QIPCO Champions Day

Storm Babet has decided the final shape of the fields for Saturday's Qipco Champions Day fixture, with the softening ground ruling Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) out of the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. and making up Aidan O'Brien's mind as to where to point Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}). That four-times group 1 winner takes up his engagement in the QEII, leaving a total of nine to take part in the G1 Qipco Champion S. Heading the list for the 10-furlong highlight is last year's winner Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay...

After his strong third in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Sunday, the connections of Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) were thinking Breeders' Cup, and now QIPCO Champions Day is also on the table as long as the ground isn't too soft, trainer Fabrice Chappet revealed on Thursday. Raced by Gerard Augustin-Normand, the 4-year-old colt won the G1 Grand Prix de Paris last year and was also second in the G1 Champion S. during a campaign that took him from France, to Ireland and Japan. He returned this term...

Declarations for Saturday's Champions Day bonanza at Ascot were finalised Thursday morning, with no surprise defections from the main contests. Shadwell's hitherto undefeated Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will conclude his racing career in the £1.3-million Qipco Champion S. and faces off against last year's G1 Derby and G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Baaeed has drawn stall one, and Adayar stall six, in the day's feature event. Elsewhere on the £4-million card, Cheveley Park Stud's G1 Coronation S. and G1 Prix...

Jadoomi (Fr) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) has been supplemented for £70,000 to Saturday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. on QIPCO Champions Day at Ascot. The gelding is undefeated in three starts this season, including the G2 Boomerang S. at Leopardstown on Sept. 10. Likely favorite for the £1.1-million test is MG1SW Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), victorious most recently in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville in August. Also among possible runners for this weekend's feature are: French Classic winner Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi...

Saturday's G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. was all about Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) beforehand, but in the end it proved as a showcase for Shadwell's Muhaarar (GB) whose daughters Eshaada (GB) and Albaflora (GB) fought out a thriller. Moving forward dramatically from a poor effort in the Aug. 19 G1 Yorkshire Oaks, Eshaada was 16-1 to provide the upset for the Roger Varian stable returning to Ascot where she had finished second in the June 17 G2 Ribblesdale S. Settled in a clear third early by...

Adding to his fast-accumulating haul of big-race wins on Saturday, Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) justified even-money favouritism to bring up a repeat in Ascot's G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup. While not as demonstrative as 12 months ago, when the deeper ground saw him excel with a 7 1/2-length success, the subsequent G1 Goodwood Cup and G1 Prix du Cadran hero had a tactical affair to deal with this time but Hollie Doyle refused to be flustered anchoring him in mid-division. Despite his early exuberance, the 5-year-old had plenty...

Godolphin's G1 Cazoo Derby and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) might be seen once more this season in the G1 QIPCO Champion S. at Ascot on Oct. 16. Fourth in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after leading into the home straight, the bay has been pleasing trainer Charlie Appleby since his run in Paris. "He will be left in the Champion S. tomorrow, for the simple reason at the moment he has come out of the Arc well," Appleby...

Globetrotting multiple Group 1 winner Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is fresh off a record-breaking G2 Joel S. victory at Newmarket, has been confirmed for QIPCO Champions Day on Oct. 16, as long as the ground is not too heavy. The Godolphin colourbearer, who has earned top-drawer victories in Dubai, Germany and Australia, was winning his second Joel S. His first start of the season was a second in the G2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood in August after almost a year away from the racecourse. Benbatl holds entries in both...