Following Monday's confirmation stage, 17 horses remain in contention for Saturday's G1 QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot, including the top-class three-year-olds Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and Calandagan (Ire) in what has the makings of a blockbuster clash.
Trained by William Haggas, Economics is unbeaten in four starts this season, culminating with a first Group 1 victory in last month's Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, while French challenger Calandagan confirmed himself a major force to be reckoned with when filling the runner-up spot behind the outstanding City Of Troy (Justify) in the G1 Juddmonte International Stakes at York in August.
Mickael Barzalona was recently announced as the new first jockey to the Aga Khan, the owner of Calandagan, but Stephane Pasquier is set to continue the association at Ascot, having partnered the son of Gleneagles (Ire) in every one of his five previous starts in 2024.
“I'm definitely riding him at Ascot,” Pasquier confirmed. “That's good news for him and good news for me also. I rode him in work last week and he was very good. He is a fantastic horse and he's in good form. When I rode him last week he was perfect.
“It's a strong race, but Calandagan did something so special at Ascot [when winning the G2 King Edward VII Stakes] and again at York. He has a very good turn of foot and it would need something very special to beat him–it would need City Of Troy to beat him!”
Irish Derby hero Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), a stable-mate of City Of Troy, is another talented three-year-old who shouldn't be underestimated if making a quick return to action after his third-place finish in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp. He is one of six possible runners for Aidan O'Brien, with the others including the four-time Group 1 winner Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and G1 St James's Palace Stakes runner-up Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Other notable contenders for the £1.3 million feature contest on QIPCO British Champions Day include the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin winner Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who needs to bounce back from a below-par effort in the Arc, progressive three-year-old King's Gambit (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) and last month's G2 Prix Foy scorer Iresine (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}).
Supplemented Prague one of 15 Potential Rivals to Charyn
Roger Varian's Queen Anne Stakes and Prix Jacques le Marois winner Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) could face up to 15 rivals when he bids for a third Group 1 success of the campaign in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored by QIPCO).
They include bargain buy Prague (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who has been supplemented at a cost of £70,000 following his victory in the G2 Joel Stakes at Newmarket. Picked up for just 10,000gns as an unraced three-year-old out of Ballydoyle, he has been on a steep upward curve this year and trainer Dylan Cunha expects conditions at Ascot to play to the strengths of his stable star.
“He won on soft ground last time when he took the Joel Stakes really well,” said Newmarket-based Cunha, who is a Group 1-winning handler in his native South Africa. “He worked nicely on Saturday morning, he's come out of it really well, and he's going to get his ground. We all felt it was worth having a go.
“When you look at official ratings, he's now only 5lb below Charyn. We know he will have to improve a lot to beat Charyn, but he's definitely in great form, so we have to go for it. When a horse like him is on such a steep curve, especially at this time of year, you might never get one in this form again, so we're going in with a good chance. We're fairly confident he'll run well. We've spent the money, so it is written in the stars now–we've done our bit!”
Tamfana (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) looks another leading contender for David Menuisier judged on the form of her victory in the G1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket, along with last year's runner-up Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) and the Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), both of whom are set to make the journey over from France.
Best of the Rest on Champions Day
Champions Day kicks off with the G2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup in which Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is set to bid for his seventh success of an outstanding campaign. He will have the opportunity to avenge last year's defeat at the hands of Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}), who was last seen pushing Kyprios all the way in the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June.
St Leger runner-up Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a stable-mate of Kyprios, G2 Doncaster Cup winner Sweet William (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and the improving Al Nayyir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) also feature in a possible field of 13.
A total of 22 horses remain contention for the G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes, with the 2022 victor Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) set to come up against a number of Group 1 winners from earlier this season, including July Cup hero Mill Stream (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and Lockinge scorer Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}). The first three from last month's Sprint Cup at Haydock could also clash again, namely Montassib (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), Kind Of Blue (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Unequal Love (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}).
The other Group 1 contest on the card is the Qipco British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes in which 19 horses are currently engaged. They include Kalpana (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), an emphatic winner of the G3 September Stakes at Kempton on her most recent start, with the progressive Tiffany (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) and G1 Yorkshire Oaks winner Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) leading the potential opposition.
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