Rising star Ampadu dominates in Sekiya Kinen

Admirably consistent five-year-old Ampadu took his form to a new level with an emphatic victory in Sunday’s G3 Sekiya Kinen at Niigata, earning him a chance at G1 glory in the autumn.

A fractured cannon bone had limited the five-year-old six previous starts, including four wins, but the Iffraaj entire excelled in testing conditions as he stormed to a five-length success on his Graded Stakes debut.

He now looks set to be aimed at the Mile Championship at Kyoto in November, where his rivals may include another UK-bred Godolphin runner in Off Trail, who was fourth in last year’s renewal.

Pyro filly Soul On Fire won on the same Niigata card as she secured a first Stakes win, adding to a pair of victories at Kyoto earlier in the season.

Diamond Rain has G1 targets back on her agenda after she returned to winning form with a comprehensive success in York’s Listed Lyric Stakes on Friday. The daughter of Shamardal was beaten a head by US Champion Filly She Feels Pretty in last year’s E P Taylor Stakes and will head back to Canada for the same race, with the switch back to the outer turf course expected to suit.

Dubawi colt Jassas made an impressive introduction at Doncaster on Thursday, while fellow two-year-old Sorrengail, who is from the same family as Space Blues, scored at the second time of asking as she comfortably took an Ascot novice race on Friday.

After sidestepping a clash with Breeders’ Cup winner Cy Fair at Saratoga the previous week, Quiet Street picked up a second Stakes win in the Lady Erie Stakes at Presque Isle Downs on Monday. Third in the Miss Grillo Stakes last season, she looks set to try and bid for more Graded Black Type over the coming months.

Glorious Goodwood provides the main European focus this week, with Deauville’s summer meeting getting underway on Sunday. Trawlerman will be hoping to turn the tables on Scandinavia in Tuesday’s Goodwood Cup after the duo served up a titanic finish to the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Opera Ballo bids for top miler status 24 hours later when he faces Classic-winning three-year-olds Bow Echo and Gstaad in the feature race of the meeting, the Sussex Stakes.