The five day entries are out for Saturday's meeting: 1.50pm QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS LONG DISTANCE CUP (GROUP 3) 2m £200,000 guaranteed. For: 3yo+. Weights: 3yo colts and geldings 8st 3lb; fillies 8st; 4yo+ colts and geldings 9st; fillies 8st 11lb. Prize money: 1st £113,420; 2nd £43,000 3rd £21,520 4th £10,720 5th £5,380 6th £2,700 Form Horse Age/Wgt Owner Trainer 3-4206 CAVALRYMAN 5-9-00 Godolphin Saeed Bin Suroor 411002 CHIBERTA KING 5-9-00 The Pink Hat Racing Partnership Andrew Balding 0062-8 DARLEY SUN 5-9-00 Godolphin Saeed Bin Suroor 11124 FAME AND GLORY 5-9-00 Fitri Hay Aidan OâBrien IRE 01023 NEHAAM 5-9-00 Hamdan Al Maktoum John Gosden 342112 OPINION POLL 5-9-00 Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni 411231 TIMES UP 5-9-00 Mrs I H Stewart-Brown & M J Meacock John Dunlop 32101 MEEZNAH 4-8-11 Saif Ali & Saeed H Altayer David Lanigan 2-0313 MOTRICE 4-8-11 Kirsten Rausing Sir Mark Prescott Bt 245433 POLLY´S MARK 5-8-11 Wickham Stud Clive Cox 240513 COLOUR VISION 3-8-03 Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum Mark Johnston 350204 ETERNAL HEART 3-8-03 Joan Keaney Mark Johnston 234052 REGENT STREET 3-8-03 Michael Tabor Aidan OâBrien IRE 13 go forward 2.25pm QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SPRINT STAKES (GROUP 2) 6f £250,000 guaranteed. For: 3yo+. Weights: 3yo colts and geldings 8st 13lb; fillies 8st 10lb; 4yo+ colts and geldings 9st; fillies 8st 11lb. Prize money: 1st £141,775; 2nd £53,750 3rd £26,900 4th £13,400 5th £6,725 6th £3,375 Form Horse Age/Wgt Owner Trainer 115202 BATED BREATH 4-9-00 Khalid Abdulla Roger Charlton 132-52 DAFEEF 4-9-00 Hamdan Al Maktoum William Haggas 21111 DEACON BLUES 4-9-00 Jan & Peter Hopper & Michelle Morris James Fanshawe 016445 GENKI 7-9-00 Gillian Khosla Roger Charlton 003060 JIMMY STYLES 7-9-00 Gwyn Powell and Peter Ridgers Clive Cox 211230 MEDICEAN MAN 5-9-00 Stuart Dobb & Kate Dobb Jeremy Gask 000515 PRIME DEFENDER 7-9-00 S Falle, M Franklin, J Sumsion Charles Hills 300311 ROYAL ROCK 7-9-00 Aida Fustoq Chris Wall 603031 SILVERSIDE 5-9-00 Safsaf Canarias Srl Frederic Sanchez FR 02126 SOCIETY ROCK 4-9-00 Simon Gibson James Fanshawe 060-16 TOTAL GALLERY 5-9-00 Qatar Bloodstock Ltd Henry Candy 144010 LIBRANNO 3-8-13 Mcdowell Racing Richard Hannon 01004 HOORAY 3-8-10 Cheveley Park Stud Sir Mark Prescott Bt 50431 LADIES ARE FOREVER 3-8-10 Reg Bond Geoff Oldroyd 10211 MOONLIGHT CLOUD 3-8-10 George Strawbridge Freddy Head FR 11415 NIGHT CARNATION 3-8-10 George Strawbridge Andrew Balding 116000 PERFECT TRIBUTE 3-8-10 Mildmay Racing & D H Caslon Clive Cox 2-0155 WIZZ KID 3-8-10 Maeve Mahony Robert Collet 18 go forward 3.00pm QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS FILLIES AND MARES STAKES (GROUP 2) 1m 4f £250,000 guaranteed. For: 3yo+, fillies and mares. Weights: 3yo 8st 10lb; 4yo+ 9st 3lb. Prize money: 1st £141,775; 2nd £53,750 3rd £26,900 4th £13,400 5th £6,725 6th £3,375 Form Horse Age/Wgt Owner Trainer 2002/5 BOLIVIA 5-9-03 Anthony & Victoria Pakenham Lucy Wadham 0-5665 BRUSHING 5-9-03 John Brenchley Mark Tompkins 001-36 CEILIDH HOUSE 4-9-03 Julian Richmond-Watson Ralph Beckett 5-3033 CILL RIALAIG 6-9-03 Pangfield Partners Hughie Morrison 0-4144 CRYSTAL CAPELLA 6-9-03 Sir Evelyn De Rothschild Sir Michael Stoute 112-1 FERDOOS 4-9-03 Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum Roger Varian 140-11 GERTRUDE BELL 4-9-03 Rachel Hood John Gosden 32101 MEEZNAH 4-9-03 Saif Ali & Saeed H Altayer David Lanigan 242131 SEA OF HEARTBREAK 4-9-03 D G Hardisty Bloodstock Roger Charlton 1-1222 VITA NOVA 4-9-03 H E Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Sir Henry Cecil 112153 BANIMPIRE 3-8-10 Jackie Bolger Jim Bolger IRE 3-1110 BIBLE BELT 3-8-10 Anamoine Limited Jessica Harrington IRE 12151 DANCING RAIN 3-8-10 Martin & Lee Taylor William Haggas 113242 MISS CRISSY 3-8-10 Olivier Carli Mikel Delzangles FR 14 go forward 3.35pm QUEEN ELIZABETH II STAKES SPONSORED BY QIPCO (GROUP 1) 1m £1,000,000 guaranteed. For: 3yo+. Weights: 3yo colts and geldings 9st; fillies 8st 11lb; 4yo+ colts and geldings 9st 3lb; fillies 9st. Prize money: 1st £567,100; 2nd £215,000 3rd £107,600 4th £53,600 5th £26,900 6th £13,500 Form Horse Age/Wgt Owner Trainer 0655-0 BULLET TRAIN 4-9-03 Khalid Abdulla Sir Henry Cecil 23012 CITYSCAPE 5-9-03 Khalid Abdulla Roger Charlton 140101 DICK TURPIN 4-9-03 John Manley Richard Hannon 0-2003 POETâS VOICE 4-9-03 Godolphin Saeed Bin Suroor 34322 RIO DE LA PLATA 6-9-03 Godolphin Saeed Bin Suroor 311314 SIDE GLANCE 4-9-03 Pearl Bloodstock Ltd Andrew Balding 226414 DUBAWI GOLD 3-9-00 Andrew Tinkler Richard Hannon 21311 EXCELEBRATION 3-9-00 Manfredini, Tabor, Smith & Magnier Marco Botti 1-1111 FRANKEL 3-9-00 Khalid Abdulla Sir Henry Cecil 40111 IMMORTAL VERSE 3-8-11 Richard Strauss Robert Collet 10 go forward 4.10pm QIPCO CHAMPION STAKES (GROUP 1) 1m 2f £1,300,000 guaranteed. For 3yo+. Weights: 3yo colts and geldings 8st 12lb; fillies 8st 9lb 4yo+ colts and geldings 9st 3lb; fillies 9st. Prize money: 1st £737,230; 2nd £279,500 3rd £139,880 4th £69,680 5th £34,970 6th £17,550 Form Horse Age/Wgt Owner Trainer 11-113 AWAIT THE DAWN 4-9-03 Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier Aidan O´Brien IRE 121112 CIRRUS DES AIGLES 5-9-03 Jean-Claude-Alain Dupouy Corine Barande-Barbe FR 171011 GREEN DESTINY 4-9-03 Saleh Al Homaizi & Imad Al Sagar William Haggas 0-2003 POETâS VOICE 4-9-03 Godolphin Saeed Bin Suroor 105251 RANSOM NOTE 4-9-03 Raymond Mould Charles Hills 112114 SO YOU THINK 5-9-03 Smith/Magnier/Tabor/Dato Tan/Tunku Yahaya Aidan O´Brien IRE 23350 SRI PUTRA 5-9-03 H R H Sultan Ahmad Shah Roger Varian 106511 TWICE OVER 6-9-03 Khalid Abdulla Sir Henry Cecil 130041 WIGMORE HALL 4-9-03 M B Hawtin Michael Bell 6-655 WINDSOR PALACE 6-9-03 Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O´Brien IRE 12212 MIDDAY 5-9-00 Khalid Abdulla Sir Henry Cecil 1-4223 SNOW FAIRY 4-9-00 Anamoine Limited Ed Dunlop 11-001 CASAMENTO 3-8-12 Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni 11-1 DUBAI PRINCE 3-8-12 Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni 2-1211 NATHANIEL 3-8-12 Lady Rothschild John Gosden 111310 RELIABLE MAN 3-8-12 Pride Racing Club Alain De Royer-Dupre FR 112153 BANIMPIRE 3-8-09 Jackie Bolger Jim Bolger IRE 17 go forward
Looking at those still left in chasing the big pots available on Saturday, some of the principal foreign entries might not show up because the ground may be too fast. Moonlight Cloud ducked the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp where she would have been far and away the class horse in the race. Deacon Blues is on a five-timer but he might be absent so there could be a relatively small field chasing the £250k. Hooray could be the one to capitalise. Will Fame And Glory return to the scene of his Gold Cup victory after two disappointing efforts? It is difficult to know whether Meeznah will go for this marathon or take on her own sex in the Fillies And Mares heat. If Crystal Capella, Gertrude Bell, Vita Nova and Dancing Rain all line up, the Fillies And Mares could be a fascinating affair. Sea Of Heartbreak and Miss Crissy met on Arc weekend, but will this be too soon for either of them? With Bullet Train intended to set the race up for his three-parts brother Frankel, which of Immortal Verse, Excelebration and Dick Turpin is going to be the runner-up?
The only way Frankel can get beaten is if they go a fast gallop for the first 6f and then for something to go on before Bullet Train gives way, making it a true test. If the race is run any other way it will be a procession and the others are merely competing for place money.
"I am looking to offer ground which is a combination of good and good to firm on Saturday." Surely Nathaniel must be a doubt then . . . Interesting to see what Gosden does. The one thing is that the ground should actually be what it says it is, or near it. The French seem to just describe the ground as what they would like it to be rather than what it is!!
I would love to go but it's all hands to the pump here installing a new sand arena before winter sets in.
Surely Dubai Prince has to be worth a bet at 12/1? Nathaniel has doubts over trip and ground, and then for me So You Think is the only real top 10f horse in the race. Reliable Man needs soft, Snow Fairy is better over 12f. Dubai Prince's comeback was really promising, hands and heels to comfortably beat Jet Away, who absolutely routed a conditions field over the weekend by 9L. 10f looks about ideal for him and I think thoroughly deserves a crack at So You Think.
I really think excellebration will serve it up to frankel, looks to be a good days racing in prospect
Think I may end going for a SHC double with Frankel, Vita Nova, and may add in Midday e/w too, always been a fan of opinion poll think he'll go close and ill see price later on in the week.
I'm going and can't wait. I just hope the races don't start cutting up as the week goes on. Should be a cracking day. Nathaniel does seem a certain runner mind. It appears Gosden is less concerned with the Ascot ground . . .
Sorry to say but this now has the look of a total ‘white elephant’ of a meeting about it. They’ve thrown so much money at the venture and to be frank have attracted no more entries than they would have down had the races been kept in their former guises. Sir Henry’s Frankel will though obviously brighten up proceedings and I would both hope and expect him to be up to his usual standard. Mr Botti’s Excelebration is though no easy opponent given how he has improved since mid-summer. The most worrying things though that have emerged are: (i) the meeting has attracted just 6, I say 6, entries from outside the UK and Ireland (all French) and that is a total disgrace on what should be a truely international day. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, having the word ‘British’ shoehorned into every race title and making it every other word on press releases turns affairs into quaint ones not something universal and all encompassing like either the 'Arc' or 'Breeders Cup' meetings. (ii) John Gosden’s comments on the draw in the Champion Stakes. He remarked that if you’re drawn on the outside you may as well forget it. Unless someone’s planning to build a house within a few miles of his own Mr Gosden is usually an upbeat and positive chap so this dire forecast hardly bodes well for promoting a fair heat.
Reading the piece by Brough Scott in Sunday's RP, the Warren Place lads can't see MIDDAY (or FRANKEL) being beaten! I shall be there, Mr PN and I are going with friends - Premier, naturally
Sir Barney, I am also a sceptic about this ‘white elephant’ meeting. This inaugural edition might attract a bumper turnout because of the presence of the superstar Frankel; however, it will be interesting to see whether all this tinkering with the fixture list has resulted in equivalent attendances to last year let alone the stated objective of bringing in new faces. I note that Saturday’s Future Champions’ Day at Newmarket recorded an attendance of 9,018. There really needs to be a very quick rethink before next year as some of the races need swapping around for racing’s sake and there also needs to be a look at the dates. I read somebody in the Racing Post commenting on how last Saturday’s card featured two Group 1 contests for colts and none for the fillies. As was suggested, the Middle Park should be moved to the Cambridgeshire card (enabling the Middle Park/Dewhurst double to be attempted as in the past) and one of the fillies’ races moved in its place. Scant regard appears to have been paid by race planning to the lack of variety in this card, the principal reason that I watched at home. The only beneficiaries of the move of the Ascot fixture to October appear to have been the French. They have been able to move the Prix Du Moulin De Longchamp onto the Arc Trials’ Day card because the QEII has moved to October. I will assume that they could not move the Champion Stakes to September (Ascot’s original date) because of the Irish Champion Stakes (which appears to be dying a slow death anyway) so they are in a scheduling bind. As a total cynic, I will suggest that the Qatari sponsors did not want Champions’ Day before Qatar Arc weekend because they did not want to upset their cousins. PN, I read Brough Scott’s piece and whilst the lads did fancy Midday strongly, I would not say that they went as far as making Midday a certainty. I cannot imagine who Cyc thinks will beat Midday...
QM, you're probably right but there was certainly confidence in the statement from Sir Henry's assitant Mike Marshall "For all her [Midday] success I don't think people realise how good she is. I think she could win on Saturday." The interview is well worth a read, though I'm not sure if it is online. If I'm feeling generous I might type it up later on!
I agree with this. It seems ludicrous to run the Middle Park and Dewhurst on the same card because it simply weakens both races. It would make far more sense to move the Fillies Mile back to Future Champions Day to run alongside the Dewhurst and run the Middle Park and the Cheveley Park on the same card. I appreciate that there may be other clashes between G3 and G2 races but the G1s must surely take priority. It might be a tricky balancing act to get the scheduling right but i di think it is worth persevering with. I think i am actually a fan of the Champions Day idea. I i don't think you can say that the fields attracted are no stronger than they would have been in their original guises. The QEII is a very strong mile race, and would have been anyway. But the sprint/mares/long distance races are far far stronger and the Champions Stakes is stronger too.
