The highlight of the Galway festival, strictly with the future in mind, was surely the display of Dermot Weld’s Forgotten Rules on the Friday night.

Leading Light, winner of the Queen’s Vase 12 months ago, heads the ante-post market for next Thursday’s Ascot Gold Cup after the latest declaration stage yesterday.

After Faugheen had won in a canter at Punchestown on Tuesday, the bookmakers wasted no time introducing him into the Champion Hurdle market.

Faugheen, over a two-mile trip believed to be well short of his best, was hugely impressive in winning the Grade 1 Herald Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday.

Aidan O’Brien has three runners – Buonarroti, Century and Johann Strauss – as he goes for an eighth triumph in the final Group 1 race of the season in Britain today - the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster.

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah prepared to bury his heir, Prince Nayef bin Abdel-Aziz, yesterday before naming a new successor at a challenging time for the world’s top oil exporter and self-styled steward of Islam.

British Prime Minister David Cameron paid tribute to Crown Prince Nayef for his “leadership and dedication” following the Saudi Arabian minister’s death earlier today.

A REPORT given to a high-level advisory group in Saudi Arabia claims that allowing women in the kingdom to drive could encourage premarital sex, a rights activist said.

A filly by Galileo out of the half-sister to European Champion two and three-year-old New Approach was the star turn on the opening day of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

BEETHOVEN, last season’s Dewhurst winner, has been ruled out of the StanJames.com 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Twice Over could head for the Breeders’ Cup in November after his rousing success in the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes at Newmarket.

Mawatheeq will try to emulate Nayef when he lines up for the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes at Newmarket tomorrow.

Sea The Stars will face 12 rivals in Sunday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby should John Oxx finalise his colt’s participation.

THE team surrounding Heaven Sent are confident she can go one better than 12 months ago when she lines up in the Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot today.

MOURAYAN could bid to get back on the winning trail in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown next month following his defeat at the track on Sunday.

Hayley Turner’s progress into the top level of British jockeys took another leap forward at Newbury toay as Marcus Tregoning entrusted her with the ride on a colt he regards as a possible Derby candidate.

Spacious, runner-up in the 1000 Guineas earlier this year, makes her long-awaited return in Friday’s Frank Whittle Partnership Conditions Stakes at Doncaster.

Kotsi has been declared to make her racecourse return after a two-month break in the Listed European Breeders’ Fund Upavon Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury on Wednesday.

Corrybrough stretched his winning sequence to four and confirmed himself as a potential sprint star with an impressive victory in the bettercasino.com Scurry Stakes at Sandown.

Kotsi will step up in trip to 10 furlongs for the first time when she makes her seasonal reappearance in the Swettenham Stud Fillies’ Trial Stakes at Newbury on Friday.

A continued spell of decent weather is likely to tempt Andrew Balding into running Top Lock in Saturday’s Casino At Bet365.com Classic Trial at Sandown.

Trainer Marcus Tregoning is optimistic about Sir Percy’s chances of victory in the Dubai Sheema Classic as the Vodafone Derby winner continued his smooth progress towards Saturday’s Dubai World Cup meeting.

MARCUS TREGONING could leave it as late as Thursday morning before deciding whether Sir Percy will take his chance in Sunday's Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.

Four years ago the partisan crowd at Doncaster erupted when Bollin Eric galloped to victory in the St Leger, providing a local win for Yorkshiremen Tim Easterby and Kevin Darley.

HORSE of the Year Sergeant Cecil can land the first Group prize of his career in the Emirates Airline Yorkshire Cup at York today.

George Washington has hardened at the head of the market as he bids to justify favouritism and give Aidan O’Brien back-to-back wins in the Stan James 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday.

Saudi Arabia has released thousands of detainees after clearing them of involvement in terrorism, the interior minister said.

Saudi King Fahd’s condition is stable and reassuring, Crown Prince Abdullah said today, three days after the monarch was hospitalised suffering from pneumonia.

An internet statement in the name of al-Qaida today claimed responsibility for last week’s bomb blasts in the Saudi capital Riyadh, saying it aimed to assassinate the interior minister and his son.

On the eve of Mubtaker’s attempt to win the Stan James Geoffrey Freer Stakes for the third year running, trainer Marcus Tregoning revealed that Hong Kong rather than Texas would be the seven-year-old’s most likely end-of-season destination.

Foreigners fearing strikes by terrorists in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to carry guns, the police minister announced today.

Rakti heads an international entry of 52 for the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 16.

A car bombing at a security building in the Saudi capital bears all the hallmarks of al Qaida, officials have said.

THREE American soldiers were killed and another wounded in a large explosion west of Baghdad yesterday.

Three American soldiers were killed and another wounded in a large explosion west of Baghdad today.

ALAMSHAR and Nayef remain on course to make the final appearance of their careers in the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes.

Nayef and Alamshar remain on course to make the final appearance of their careers in the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes.

Aidan O’Brien has not lost faith in Grand Reward despite the youngster’s expensive defeat in the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury.

Mubtaker continues to show what an improved horse he is and he put up a convincing display to land the Coral September Stakes at Kempton under Richard Hills.

FALBRAV trounced his rivals in a superb renewal of the £460,000 Juddmonte International Stakes at York yesterday.

AIDAN O’BRIEN is hoping conditions at York today will suit Mingun, who contests the Group One Juddmonte International Stakes.

ALAMSHAR received a glowing assessment yesterday from senior British Horseracing Board handicapper Nigel Gray.

Plans for Nayef are up in the air after his seventh place finish in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

John Oxx plans to drop Alamshar back in trip following the colt’s superb victory in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot