Speaker’s Corner heads awesome foursome in North America

Speaker's Corner maintained his perfect start to the year with another exhilarating display in the G1 Carter Handicap on Saturday, one of four Graded Stakes victories in the United States over the weekend.

Having already captured G3 and G2 prizes at Gulfstream Park, Speaker’s Corner took the step up to G1 level in his stride as he stormed to an easy four and a half-length success in Aqueduct’s biggest race.

The Street Sense colt now looks set to bid for further G1 honours in New York in the Met Mile at Belmont Park in June – a race Frosted famously won by 14 lengths in 2016.

Nostalgic scored on the same Aqueduct card as she gamely snuck up the inside rail to take the G3 Gazelle Stakes, a victory that earned the Medaglia d’Oro three-year-old a starting place in the G1 Kentucky Oaks.

Keeneland’s Spring Meet kicked off on Friday and three Godolphin winners on the opening weekend included half-brothers Emirates Road and Prevalence, who secured a breakthrough first G3 success in the Commonwealth Stakes.

Matareya was also triumphant at Keeneland as she blew the opposition away in the G3 Beaumont Stakes. After prevailing by eight and a half lengths, the three-year-old looks set to have her sights raised significantly, with the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint a potential end of season target.

The UK turf season steps up a gear this week with the Craven meeting at Newmarket. Last season’s 2,000 Guineas runner-up Master Of The Seas runs in the G3 Earl Of Sefton Stakes, while Champion two-year-old Native Trail will be looking to confirm his wellbeing ahead of this year’s Classic in the G3 Craven Stakes.