Montassib (GB)

It's QIPCO British Champions Day, so it stands to reason that we are talking about autumn soft ground as the European flat season continues to turn on its axis. Where the summer specialists City Of Troy (Justify), Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) and Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) are missing for varying reasons, the way is open for those who relish the kind of test this surface provides. Every one of the five pattern races on Ascot's fixture boasts at...

Ascot's Qipco British Champions Day took its final shape on Thursday morning, with the middle-distance heavyweights Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) heading a 12-strong cast for Saturday's £1.3-million G1 Qipco Champion Stakes. Isa Salman Al Khalifa's G1 Irish Champion Stakes winner and The Aga Khan's G1 Juddmonte International runner-up are joined by the G1 Irish Derby third Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), one of two for Ballydoyle, and another French raider in Iresine (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}) who gives to provide Marie Velon with a...

The Montassib Partnership's selectively campaigned 6-year-old gelding Montassib (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}--Felwah {GB}, by Aqlaam {GB}) notched a first pattern-race triumph in June's G3 Chipchase Stakes and outstripped all prior form to claim a career high in a thrilling renewal of Saturday's G1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock. The 25-1 outsider found a modicum of cover after an alert getaway and occupied a slot in rear through the initial fractions of this straight six-furlong contest. Nudged closer once past halfway, he came under sterner urging when moving into contention...