Perhaps not with a bang, but the Flat was back in Britain this weekend and it was Godolphin who were smiling at Doncaster as Secret Brief claimed the Betway Lincoln.

Air Force Blue was “very popular” on the eve of the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes - despite Aidan O’Brien issuing a cautionary note about ground conditions at Newmarket for his star two-year-old colt.

Aidan O’Brien was the dominant figure on day two of the second renewal of Champions’ Weekend, the Ballydoyle maestro taking all three Group 1 contests on yesterday’s card at the Curragh.

Glorious Goodwood has been robbed of one of its highlights as Gleneagles bypasses tomorrow’s Qatar Sussex Stakes due to unsuitable ground.

Richard Hannon is under no illusions about the task facing Ivawood ahead of his rematch with Gleneagles in the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas.

Aidan O’Brien has outlined running plans for some of his Classic contenders in the coming days.

Diamondsandrubies might be capable of stepping-up on her recent maiden success in Tipperary to land the listed Irish Stallion Farms Salsabil Stakes in Navan today.

Roger Varian has confirmed Kingston Hill will not run again this season, ruling out a crack at Saturday’s Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Trainer Tom Dascombe was full of praise for jockey Richard Kingscote after an enterprising ride aboard Brown Panther gave the pair their first taste of Group One success in the Palmerstown House Estate Irish St Leger at the Curragh yesterday.

German colt Sirius is on course for a clash with compatriot and leading Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hope Sea The Moon next month following his victory in the Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten racecourse.

Kingman and Night Of Thunder are set to clash for the third time this season in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot as both appeared among 12 entries at the latest forefeit stage.

As a son of Galileo out of the brilliant race mare Ouija Board, Australia is certainly bred to be a Classic contender and he gets his chance in the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket today.

Godolphin needed to buy into last year’s winner of the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes but the team has found a juvenile from their own production line with a leading chance of defending today’s renewal of the key Group 1.

There are few harder horses to dislodge from the front than Universal and Mark Johnston’s battler continued his impressive rate of progress in the Princess Of Wales’s boylesports.com Stakes at Newmarket.

Dawn Approach will bid to give his trainer, Jim Bolger, a first British 2000 Guineas victory when he puts his unbeaten record on the line in the first Classic of the season, this afternoon at Newmarket.

Trainer Jim Bolger has yet to decide whether Leitir Mor will join stablemate Dawn Approach in the Qipco 2000 Guineas.

Jim Bolger maintains Dawn Approach is “on a par” with the best horses he has ever trained ahead of the colt’s bid for Classic glory in the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday week.

Aidan O’Brien has mapped out an early-season plan for his dual Derby winner Camelot that will culminate with an appearance at Royal Ascot.

At a stage in life when most people have long since summoned the pipe and slippers, Jim Bolger is showing absolutely no signs of slowing down.

No Jet Lag is likely to miss the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday in favour of a trip to Ireland a day earlier.

Jim Bolger insists no formal decision has yet been made over where Dawn Approach is trained next season.

Anyone else blown away by the performance of Jim Bolger’s Trading Leather at Gowran Park last Sunday?

Henry Candy caught a few by surprise when his 50-1 chance Code Of Honour flew clear in division one of the Wedgewood Estates EBF Maiden Stakes at Newbury.

I’ve seen just about every top-class flat horse from Nijinsky to Sea The Stars, but after watching Frankel at York on Wednesday I have to put Henry Cecil’s colt up as the greatest of all time.

Dawn Approach lived up to his tall reputation with a hard-fought victory in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot yesterday.

There’s no Camelot in this afternoon’s Abu Dhabi Irish 2000 Guineas (3.15) at the Curragh but there’s certainly no shortage of Ballydoyle representation.

Akeed Mofeed will miss the Abu Dhabi Irish 2000 Guineas due to a minor setback.

Andrew Balding’s Derby hope Bonfire puts his reputation on the line in Thursday’s Betfred Dante Stakes at York.

Ger Lyons could not be happier with Lightening Pearl as he prepares the Group One-winning filly for the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 6.

ON THE greyhound scene, the Laurels takes centre stage and despite the most unfortunate absence of semi-final winner St Louis Charlie, it’s still a terrific contest and one that’s not easy to solve.

Wins from Jack’s Revenge and Franciscan at Leicester saw Kieren Fallon erode Paul Hanagan’s lead in the jockeys’ championship to seven.

Aidan O'Brien is responsible for the six of the 16 five-day entries for Saturday's Dubai Dewhurst Stakes as he seeks to win the seven-furlong race for a third time.

Roger Varian’s unbeaten colt Ektihaam has been given the green light for a crack at the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on October 8.

DAVID Simcock is confident his star turn Dream Ahead is ready to show his true colours in today’s Darley July Cup at Newmarket.

TIMEFORM ratings suggest that Dream Ahead is over-priced at the current 9-1 on Betfair, as the Halifax gurus have David Simcock’s three-year-old 5lb ahead of his rivals for today’s Newmarket showpiece (live on Channel 4).

IF Richard Hannon’s Dubawi Gold repeats his heroics in the English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket then he will surely land the Irish equivalent at the Curragh this afternoon.

Richard Hannon’s Dubawi Gold has been installed the early favourite for Saturday’s Abu Dhabi Irish 2000 Guineas with a number of colts dropping out of the reckoning for the Curragh Classic.

Dream Ahead and Pathfork are not among the 11 entries for Saturday’s Abu Dhabi Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh.

CASAMENTO has been confirmed a definite runner in Saturday’s Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

FRANKEL will face a maximum of 14 rivals, headed by Jessica Harrington’s Pathfork in the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday.