Global Weekly Preview: Stars twinkling as Europe steps up on global stage

Hong Kong and Paris are the venues for the weekend's two most intriguing races, and although thousands of kilometres apart geographically, Sunday's G1 QEII at Sha Tin and Monday's G1 Prix Ganay at Saint-Cloud are both expected to influence world rankings.

For Godolphin, the French race should help put into perspective the recent emergence of the Andre Fabre-trained Cloth Of Stars, as well as monitoring the winter progress of Charlie Appleby's Hawkbill.

Both are proven G1 performers. Cloth Of Stars was placed at the highest level at two and finished third in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris at three, while Hawkbill kept raising the bar all last season before landing the G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown with a brilliant effort.

Hong Kong's QEII carries great prestige and enormous prize money, yet Fabre has by-passed it and chosen a well-worn domestic path to determine where Cloth Of Stars stands against some of the most able middle-distance prospects in Europe.

The Colt, 8th in the Epsom Derby, faces seven rivals in the Prix Ganay, a race inaugurated in 1889 and transferred temporarily to Saint-Cloud while a new grandstand is built at Longchamp. 

Heavy localised showers are forecast by some sources, and the ground is tipped to be on the soft side of good.

Fabre said: "Cloth Of Stars has had an ideal preparation, winning the two lead-up races.

"He is in great form and goes on any ground, so I'm not worried about that. He needs to make the step up into G1 company now, and show improvement again on his last two starts, if he is to make that transition," he added.

Hawkbill ran three times last year following his Eclipse triumph, rounding off his campaign with a third in the G1 Grosser Preis Von Bayem at Munich.

Appleby is expecting to see a stronger, more mature Hawkbill at four. "He did very well in Dubai over the Winter," the trainer reported.

"He goes into the Ganay fresh and well, and it looks like he should get conditions to suit. If he brings his 'A Game' to Saint-Cloud, he should be very competitive," he added.

The Aga Khan's Zarak finished fourth in the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan last month. A son of the champion filly Zarkava, he is expected to prove his G1 status over middle-distances, while the Andreas Wohler-trained Potemkin, by New Approach, is a last-start winner of the G1 Premio Roma and expected to run well again.

It is a puzzle why only eight runners contest Sunday's QEII in Hong Kong, with international representation lacking its usual strength. 

The United States carries the Australian flag, Neorealism the Japanese, while Dicton, though locally-owned, shoulders the hopes of Europe.

I suppose there is just a limit to the number of top class contenders available following important G1 racing in Dubai and Sydney, and with Europe just hitting a crucial gear-change at the highest level.

Local trainer John Moore brought Werther back from injury to win the G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup, over course and distance, in March -- the setback prevented the son of Tavistock contesting the big international races in December -- and he seems better than ever.

Pakistan Star, a grey son of Shamardal, to be ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, would be a popular local winner. Designs On Rome and Blazing Speed represent the 'old-timers' brigade, having been regulars in the top races in Hong Kong for years.