Juvenile clashes attract notice as European season embraces Autumn and all it brings

This weekend’s Cambridgeshire meeting at Newmarket has an autumnal feel to it that signals the end of the European season is nigh.

Yes, the G1 Arc and all the trappings of that great Longchamp fixture are still to come, but there are only a few key races in the calendar to be decided.

The announcement that Godolphin’s Quorto is not to run again this season has taken a certain amount of interest out of the traditional two-year-old clashes designed to finalise the end-of-season pecking order.

Nevertheless, the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes features the re-match of two outstanding fillies, Pretty Pollyanna and Signora Cabello, who filled the first two placings in the G1 Prix Morny at Deauville in August. Little separates the pair and another ‘thriller’ is in the offing.

In the G1 Middle Park Stakes, the Kevin Ryan-trained Emaraaty Ana is a most interesting runner. This colt by Shamardal out of a Cape Cross mare won the G2 Gimcrack Stakes at York and is clearly going the right way.

He faces seven strong rivals, headed by Jash, Legends Of War and Ten Sovereigns, all of whom boast excellent credentials.

On the opposite side of the world, one of the best weekend’s racing in prospect is programmed for Sydney and Melbourne.

Godolphin flagship Hartnell will be saddled up for the 44th time in his spectacularly successful career when he leads the runners on to the course for the G1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick, and a field of 19 will face the starter in the G1 Metropolitan, often a guide to the Cups later in the Spring.

At Sunday’s Caulfield meeting, Godolphin’s Blair House will test the water when facing nine classy rivals in the G1 Underwood Stakes. He has most to fear from in-form Grunt, who has yet to convince all that he is as good at Caulfield as he is at Flemington.