On Sunday as the sun crosses the globe we can follow the Group 1 action from Japan, Hong Kong and France.

The Tenno Sho (Spring) (Group 1) Post Time 7.40 AM GMT

Run over 3200 meters (2 miles) for older horses at Kyoto the “Emperor’s Prize”  is the longest Group 1 on the Japanese pattern calendar. It has attracted an international candidate in the shape of Red Cadeaux from the Ed Dunlop yard. This gelded son of Cadeaux Genereux has turned into a money machine with earnings of over £3 million. £1.2m of that came when he ran a fantastic second last time out in the Dubai World Cup to Animal Kingdom. He never threatened the American horse but he did come form a long way back to mow down all but the winner over a distance well short of his best. This extra 6 f will certainly suit and the quick surface will also be to his benefit.

The winners prize of just short of £1m has to be well within his compass considering prior to Dubai he won the Hong Kong Vase a short head from Jaguar Mail (who opposes here) who was the winner of this in 2010.

He’ll have to overcome the home team led by Gold Ship. As a three year old last year he won the  Japanese 2000 Guineas and St Ledger. He didn’t manage the Derby running fifth but he did take the Arima Kinen (the second richest race in Japan) in December over 15 f the first time he met the older horses.Others to consider are Tosen Ra and Fenomeno.

If Ed Dunlop’s charge can reproduce his Dubai effort then there is a great chance that we will see the first international winner of this prestigious race.

Recommendation : Red Cadeaux 7/1 win

The Audemars Piguet QE 11 Cup (Group 1) Post Time 9.35 AM GMT

Another cracking international contest this time over 10 f. The visitors include Eishin Flash from Japan who was 3 1/4 L off Gold Ship in the Arima Kinen. His best form was in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) over this distance in October when he beat Fenomeno a 1/2 L. Mike De Kock sends his star South African filly Igugu and the ex Irish Treasure Beach. The filly is on a bit of a retrieval mission having left her form at home when three runs in Dubai proved fruitless. Treasure Beach’s trip to Dubai also proved fruitless but there was certainly a glimmer of hope for a return to the form of his three year old career which saw him run second to Pour Mio in the Epsom Derby and win the Irish Derby at the Curragh.

There will undoubtably be a huge spotlight on Saeed bin Suroor’s Sajjhaa representing Goldophin. The boys in blue  will be hopping this filly can end their most horrendous week on a high. She had a hugely successful Dubai carnival where she was unbeaten in four runs the last two at G1 level The Jebbel Hatta and Dubai Duty Free where she beat Mike De Kock’s The Apache both times.

The home team is led by Ambitious Dragon, California Memory and Akeed Mofeed. Ambitious Dragon has never raced outside Hong Kong however he was a winner of the Hong Kong Mile in December and beat California Memory in this race last year. California Memory took the Hong Kong Cup at the international meeting in December.

Akeed Mofeed was one we thought a lot of as a two year old when he was spoken about as a potential superstar. Things didn’t work out for him and he was sold out of the John Oxx yard for reputably $2m. He’s run four times in Hong Kong winning the last two which were local G1’s. Last time out was the Hong Kong Derby open to four year olds that juvenile potential was ignited and the engine we thought was there has finally been switched on.

Expect him to show he’s come of age here.

Recommendation : Akeed Mofeed 5/1 win, Treasure Beach 33/1 ew

Prix Ganay (Group 1) Post Time 2.40 PM GMT

The first European Group 1 of the season is an entirely French affair. Giofra will most likely go off favourite on the pari mutuel. She beat Elusive Kate in the Falmouth Stakes last July at Newmarket and was second to California Memory in December in the Hong Kong Cup. She’d an interrupted prep for the Dubai Duty Free where she finished well 2 1/2 l behind Sajjhaa.

Recommendation : Giofra 5/2 win