Roundup of the Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" events and other stakes action on Day 1 of the Irish Champions Festival at Leopardstown

Favorites swept the three Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series qualifiers at Goodwood on Tuesday and Wednesday, earning fees-paid berths to compete in the 2026 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland.

A pair of Group 1 races with potential Breeders’ Cup ramifications highlighted Day 4 of the Royal Ascot meet at Ascot Racecourse in England.

On Day 3 of Royal Ascot, Aidan O’Brien became the first trainer to saddle 100 winners at the royal meeting when Scandinavia scored a determined triumph in the historic Gold Cup (G1).

The five-day Royal Ascot meet at Ascot Racecourse in England kicked off on Tuesday with four group stakes, including a pair of qualifiers for the 2026 Breeders’ Cup.

Ombudsman and Minnie Hauk dominated Breeders’ Cup Challenge events in different divisions at York, but chances are that they will cross swords in the Turf (G1) at Del Mar.

Adverse weather became the major player at Glorious Goodwood, but even a torrential downpour couldn’t dampen the front-running enthusiasm of Whirl.

A tour-de-force performance from Trawlerman in the Gold Cup (G1) highlighted the Day 3 racing action at Royal Ascot in England.

The Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore tandem completed a Breeders’ Cup Friday double when Henri Matisse exploded late in the Juvenile Turf (G1).

Aidan O’Brien shipper Lake Victoria was by far the class of the field in Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), and that enabled the 3-5 favorite to overcome a problematic trip at Del Mar.

With logistical detail reminiscent of a military operation, trainer Aidan O’Brien orchestrated a racecourse gallop at Southwell on Friday for his Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) contender City of Troy.

The Curragh hosted day two of the Irish Champions Festival, highlighted by four Group 1s including a pair of Breeders’ Cup Challenge events.

The William Haggas-trained Economics added to his burgeoning profile by dethroning Auguste Rodin in the Irish Champion (G1), one of three Breeders’ Cup Challenge races at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Despite pulling hard early in Thursday’s 1 1/2-mile Yorkshire Oaks (G1), Content had enough stamina in the closing stages to outlast You Got to Me and Emily Upjohn in this “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

As he often does, trainer Aidan O'Brien entered a pacemaker in Wednesday's Juddmonte International (G1) at York, ostensibly to ensure a proper gallop for Coolmore's star three-year-old City of Troy.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Whistlejacket saw off every challenge in Sunday’s 154th Prix Morny (G1) at Deauville, a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1).

Royal Ascot wrapped up on Saturday with a mix of blowout victories and dramatic head-to-head battles. Three group stakes, including an exciting renewal of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee (G1), led the action.

The Coronation (G1) and Commonwealth Cup (G1) were the feature events on Day 4 of Royal Ascot, but the Albany (G3) winner arguably stole the show.

The historic 2 1/2-mile Gold Cup (G1) on Day 3 of Royal Ascot came down to a tremendous homestretch battle in which 2022 winner Kyprios continued an against-all-odds comeback to reclaim his title.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien picked up the 400th Group 1 win of his career when 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) hero Augustin Rodin pounced to a determined triumph in the Prince of Wales’s (G1) at Royal Ascot.