It pays to be positioned prominently on Ascot’s inside circuit, as we noticed when Poptronic stole the 2023 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1) from the entrance at huge odds final yr, and with out numerous tempo on this yr’s working it is simple to see an analogous situation unfolding.
Jessica Harrington’s Village Voice can go ahead, as seen when she landed the Prix de Flore (G3) at Saint-Cloud a yr in the past. She bounced again to kind with a wide-margin listed success again at Saint-Cloud final month. This requires a profession greatest, however she’s calmly raced for a 4-year-old and the bottom is in her favor.
Aidan O’Brien bids for a 3rd win on this race with a trio of runners, together with Wingspan , who’s a possible front-runner below Sean Levey. She arrives on the again of a slender defeat in a the Blandford Stakes (G2) final month, when simply failing to make all, and her dam, Hydrangea , received this race for connections in 2017 with a career-best efficiency. The filly can be confirmed on testing floor, having received her maiden on heavy in April.
Ryan Moore seemingly prefers the claims of Content material , who by no means acquired into it from off the tempo within the Prix de l’Opera (G1). Nonetheless, she was on an upward curve earlier than that, culminating in a breakthrough group 1 success within the Yorkshire Oaks (G1), and the return to additional may assist her get again on observe.
Grateful is the third runner for O’Brien, getting into off her first top-level win within the Prix de Royallieu (G1) Oct. 5. The daughter of twin American champion turf feminine Tepin, who’s half brother Delacroix received the Oct. 12 Autumn Stakes (G3) will look to notch back-to-back group 1s.
“Grateful is an aesthetic filly with an unbelievable pedigree,” O’Brien mentioned. “Christophe (Soumillon) gave her a superb experience when she received the Prix de Royallieu, and he rides once more. That was over a mile and 6, however this race will experience like greater than a mile and a half as it is going to be so testing, so hopefully she’ll run effectively once more.”
Juddmonte’s Kalpana heads the betting after her spectacular success within the September Stakes (G3). Andrew Balding’s filly has been positioned prominently in every of her two latest wins, however William Buick might have his work minimize out to get a field seat place from stall 11. Delicate floor is arguably the larger concern, given she’s but to run on something slower than good.
The Fillies and Mares Stakes is the penultimate occasion within the Breeders’ Cup Problem Collection, and grants the winner an automated, fees-paid berth to the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) at Del Mar.
Charyn Hopes to Cap Stellar Season in QEII
Each season an sudden star rises by means of the ranks and no horse matches that description higher than Charyn because the 2023 marketing campaign attracts to a conclusion.
Anybody who recognized Charyn as a candidate for flat racing’s greatest miler forward of his 4-year-old season deserves the utmost credit score. He was 0-7 at 3 and albeit appeared uncovered on the highest stage. This time period it has been a very completely different story and even a file of 4-for-6 does him a disservice.
Solely two excellent front-running rides in uncommon races from Robert Havlin aboard Viewers (Lockinge Stakes, G1) and significantly Mickael Barzalona on Tribalist (Prix du Moulin, G1) disadvantaged Charyn of an ideal six months.
On a day when champions are topped, Charyn in all probability deserves this Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1). He has danced each dance within the mile division aside from the Sussex Stakes (G1) and is as dependable as they arrive.
That mentioned, maybe such a schedule will show his downfall at Ascot. It’s tough for even probably the most sturdy varieties to maintain top-class kind from March by means of to October when the bottom turns and his greatest performances have been on higher going.
Whereas his runner-up end within the Moulin got here on floor described as tender, French tender and British tender can generally bear solely a passing resemblance.
This may very well be a slog within the circumstances and Charyn meets a pair of recent rivals with demonstrable soft-ground kind. Spectacular Solar Chariot Stakes (G1) winner Tamfana has excelled since returning to a mile, whereas Prague produced a efficiency bordering on group 1 caliber within the Joel Stakes (G2).
There may be additionally the prospect that a few of Charyn’s previous foes can supply extra. Henry Longfellow is a participant on his second place within the St James’s Palace Stakes (G1) as that efficiency places him second highest on Racing Put up Rankings. He ought to relish an intensive take a look at on the journey.
Kinross Seeks Second BRitish Champions Dash
When you can breed for one thing, it absolutely exists and Form of Blue is the third from his quick household to make the body in a gaggle 1 dash at this observe. His dam is a sister to Deacon Blues and half sister to The Tin Man , each winners of this race. Earlier than he received this, The Tin Man was second in Haydock’s Dash Cup (G1) and Form of Blue did precisely the identical final month.
Ascot pedigrees are certain to emerge when greater than half of the group 1 sprints for non-juveniles happen right here. A win for Form of Blue would proceed the British Champions Dash Stakes (G1) because the strongest development of all.
Kinross is again for extra in considered one of his ordinary quests for big-race autumn glory and Rossa Ryan is assured he’ll be capable to strike once more after his agonizing defeat a yr in the past.
The Ralph Beckett-trained 7-year-old took this impressively two years in the past and appeared set for back-to-back wins final yr, solely to be nabbed by a neck by Artwork Energy .
The Marc Chan-owned star confirmed he stays in tremendous fettle with victory within the Park Stakes (G2) final month earlier than ending runner-up behind Ramatuelle within the Prix de la Foret (G1) on Arc day. He makes one other fast 13-day return on a well-recognized path as he bids for a 3rd group 1 triumph.
“He is doing effectively,” Ryan mentioned. “He ran an incredible race at Longchamp giving all that weight away in opposition to a filly. We’re going there with the yard in good kind and he is acquired a stable probability. His attract stall 18 is not ideally suited however he is overcome worse earlier than.”
Trawlerman Seems to Flip Tables on Kyprios
Simply how good is Kyprios ? It may appear a foolish query to ask a couple of horse who has received eight group1 races, but it surely’s onerous to flee the sensation we nonetheless do not actually know the ceiling of his skill. He’s already one of many greats, however may he be the best?
He has been so constant that he has a median Racing Put up Ranking of 120 because the begin of 2022, however has proved able to rather a lot higher than that when it has been wanted. He had a highest determine of 128 at Longchamp in 2022 and ran to 124 within the Irish St Leger (G1) that yr.
That means his median RPR may have been higher than 120 had there been a severe rival to check him and that ranking has in all probability been held again by him competing in a below-par period.
Nonetheless, in all probability his largest rival in recent times has been Trawlerman and the John and Thady Gosden-trained 6-year-old is a welcome presence within the nine-runner line-up for the British Champions Lengthy Distance Cup (G2).
Trawlerman is the one horse on this discipline to have overwhelmed Kyprios and he did it on this contest 12 months in the past when preventing again after being headed to get the higher of the tussle by a neck.
Kyprios acquired his revenge when defeating Trawlerman by a size within the Gold Cup (G1) at this course again in June, however the pair have been as soon as once more a good distance away from the remaining and Trawlerman was the one one to provide Kyprios a race. That made the rating 1-1, so who wins the decider?
Kyprios is coming in after a tough season and returning solely two weeks after successful a grueling Prix du Cadran (G1) at Longchamp over 2 1/2 miles, whereas Trawlerman has had a lighter marketing campaign and is contemporary after 121 days off.
