Classic winner Kameko (Kitten's Joy), who landed the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas in June, will start next in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. on British Champions Day, Oct. 17. The Qatar Racing colourbearer saluted in the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. on the all-weather as a juvenile and won the Newmarket Classic by a neck on June 6. Since then, he has rolled a trio of fours in the July 4 G1 Investec Derby, July 29 G1 Qatar Sussex S. and the Aug. 19 G1 Juddmonte International S. Trainer Andrew Balding is undeterred by the reversals.
“He's great–he's just having some down time, and hopefully we'll head to [the] G1 QIPCO Champions Day for the QEII,” Balding told Sky Sports Racing. “I just feel like we've been learning as we go along, and I probably should have had a better idea at the beginning of the season what his best trip is.
“He's a horse with a lot of speed and a lot of class, and I think a mile is right for him this season. He hasn't run a bad race all season, but it's just been frustrating since the Guineas. In a conventional year, things might have panned out better for him, but that's where we were through no fault of his own. He's a high-class horse, and I'd love to have a go at Ascot if the ground is all right.”
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