

He failed to sparkle in Grade One company at the Grand National meeting back in April, but moved to handicap company by trainer Fergal O’Brien, Crambo was far from extended in the hands of Connor Brace.

Sally Randell, O’Brien’s assistant trainer, said: “That was great. He was unlucky here at the Grand National Festival. He got no kind of run, and he had a bit of bad luck. Back down in a handicap he has done it well.

“I think we will look at some of those nice staying handicaps now with him. Hopefully he might be a bit better than that.”

There was no joy for the British raiders in the Prix Royal-Oak as Double Major ran out a wide-margin winner of the ParisLongchamp staying contest.

Trained by Christophe Ferland, Double Major had seen off Dermot Weld’s Harbour Wind by just three-quarters of a length at the track in the Prix Chaudenay on Arc weekend.

However, the manner of victory was much more straightforward this time and having been in the ideal position at the head of affairs alongside Brian Ellison’s Tashkhan, the only three-year-old in the race surged well clear of his rivals when jockey Maxime Guyon pushed the button entering the straight.

Patrice Cottier’s Skazino kept on for second ahead of Tashkhan, who finished best of the raiding party in third, but Harry Fry’s Metier was never in the mix from a position towards the rear of the field and James Fanshawe’s Novel Legend also finished out of the money.

Having secured top honours in his very first outing in Group One company, connections of Double Major were content to savour their big-race success in the French capital before contemplating future plans.

“We are very happy and the big question was the ground because he has never run on that kind of surface,” Pierre-Yves Bureau, racing manager to owners Wertheimer et Frere, told Sky Sports Racing.

“We knew the horse had that quality, but he was the only three-year-old facing older horses who have much more experience than him, so what he did was very nice and we are very happy.

“Well done to Christophe, he is a nice horse who keeps improving each time and that is very good and promising for the future.

“He is a gelding so hopefully he can travel as well, but we are going to enjoy what happened today because it was a really nice performance. We will have to see about the future.”

Winning rider Guyon added: “It is the first time he has run on this ground – the ground is very sticky today, so before the race we did not know if he loved that or not. Afterwards I can tell you he does.

“The most important thing for him is the distance. At the start of the year we went more of a short distance and now he needs the long distance. Last time he won the Group Two and every time he runs at Longchamp he runs very good, this time he has won a Group One.

“I am very happy for the team, for Christophe Ferland and for Wertheimer et Frere.”

Noel Meade’s Cheltenham Festival runner-up Affordale Fury made a successful switch to fences at Galway on Sunday.

A silver medallist at a huge 150-1 in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle back in March, he was also runner-up to Gaelic Warrior in the Grade One Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival and was an exciting chasing debutant in the Colm Quinn BMW Irish EBF Beginners Chase.

Sent off the 4-6 favourite, Affordale Fury’s jockey Sam Ewing positioned his mount hot on the heels of chief market rival and Grade Two-winning hurdler Favori De Champdou throughout and having matched strides at the final obstacle, the five-year-old’s abundant stamina took over in the run for home.

Although Favori De Champdou refused to lie down, Affordale Fury stayed on all the way to the finish to register a one-and-a-half-length success following a satisfactory round of jumping.

Meade said: “It is a bit of a relief as in beginners’ chases you never know what will happen. He was very good, though, and those ex-point-to-pointers are well schooled. We brought him to the Curragh a few weeks ago and he was really, really good.

“He would like a little nicer ground than that and got tired in the end, but he didn’t get as tired as the others.”

Affordale Fury is now set for a rise in class.

Meade added: “Where I’d love to be is in Leopardstown over Christmas for the Grade One novice over three miles. We’ll enter him for the Drinmore in between, but might instead run in the Grade Two Florida Pearl (at Punchestown) instead.”

Ryan Potter registered the biggest victory of his training career as Jetoile ran out a shock 25-1 winner of the Jewson Fast Set Finish Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase at Aintree.

Second to Constitution Hill in the Tolworth Hurdle as a novice, the son of Jeremy had disappointed over fences in the main last season before turning his campaign around with a pair of handicap victories at Chepstow in the spring.

That saw him arrive on Merseyside off a mark of 146 for his stiffest test to date over fences and he proved more than up to the task in the hands of Daryl Jacob.

In a race that saw all of the fences in the home straight bypassed, Jetoile made stylish progress to stalk long-time front runner Minella Drama after the final jumping test and having edged his way to the front with the winning post approaching, was driven out for a one-and-three-quarter-length victory over Donald McCain’s brave runner-up.

Al Dancer kept on gamely for third, but both the Paul Nicholls-trained 7-2 favourite Hitman and Dan Skelton’s My Drogo failed to make their presence felt, with the former checking out tamely and finishing last of the 11 runners.

Love Envoi will not be seen until the new year, when her season will be centred around going one better than last year’s brave second at the Cheltenham Festival.

A winner of the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival in 2022, a pair of taking victories at Sandown saw Harry Fry’s stable star head back to Prestbury Park full of confidence for a crack at the Mares’ Hurdle last March.

Sent off 11-1 in the hands of Johnny Burke, she came within a length and a half of back-to-back Cheltenham Festival triumphs as she eventually had to settle for a supporting role as Honeysuckle bowed out in fairytale fashion.

Despite injuring herself in her next outing at Punchestown, Love Envoi is back in training with Fry at his Dorset base and although the handler is keen to take his time, another crack at the Mares’ Hurdle is firmly in his sights.

Fry said: “She went so close to the Mares’ Hurdle, running Honeysuckle all the way, and obviously the whole campaign is going to be geared around going one better in March.

“She picked up a nasty injury when disappointing at Punchestown when last seen, which is her only bad run of her career and obviously there was a reason for it.

“She has made a full recovery out with Noel Fehily over the summer and he has pre-trained her and she’s just come back to us at the beginning of the month.

“She’s not going to be seen out until the new year I would have thought and it is still early stages with her, but we hope to have a clear run to March all being well.”

Love Envoi has been tentatively pencilled in to return in the same Sandown Listed event in which she recorded a 13-length success early in the year, while a similar contest at Warwick has been identified as another key stepping stone on the route to Prestbury Park.

“The races pick themselves for her and you have got the Sandown race she won last season in early January and then the Listed race at Warwick in February,” continued Fry.

“She was a non-runner in that last year because of the ground, but the programme is there for her and they are ideal prep races for the Mares’ Hurdle itself.”

American sprint star Caravel is fully primed ahead of the defence of her Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint title at Santa Anita next weekend.

Brad Cox’s daughter of Mizzen Mast was a somewhat shock winner of the five-furlong event at Keeneland 12 months ago, pinging the gates and never looking back in the hands of Tyler Gaffalione, as she came home half a length clear of Kevin Ryan’s Emaraaty Ana.

However, she has since proved that victory was no fluke and asserted herself as one of America’s top turf sprinters when bringing up a fabulous five-timer in the Jaipur Stakes at Belmont in the summer.

A subsequent defeat on soft ground at Saratoga has done little to dent the Caravel team’s confidence and their charge was only denied by a neck in her Breeders’ Cup tune-up in the Franklin Stakes.

“She seems to be in great nick and the news from America is we are all systems go,” said David Redvers, racing manager for Qatar Racing – who own the mare in conjunction with Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables LLC.

“You never know for sure whether she is going to be at the same level as last year, but we are all certainly hoping so. It’s thrilling to have a horse at that level who is going to defend her crown.

“We made the mistake of running her at Saratoga in that horrible heavy turf, so you just have to put a line through that. Otherwise she has been in great nick.”

Last year Caravel held off the cream of British sprinting with raiders filling the second, third and fourth spots and there are some more familiar names lying in wait for the US-trained speedster this time.

Royal Ascot scorer Bradsell and Adam West’s shock Nunthorpe winner Live In The Dream are at the front of the queue of challengers this time around, but connections feel Caravel has nothing to fear if able to replicate her form from last year’s Breeders’ Cup and in the early part of 2023.

“If she can run to the level of form she ran to last year, you would be very hopeful that it wouldn’t matter what she comes across,” added Redvers.

“The big question is, we don’t know if she has the same level of pace as she did last year. But she is one of Sheikh Fahad’s favourites and she’s certainly giving us all something to look forward to.”

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.