With a hefty weight impost (9kgs on the field) Rocket Man was still able to break the 1200m polytrack record at Kranji last night.

On Hong Kong opening day Australian jockeys grabbed the headlines with trebles to Zac Purton and Brett Prebble.

The raider Cavalryman had to settle for third place this time as the race went to the 10/1 local Night Magic.

Criquette Head-Maarek's Fuisse dumped his jockey twice, had a tour of Longchamp and delayed the start of the Prix Moulin by 15 minutes.

Was how Aiden O'Brien described Starspangled banner after his poor run in the Haydock Sprint.

Sensational sprinter Rocket Man returns to racing at Kranji tonight in the Woodlands Handicap over 1200m on the polytrack.

There are 7 runners for this popular G1 2400m race in a field which includes Melbourne Cup entrant Cavalryman.

Christophe Lemaire is back in action and he'll be riding the Aga Khan's Siyouni in this but it is a very competitive race over the mile.

Starspangledbanner is favourite for the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup over 1200m with a track rated good.

Persistently ran according to his name and got the better of crack filly Rachel Alexandra in the Personal Ensign at Saratoga on Sunday.

On Hong Kong opening day Australian jockeys grabbed the headlines with trebles to Zac Purton and Brett Prebble.

With a 4 1/2 length victory in the G1 Woodward at Saratoga on Saturday, Quality Road has shown his "real" self.

Pressing has become something of a favourite with the Velifendi racegoers who cheered loudly as he won his third successive TT.

Cape Blanco has been somewhat in the background in the O'Brien camp but he's always looked a good horse and on Saturday his win in the Champion Stakes showed that well.

You realise the year is slipping away when it comes round to Hong Kong starting up their new racing year.

After going down in the Whitney, Todd Pletcher's Quality Road comes to the G1 Woodward at Saratoga with redemption in mind.

Racing in Turkey is going ahead at a great rate - some runners did well in Dubai this year - and this is Istanbul's big weekend.

They are betting in Ireland that Aiden O'Brien will win the three Group races on this card and it looks on paper as if this is quite possible.

A confirmed case of Strangles has led to a number of horses being quarantined but it is not considered worthwhile stopping Kranji racing this weekend.

The "Budapest Bullet" didn't fire on Sunday at Baden Baden in the Goldener Pleitsche.