Global Weekly Preview: It's all over in Europe....or is it?

Just when it seemed the curtain had dropped on racing for the elite in Europe, Godolphin's Chantilly-based trainer Andre Fabre sent out his 17th two-year-old winner of the season, a statistic that will have been noted by loyal followers of the stable.

But can that winner, of a juvenile maiden in mid-November, really have the potential to join the elite?

Anybody who saw Mind Mapping bolting home at Saint-Cloud on Friday, on only his second outing, would surely think so. After making most of the running, the Medaglia D'Oro colt powered clear in the home straight to win impressively by six lengths

Jockey Mickael Barzalona was taken by the win: "He has improved a lot since his first run, and he ought to develop into a Group horse."

Mind Mapping has a strong pedigree, having as his second dam a half-sister to Spinning World, which augurs well for next year.

Most of the global action in the next few weeks comes from Australia, but Fabre, who sent out Talismanic to win the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar two weeks ago, clearly has more to come.

This will prolong interest in Europe a fraction longer, while waiting for the American scene to step up a gear to commence the long build-up to the Triple Crown in May and June.

There is still unfinished business for Godolphin in Melbourne, particularly with the Charlie Appleby-trained Kidmenever targeting the G3 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park. This 1,800m /9 furlong handicap should suit ideally.

Kidmenever suffered an internal bleed when unplaced in the G2 Herbert Power at Caulfield on October 14. He had a hard run, up on the pace until fading near the home turn, but has bounced back well.