Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will face seven rivals in Saturday's G1 Qipco Champion S., with stablemate Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy) not amongst them as connections opted to send the latter to the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is the chief rival to Anthony Oppenheimer's defending champion, who will sport blinkers for the first time in the main event, while Qatar Racing's G1 Eclipse S., G1 Juddmonte International S. and G1 Irish Champion S. hero Roaring Lion encounters 14 opponents including the leading filly Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp winner Recoletos (Fr) (Whipper).
With the ground riding testing, Sheikh Fahad's racing manager David Redvers revealed that the final decision as to the grey's target was made simple. “It's been confirmed this morning that he'll go for the QEII as unfortunately there's no sign of the ground drying up to not have heavy in the description on the round course,” he explained. “Obviously it's disappointing he can't compete in the Champion S., but all along we've known that while we don't have too much of a fear about him acting on soft ground, he's got too good an action to have him flying through mud. Also, he seems to be more about speed this horse, he's not a grinder–he's got a serious turn of foot.”
Roaring Lion will be reverting to a mile for the first time since finishing fifth in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket May 5, but Redvers is unconcerned about that aspect. “I don't think there's any question now he's a faster horse than when he ran in the Guineas,” he added. “He seems in remarkably good fettle. We just needed the weather to hold for one more week. It's heartbreaking, but it's the price we pay for running the meeting when we do and there's nothing we can do about it as we have to fit into the world calendar, not just our own.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
