New Approach and Curlin shared top billing in the World Thoroughbred Rankings unveiled today at a ceremony in London.

Curlin, the 2007 American Horse of the Year, will be retired to stud in 2009.

There may be plenty of questions nagging trainer Steve Asmussen about Curlin’s Breeders’ Cup Classic title defence at Santa Anita on Saturday, but for most of those outside his barn, the superstar has all the answers.

AN ENCOURAGING draw for Aidan O’Brien’s Duke of Marmalade saw the five-time Group One winner shortened in the market for Saturday night’s $5 million (€3.82m) Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Trainers and jockeys condemned Ascot officials for watering the track before their three-day Queen Elizabeth II Stakes meeting.

Raven’s Pass (3-1) finally got the big win his efforts deserved as he outfought long-time nemesis Henrythenavigator in a thrilling renewal of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

WHAT this afternoon’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot lacks in numbers it makes up for in quality as Henrythenavigator represents the Irish and English Guineas form in an intriguing contest with leading French miler Tamayuz and the incredibly consistent and sometimes brilliant Raven’s Pass.

JUST seven runners will take to the track in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot – but the anticipated match between Henrythenavigator and Tamayuz is still on.

BOOKMAKERS are struggling to split Henrythenavigator and Tamayuz as two of the season’s top milers prepare to lock horns in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

JIM Bolger has given New Approach the go-ahead for Saturday’s rearranged Juddmonte International at Newmarket.

Impressive Prix Rothschild winner Goldikova is to be campaigned with a tilt at the Breeders’ Cup in mind.

HENRYTHENAVIGATOR and the Coolmore team continued on their seemingly unstoppable run at Goodwood yesterday as they claimed the BGC Sussex Stakes, despite encountering difficult circumstances.

WITH Ballydoyle in the middle of a purple patch, connections of Raven’s Pass are well aware of the task in front of them in Wednesday’s BGC Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

A dream week for trainer Freddie Head and jockey Davy Bonilla continued at Chantilly as Tamayuz repelled the British raiders in the Prix Jean Prat.

Connections of Falco are hoping that having their own pacemaker will help the French 2000 Guineas hero return to winning ways in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly on Sunday.

City Leader will drop back in trip for his next outing, with two potential targets on the agenda.

Dual Guineas winner Henrythenavigator has been hailed by Aidan O’Brien as the best miler to have graced Ballydoyle in recent years after his Group One sweep in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

HENRYTHENAVIGATOR emulated dual Guineas winner Rock Of Gibraltar when adding the St James’s Palace Stakes to his Group One haul on the opening day of Royal Ascot yesterday.

HENRYTHENAVIGATOR will face eight rivals as he bids to supplement his two Classic wins in tomorrow’s St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

JOHN Gosden may not have enjoyed a Guineas double at Newmarket last month but Michita can offer Classic compensation in the Juddmonte Oaks at Epsom this afternoon.

CONNECTIONS of Vodafone Derby favourite Twice Over will make a late decision regarding his participation in this afternoon’s totesport.com Dante Stakes at York.

Godolphin bring out the first of their Vodafone Derby aspirants at Chester on Friday as the ex-French Alexandros tackles the Addleshaw Goddard Dee Stakes.

Twice Over, ante-post favourite for the Vodafone Derby, is firmly on target to have his final prep race in the totesport.com Dante Stakes at York on Thursday week.

JIM Bolger reports no worries for New Approach as the red-hot favourite attempts to provide his trainer with a first victory in the stanjames.com 2000 Guineas at Newmarket today.

GODOLPHIN’S 2000 Guineas options were whittled down to two last night after Fast Company was ruled out of the stanjamesuk.com-sponsored Classic.

GODOLPHIN hope to have two runners in the stanjamesuk.com 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday but are in no hurry to decide which of their three possibles will represent them.

Henry Cecil was the toast of Newmarket after saddling a Group-race double with Classic hopeful Twice Over and injury-plagued Phoenix Tower.

John Gosden will saddle leading stanjamesuk.com 2000 Guineas candidate Raven’s Pass – the horse he describes as “the best chance I have had in the race” – in a trial at Newmarket or Newbury next week.

NEW Approach has been rated 3lb higher than his former stablemate and last year’s top European two-year-old Teofilo on account of his victory in a better-quality renewal of the Dewhurst Stakes.

New Approach duly emulated his former stable companion Teofilo as European champion two-year-old with victory in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes.

Jim Bolger has the 2000 Guineas and Derby in his sights with New Approach after the brilliant colt maintained his unbeaten record in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

The Darley Dewhurst Stakes is under “strong consideration” for impressive Longchamp winner Rio De La Plata.

Candidato Roy pulled off a big shock at Ascot as he ploughed a lone furrow to take the totesport.com Challenge Cup with a pillar-to-post success for trainer William Haggas and jockey Johnny Murtagh.

Charity was the order of the afternoon on Variety Club day at Sandown and Raven’s Pass was all heart as he demolished the field in the Iveco Solario Stakes to propel himself to the head of the ante-post 2000 Guineas markets.